BalloonzForU
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- 7,573
- Location
- Grand Blanc, MI
Harkherp entered the room.
BalloonzForU: Hi Dr. Harkewicz
BalloonzForU: Where's marcia
BalloonzForU: Rules for guest chat
BalloonzForU: http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=3341
BalloonzForU: Dr. Harkewicz are you ready to start?
Harkherp: yes
BalloonzForU: I'd like to take this time to thank you for taking the time to join us tonight, Dr. Harkewicz
Harkherp: glad to be here
BalloonzForU: Can you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself?
Harkherp: I'm an exotic animal vet at Berkeley Dog & Cat Hospital, in Berkeley Ca. I see reptiles and amphibians (about 60% of my practice).
BalloonzForU: How long have you been a exotic vet?
Harkherp: I've been practicing for 22 years, and have kept reptiles for close to 50 years!
BalloonzForU: That's awesome!!!
BalloonzForU: Ok, I'm going to go on to our members questions.
LeosForLess: Thank you Dr for being with us tonight, For those of us who dont know, //6 what exactly is Crypto?
Harkherp: It's a protozoal disease that affects reptiles as well as other animals. It causes gastroenteritis. In reptiles it's fatal, with no known cure.
bittner_344: well i would just like to thank you for being here. darnit paul you took my question lol. and dr, you answered my other question lmao. ok, hmm. how can reptiles aquire' crypto?
Harkherp: Usually they acquire it via a fecal/oral route. In other words, they eat something (fecal) that contains the protozoa. For example, an unclean/contaminated food item such as a cricket or mouse.
bittner_344: thanks for your time, but i have to go. good night dr, and everyone.
RoseT: Hello Dr. Harkewicz... what other animals can Crypto affect? Is my bird safe from it?
Harkherp: Avian species are usually immune from this organism. Their higher body temperature is probably protective.
Harkherp: Amphibians are also usually not affected.
Harkherp: There is a human form of the infection which is completely different from the animal form.
RoseT: Thank you
cougardude: Thank you for being here cna inverts also get this
Harkherp: Invertebrates are usually immune.
yellermelon: yes, how can i be sure none of my leos have crypto? I know you can do test, but i saw in a book that it was able to be seen in a fecal also? oh thanks for being here
Harkherp: Regular fecal flotations don't show crypto. You need to have your vet do an IFA test through a lab that tests for crypto. Major vet labs like Antech or Idexx run these tests daily.
Harkherp: IFA stands for Immune Fluorescent Antibody test, which is specific for the crypto organism.
yellermelon: can my leos indeed be cariers even if showing no sighns of being ill, and gaining weight like normal?
Harkherp: Yes, they can be. To be sure that they don't carry the organism, a negative IFA fecal test is the only way to be sure.
yellermelon: ok, Thank you
Haroldo: I am wondering what your thoughts are on the "shotgun" technique, especially in regards with suspect w.c. animals?
Haroldo: As far as drug doses go, I find it much easier to administer meds in supsension form (OraPlus). I am versed in creating accurate suspensions, but I am curious as to how stable are medications like...
Haroldo: ...sulfadimethoxine, fenbendazole, and metronidazole?
Harkherp: As I mentioned earlier, there really isn't any known medication that will cure or treat crypto. The drugs you mentioned are used for parasitic diseases and other bacterial infections.
Harkherp: BTW, drug suspensions are never very stable.
Haroldo: I'm actually not talking about crypto, but other protozoa and the like...internal parasites
Lizard_Lair: What is the best method for disinfection practices to insure a 100% kill of crypto?
Harkherp: Crypto doesn't live very long outside of a warm, moist environment. So, removing feces as soon as it is deposited and keeping water dishes clean is your first step.
Harkherp: The next step is to disinfect tanks. A dilute bleach solution, 1 cup bleach to 1 gallon water, with rinsing after use, is the best disinfectant.
Lizard_Lair: Do the eggs live for a long time?
Harkherp: Outside of a warm, moist environment, no. In one, they can last approximately 72-96 hours.
Lizard_Lair: Thanks! This is helpful.
BalloonzForU: Dr. Harkewicz, Marica has been trying to get into the chat for a while and would like me to ask her questions for her.
yellermelon has left the room.
BalloonzForU: Marcia's first question is: Will Quaternary Ammonium Compond kill Crypto on surfaces?
yellermelon entered the room.
Harkherp: Yes, it's just as effective as bleach. However, as with bleach, you need to make sure that the surface is thoroughly rinsed after use.
BalloonzForU: Ron Tremper's new Book claims 60% of all leopard geckos are infected with Crypto and the remainder are carriers, how accurate is this claim?
Harkherp: I'm not sure where he got his information. He's not a vet... Unless he tests all leos in the world, I'm not sure how he can make that claim.
Harkherp: I see leos from conscientous breeders who are totally clear when tested.
BalloonzForU: Marcia, says, Thank you!! And she's very sorry she couldn't be here tonight
GoGo: How can you prevent the feeders from becoming possible causes of crypto(Feeders like mealworms and pinkies(treats)) before you give them to your reptiles?
