Sunday, March 1, 2009

Owner's Guide to Iguana Abscesses

One of the most common health problems that iguana owners may face is the formation of an abscess. Abscesses are simply areas of swelling at the site of an infection. This article will tell you everything you need to know about them.
The immune system of healthy iguanas can normally fight off invading bacteria. If your iguana has a weakened system because of stress or another reason, bacteria can easily can an infection. Abscesses form at the site of a localized bacterial infection.
It's usually easy to tell if your lizard has developed an abscess. The area will swell up considerably. The site may also ooze a yellowish substance and begin to form a crust. However, not all abscesses are easy to notice. It one forms deep into the tissue, the overlying skin may not be affected much, which will make it much harder for you to notice.
It's very important that you take your iguana to a vet if you suspect he has an abscess. As long as bacteria are present in his body, it will keep multiplying and spreading out. This can lead to the formation of internal abscesses. In these cases, treatment is much less successful.
Abscesses have to be treated surgically. The vet will cut into the swollen area and clean out all of the material. Since he may not be able to remove all material at one time, your iguana may have to undergo more than one surgery. Once the area has been cleaned out, a course of injectable antibiotics will need to be administered to get rid of the invading bacteria.
This is everything you need to know about dealing with abscesses. As an owner, there are probably many more things you need to learn about taking care of iguanas. Fortunately for you, green-iguana-care.com provides everything you need. So, stop by today to start learning about a wide range of topics like proper iguana lighting and heating for iguanas

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