The Lizard Doctor

05/07/2024

Another red-footed tortoise in the clinic work a wellness exam. This was was extremely friendly!

20/06/2024

Love helping out these critters.

20/06/2024

Had meta AI make me logos and they turned out pretty cool!

24/05/2024

Happy World Turtle Day! Did you know that all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises! Fun fact for A great day!

21/04/2024

Another first name publication on Eastern a collared Lizards, (Crotaphytus collaris). Blessed to have the opportunity to spread knowledge for better understanding of health in these amazing lizards.

20/04/2024

Did you know that bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) can be spayed? This can save female bearded dragons from life threatening illnesses. I even over preventative spays in female bearded dragons once mature enough for surgery. Here are two ultrasound images of follicles in a gravid bearded dragon.

20/04/2024

Recheck on a hemimandibulectomy in an East African Armadillo Lizard (Cordylus tropidosternum). Waiting on histopathology results for a possible cool case report, but recovery is going great.

13/02/2024

Excited to have gotten published another first name paper on my leopard gecko vitamin A research! Establishing a reliable way to diagnose leopard geckos with vitamin A deficiencies instead of just treating off of clinical signs and hoping your diagnosis is correct.

09/02/2024

Did you know bearded dragons get dentals? They sure do! They actually have a published dental scoring chart and I routinely have to do dentals to keep their teeth clean. One of the biggest causes besides genetics is actually eating berries and fruits like blue berries and strawberries frequently.

08/02/2024

New videos have been posted to my YouTube channel as part of “The Lizard Doctor Enrichment Series” where it features white noise to help calm and relax your reptiles and amphibians. Reptiles can hear noises in their environment and many noises can lead to stress, anorexia, lack of sleep, and even illness. Providing a soothing noise can allow your reptile to be more comfortable allowing it to relax, eat comfortably, sleep undisturbed, and can prevent glass surfing and other stressful tendencies when caused by noise and overstimulation.

03/02/2024

Another great video for relaxation in your reptile and amphibian! Here is a nighttime cricket noise, great for the day time while you are at work, or if they live in their own room.

Part of "The Lizard Doctor Enrichment Series" this video highlights a relaxing cricket noise perfect for reptiles and amphibians. Your reptiles and amphibian...

31/01/2024

Did you know that your amphibians and reptiles can hear sounds and noises? They can also cause stress, inappetence, and behavioral changes. Providing natural and relaxing white noise and background music can allow for them to thrive, eat better, and act more naturally in their environment. This video highlights a thunderstorm going off at night and is ideal for when a fogger or mister in going off in your enclosure to mimic a natural thunder storm.

Part of "The Lizard Doctor Enrichment Series" this video highlights a relaxing thunderstorm and rain white noise perfect for reptiles and amphibians especial...

29/01/2024

I often get asked can my bearded dragon or reptile hear me? The answer is yes! Not only can they recognize your voice, the sounds in their environment play an important role in their overall day to day health. This I have started a new series on my YouTube channel called “The Lizard Doctor Enrichment Series”. Attached is a link to the Reptile Relaxation Music playlist! It will be filled with some of the best calming and stimulating sounds and music you can offer for your reptiles! Stay tuned for more videos to come! https://youtube.com/playlist? list=PLI9NGHXTjE_3upQ0PLq_kS_I1_6H-z5iQ&si=3ada5TQPBTA65Gzv

This playlist is dedicated to the enrichment, relaxation, and comfortability of your reptiles. Videos are meant to allow you to sit back and allow your critt...

19/01/2024

Here is a fun one! Guess the parasite egg! This is from a ball Python f***l!

It is a fur mite egg (Myocoptes musculinus) that is non infectious for snakes and is consumed from their pray and will pass through in their f***s! ***l

19/01/2024

Here is a female red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta
elegans) that is prepped and ready for her life saving spay after being egg bound for several months. One of the leading cause of deaths in female reptiles are reproductive related issues. Luckily with the help of endoscopy I was able to spay her through bilateral pre-femoral incisions without having to enter through the shell. After a recovery period she was back to her normal life without ever having to worry again about egg related issues.

16/01/2024

Hypovitaminosis A is very common is reptiles in particular in leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius). Here is one with cellular debris of the eye secondary to a vitamin A deficiency in its diet. Thankfully surgery was performed to remove the debris in the eye and the eye was saved!!! Swipe for progression!