Harkherp: Make sure you buy your feeders from a reliable source, and don't move uneaten feeders from one cage to another.
Harkherp: Also, food items usually acquire crypto from infected feces.
GoGo: Thank you.
Gregg_M: Hi Dr. First I want to say thank you for your time.... I have 2 questions... Here is the first... You said that there is no known drug that is effective in killing or treating Crypto... There is a
Gregg_M: drug made for humans called Alinia (nitazoxanide)... I spoke with the makers of the drug and they said it completely kills crypo and is effective against all species tested...
Gregg_M: Do you think this might be worth atleast a look into or do some tests to see how effective it can be???
Gregg_M: And How hard is it to differentiate between C. parvum and C. muris that can be present in feeder rodents from C. serpentis and C. saurophilum that actually cause the problem in reptiles??
Gregg_M: I imagine there can be alot of misdiagnosed reptiles...
Harkherp: The human drugs have proven to be ineffective in reptiles. The IFA test I mentioned earlier will distinguish the strain, and will not give a false positive. It only tests for C. serpentis.
Harkherp: The other organisms are of no concern, and won't cause a problem in reptiles.
Gregg_M: What about C. saurophilum that originated in lizards
Gregg_M: C. serpentis affects the gastic system and C. saurophilum affects only the intestinal tract, correct???
bittner_344 has left the room.
Harkherp: It originated in lizards, but doesn't cause the infection we're discussing today.
bittner_344: have you seen geckos ever come out alive from bieng infected with crypto?
Harkherp: They can stay alive for a period of time, but eventually die of weightloss and starvation.
The_NY_Gecko: i'm late, so pardon this question if it has been asked. If a leo has been infected with crypto, is there anything you can do? And what do you do to prevent it from spreading
Harkherp: There's nothing that you can do to cure a leo infected with crypto. Look at the previous posts, and you'll see the information about disinfecting, etc.
BalloonzForU: Dr. I have another member that wasn't able to make it. Do you have time for one more question
BalloonzForU: it's a short one
Harkherp: ok
BalloonzForU: CarrotTail asks, In which country or part of the word is Crypto most often appearing?
Harkherp: It seems to be pervasive. There isn't any part of the country that I know of that is less at risk than any other. The more you test, the more you'll find it, so the areas that are testing are bound
Harkherp: to show more infection.
MackSnow: from how many animals i can make a fecal test so that i see if one of those has cryptos?
Harkherp: One animal per fecal.
BalloonzForU: I'd like to take this time to Thank you again for joining us, Dr. Harkewicz
BalloonzForU: Hi Dr. Harkewicz
BalloonzForU: Where's marcia
BalloonzForU: Rules for guest chat
BalloonzForU: http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=3341
BalloonzForU: Dr. Harkewicz are you ready to start?
Harkherp: yes
BalloonzForU: I'd like to take this time to thank you for taking the time to join us tonight, Dr. Harkewicz
Harkherp: glad to be here
BalloonzForU: Can you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself?
Harkherp: I'm an exotic animal vet at Berkeley Dog & Cat Hospital, in Berkeley Ca. I see reptiles and amphibians (about 60% of my practice).
BalloonzForU: How long have you been a exotic vet?
Harkherp: I've been practicing for 22 years, and have kept reptiles for close to 50 years!
BalloonzForU: That's awesome!!!
BalloonzForU: Ok, I'm going to go on to our members questions.
LeosForLess: Thank you Dr for being with us tonight, For those of us who dont know, //6 what exactly is Crypto?
Harkherp: It's a protozoal disease that affects reptiles as well as other animals. It causes gastroenteritis. In reptiles it's fatal, with no known cure.
bittner_344: well i would just like to thank you for being here. darnit paul you took my question lol. and dr, you answered my other question lmao. ok, hmm. how can reptiles aquire' crypto?
Harkherp: Usually they acquire it via a fecal/oral route. In other words, they eat something (fecal) that contains the protozoa. For example, an unclean/contaminated food item such as a cricket or mouse.
bittner_344: thanks for your time, but i have to go. good night dr, and everyone.
RoseT: Hello Dr. Harkewicz... what other animals can Crypto affect? Is my bird safe from it?
Harkherp: Avian species are usually immune from this organism. Their higher body temperature is probably protective.
Harkherp: Amphibians are also usually not affected.
Harkherp: There is a human form of the infection which is completely different from the animal form.
RoseT: Thank you
cougardude: Thank you for being here cna inverts also get this
Harkherp: Invertebrates are usually immune.
yellermelon: yes, how can i be sure none of my leos have crypto? I know you can do test, but i saw in a book that it was able to be seen in a fecal also? oh thanks for being here
Harkherp: Regular fecal flotations don't show crypto. You need to have your vet do an IFA test through a lab that tests for crypto. Major vet labs like Antech or Idexx run these tests daily.
Harkherp: IFA stands for Immune Fluorescent Antibody test, which is specific for the crypto organism.
yellermelon: can my leos indeed be cariers even if showing no sighns of being ill, and gaining weight like normal?
Harkherp: Yes, they can be. To be sure that they don't carry the organism, a negative IFA fecal test is the only way to be sure.
yellermelon: ok, Thank you
Haroldo: I am wondering what your thoughts are on the "shotgun" technique, especially in regards with suspect w.c. animals?
Haroldo: As far as drug doses go, I find it much easier to administer meds in supsension form (OraPlus). I am versed in creating accurate suspensions, but I am curious as to how stable are medications like...
Haroldo: ...sulfadimethoxine, fenbendazole, and metronidazole?
Harkherp: As I mentioned earlier, there really isn't any known medication that will cure or treat crypto. The drugs you mentioned are used for parasitic diseases and other bacterial infections.
Harkherp: BTW, drug suspensions are never very stable.
Haroldo: I'm actually not talking about crypto, but other protozoa and the like...internal parasites
Lizard_Lair: What is the best method for disinfection practices to insure a 100% kill of crypto?
Harkherp: Crypto doesn't live very long outside of a warm, moist environment. So, removing feces as soon as it is deposited and keeping water dishes clean is your first step.
Harkherp: The next step is to disinfect tanks. A dilute bleach solution, 1 cup bleach to 1 gallon water, with rinsing after use, is the best disinfectant.
Lizard_Lair: Do the eggs live for a long time?
Harkherp: Outside of a warm, moist environment, no. In one, they can last approximately 72-96 hours.
Lizard_Lair: Thanks! This is helpful.
BalloonzForU: Dr. Harkewicz, Marica has been trying to get into the chat for a while and would like me to ask her questions for her.
yellermelon has left the room.
BalloonzForU: Marcia's first question is: Will Quaternary Ammonium Compond kill Crypto on surfaces?
yellermelon entered the room.
Harkherp: Yes, it's just as effective as bleach. However, as with bleach, you need to make sure that the surface is thoroughly rinsed after use.
BalloonzForU: Ron Tremper's new Book claims 60% of all leopard geckos are infected with Crypto and the remainder are carriers, how accurate is this claim?
Harkherp: I'm not sure where he got his information. He's not a vet... Unless he tests all leos in the world, I'm not sure how he can make that claim.
Harkherp: I see leos from conscientous breeders who are totally clear when tested.
BalloonzForU: Marcia, says, Thank you!! And she's very sorry she couldn't be here tonight
GoGo: How can you prevent the feeders from becoming possible causes of crypto(Feeders like mealworms and pinkies(treats)) before you give them to your reptiles?
Harkherp: Make sure you buy your feeders from a reliable source, and don't move uneaten feeders from one cage to another.
Harkherp: Also, food items usually acquire crypto from infected feces.
GoGo: Thank you.
Gregg_M: Hi Dr. First I want to say thank you for your time.... I have 2 questions... Here is the first... You said that there is no known drug that is effective in killing or treating Crypto... There is a
Gregg_M: drug made for humans called Alinia (nitazoxanide)... I spoke with the makers of the drug and they said it completely kills crypo and is effective against all species tested...
Gregg_M: Do you think this might be worth atleast a look into or do some tests to see how effective it can be???
Gregg_M: And How hard is it to differentiate between C. parvum and C. muris that can be present in feeder rodents from C. serpentis and C. saurophilum that actually cause the problem in reptiles??
Gregg_M: I imagine there can be alot of misdiagnosed reptiles...
Harkherp: The human drugs have proven to be ineffective in reptiles. The IFA test I mentioned earlier will distinguish the strain, and will not give a false positive. It only tests for C. serpentis.
Harkherp: The other organisms are of no concern, and won't cause a problem in reptiles.
Gregg_M: What about C. saurophilum that originated in lizards
Gregg_M: C. serpentis affects the gastic system and C. saurophilum affects only the intestinal tract, correct???
bittner_344 has left the room.
Harkherp: It originated in lizards, but doesn't cause the infection we're discussing today.
bittner_344: have you seen geckos ever come out alive from bieng infected with crypto?
Harkherp: They can stay alive for a period of time, but eventually die of weightloss and starvation.
The_NY_Gecko: i'm late, so pardon this question if it has been asked. If a leo has been infected with crypto, is there anything you can do? And what do you do to prevent it from spreading
Harkherp: There's nothing that you can do to cure a leo infected with crypto. Look at the previous posts, and you'll see the information about disinfecting, etc.
BalloonzForU: Dr. I have another member that wasn't able to make it. Do you have time for one more question
BalloonzForU: it's a short one
Harkherp: ok
BalloonzForU: CarrotTail asks, In which country or part of the word is Crypto most often appearing?
Harkherp: It seems to be pervasive. There isn't any part of the country that I know of that is less at risk than any other. The more you test, the more you'll find it, so the areas that are testing are bound
Harkherp: to show more infection.
MackSnow: from how many animals i can make a fecal test so that i see if one of those has cryptos?
Harkherp: One animal per fecal.
BalloonzForU: I'd like to take this time to Thank you again for joining us, Dr. Harkewicz
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