14/01/2024

Here is a green anole (Anolis carolinensis) infected with a type of Papillomaviridae virus that causes papillomas of the skin. Similar viruses can be seen in many species of chameleons, the only successful treatment is surgical removal of the papillomas, however the route of infection is also through wounds or lesions in the skin. So eradication can be tricky, but possible. Commonly conjoint therapy to prevent secondary infections is also needed, along with supplemental support. Sadly this little guy was euthanized due to being lethargic and quickly declining.

13/01/2024

Here is an axolotl (Ambystoma
mexicanumwho) that came in for a wellness, a f***l and bloodwork was performed. We collected blood from the femoral vein while under light sedation. He was placed on a wet paper towel and gloves used to draw the blood without affecting his mucus membrane. He was then returned to his water and recovered like nothing happened. It is important to know your overall health of axolotls. This is a good way to help them live as long as possible as many can live to 15 years and some even to 20 if you are lucky!

13/01/2024

One of the leading causes of death in female reptiles is reproductive issues. Here is a female leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) that presented for a swollen coelom, anorexia, and self mutilation. Bloodwork showed a calcium level of 28 mg/dL and ultrasound showed that she had six!, yes six, follicles. To note female leopard geckos usually lay clutches of two eggs at a time, so for six to be present meant she had to have retained the previous four. Some female leopard geckos in ideal conditions can reabsorb the follicles with no issue, but sadly she was unable. Luckily she was spayed and made a full recovery, never to worry about egg binding or follicular stasis again!

13/01/2024

Never think something is too small for radiographs! Here we have a baby red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta
elegans), only 4 grams, that was placed on a dental radiograph probe for a coelomic radiograph to confirm consumption of gravel. This technique is also great for checking bone density and fractures in other small exotics!

11/01/2024

Oral exams are very important, even on this Argentinian Horned Frog (Ceratophrys ornata) aka a Pac-Man Frog. We used gloves to not affect their mucus membrane while handling and long cotton tip applicators or assist in holding the mouth open. A Doppler is used to listen to their heart. Stomatitis, or mouth rot, and oral plaques can be seen and treated in this species if identified. If your Pac-Man likes to bite objects and will bleed after that can leave them vulnerable to infection. Doing at least an annual wellness and f***l, maybe even wellness bloodwork is highly recommend in this species.

10/01/2024

Did you know that bearded dragons commonly get different types of cardiovascular disease? This is a 4 y/o male bearded dragon that presented with acute bilateral swelling of both eyes. Confirmed on ultrasound with flow and a fine needle aspirate of blood, this poor guy had bilateral aneurysms of the infraorbital space. There is new research being done that may lead to a route for treating these with ultrasound guided embolism therapy. Sadly the owners elected to euthanize due to grave prognosis.

10/01/2024

2023 was another amazing year seeing over 700 reptiles and amphibians! Not bad for having a month off when the baby came! Check out the 15 most common species I saw last year! Bearded dragons, ball pythons, and leopard geckos landed in the top three three with ball pythons taking the place of sulcata tortoises in the top three from last year!

07/11/2023

Listening to a bearded dragons hear on doppler. They have a three chambered heart and you can still hear their similar lub dub noise like humans.

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07/11/2023

Have you ever heard a leopard geckos heart beat?
Did you know their heart only has three chambers? Turn the volume on high and listen!

07/11/2023

Have a bearded dragon that is a stubburn drinker?
Or has never drank any water that you’ve known?
Here is a great technique to get your bearded dragon to drink water and stay hydrated! Just once a week can help benefit the hydration of your bearded dragon.

Check out The Lizard Doctor's video.

27/09/2023

Looking for an exotic technician! If you want to work 100% with exotics and alongside an ABVP exotic mammal specialist check out our listing! https://careers.aav.org/jobs/?keywords=Exotic+lead&pos_flt=0&location=&location_completion=&location_type=&location_text=&location_autocomplete=true&radius=320

24/08/2023

Who likes dart frogs? Check these out that I saw at the New England Aquarium!

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24/08/2023

Feeding time at the New England Aquarium! Check out this spoiled turtle!

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17/07/2023

The Axolotl is a species of salamander native to Mexico that is common in the pet trade. I see many in for annual wellness exams or even illness exams where bloodwork, f***ls, diagnostics such as ultrasound and radiographs, and surgeries such as amputations and coelomic explores are performed.