If the turtle is sick

Immediately after buying a turtle and placing it in a terrarium, try to call a few veterinary clinics and find your veterinarian, a specialist in turtles. That's right veterinarian called "herpetologist". You can immediately bring your pet to him or call a veterinarian-herpetologist at home, to conduct an initial examination of the turtle, and at the same time to get to know each other better.

The turtle is sick too. Organizing her treatment is not so easy...

We warn you that finding such a specialist is a great success, it is very rare specialization at veterinarians, and even in a large clinic of a herpetologist, most likely, there will not be. In a city of a million people and dozens veterinary clinics there are not many practicing herpetologists, no need to be surprised.

Turtle Disease Diagnosis

Turtle owners get out of the current difficult situation in different ways. Someone tries to get a consultation with zoo specialists, although they are usually extremely reluctant to work with animals "from outside". Not surprisingly, they have enough of their work, besides, there is always a danger of bringing a serious infection into the zoo from the outside. There are sites that provide remote consultations on the photo of the animal and the description of the symptoms. Also far from an ideal solution, what accuracy in making a diagnosis and, moreover, in prescribing effective treatment without a personal examination of the animal can we talk about?

Common pets and reptiles: the difference in treatment

Finally, you can contact a veterinarian who specializes in the treatment of common pets - dogs and cats. therapists veterinary clinic of course, they will not refuse admission, and will try to do for turtles everything that depends on them. But we must understand that the physiology of cold-blooded reptiles is very, very different from the physiology of warm-blooded mammals. For example, some antibiotics successfully used in veterinary medicine in the treatment of infections in mammals, for turtles are ineffective and, moreover, even toxic. By unknowingly administering such a drug to a turtle, serious harm can be done to the turtle. So the problem is lack veterinary herpetologists is very sharp.

Specialist in the treatment of reptiles: veterinary herpetologist

IN veterinary clinic at home"Connie" works experienced veterinarian narrow specialist herpetologist veterinarian, which provides various therapeutic assistance to lizards, turtles, snakes, jaguanas and even crocodiles. In addition, he provides surgical assistance to reptiles - he performs osteosynthesis operations, and even applies plaster.

Veterinarian herpetologist (doctor for reptiles). Basic knowledge and skills for an unusual profession

The profession of "herpetologist" is included in the list of the most dangerous, along with fellers, firefighters, miners, sappers and others. And yet there are enthusiasts who are ready to devote themselves to this difficult task. What does a person who has chosen this profession do, what is herpetology and where is this science studied - we tried to give answers to these questions in our material.

science herpetology

The name of the science - herpetology - comes from two ancient Greek words: "gerpeton" - a snake and "logos" - a word (teaching). Thus, reptiles and amphibians are in the field of scientific research of this section of zoology. Initially, herpetology studied only the life, habits and features of the body of reptiles, but later the science of amphibians was added to it, which is called batrachology (“batrachos” is a frog in Greek). The term was coined by German naturalist Jacob Klein. He first used it in 1755.

Did you know? The black mamba is considered the fastest snake on earth. It develops a speed of 16-19 km / h. Her homeland is East Africa. And the fastest lizard is the iguana, moving at a speed of 34.9 km / h.

Today, the two classes that herpetology explores are less studied than, for example, mammals, birds, and fish. Meanwhile, they inhabit almost the entire globe, although most of them live in tropical zones. Amphibians are the smallest class among vertebrates, it has about 3.5 thousand species. Their name suggests that they lead a dual lifestyle. Their second name is amphibians, which literally translates from Greek as "double-living." This "double-survivability" is manifested in the fact that they can live both on land and in water. And amphibians appeared over 350 million years ago. The largest group of amphibians are frogs, tree frogs (tree frogs), and toads. The second largest group includes salamanders and newts. There are two and a half times more reptiles than amphibians - about 9.4 thousand species. This is a class of vertebrates that lead a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle. They include snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles. Their other name is reptiles. The study of snakes is called serpentology.
Reptiles combine the features of simple amphibians and higher vertebrates. They have one significant similarity with amphibians - they are cold-blooded. However, there are a number of significant differences, for example, body coverage: amphibians have wet skin, reptiles have scales, scutes, and plates. The first bring eggs without a hard coating, the second - in a hard shell.

Who is a herpetologist

Today there are two main areas of activity of a herpetologist:

the study of animals;

That is, a herpetologist can be both a scientist and a veterinarian.

Herpetologist who studies reptiles

A specialist who observes the behavior, biological characteristics of reptiles and amphibians, studies their anatomy, investigates the role of these animals in nature and human life - this is a herpetologist. Aristotle (384-322 BC) is considered the first herpetologist. It was he who united reptiles and amphibians into one group, calling them reptiles, and compiled their descriptions. The first scientific work on herpetology is considered to be the dissertation of the Austrian scientist for the degree of Doctor of Science Joseph-Nikolaus Laurenti, which he defended in 1768.
During the Soviet Union, the All-Union Herpetological Committee was established at the Academy of Sciences in 1962. Today, at the Russian Academy of Sciences, in St. Petersburg, since 1991, the Herpetological Society named after A. M. Nikolsky has been operating, whose members devote their scientific activities and work to such issues of science about reptiles and amphibians as problems of their species diversity, zoogeography, ecology, protection, development of environmental strategies. The society is named after one of the founders of Russian herpetology.

One of the reasons why reptiles and amphibians are not as well studied today as other animals is that some of them pose a threat to human health and life. So, 15% of all snakes are poisonous. Also, poisonous lizards are a great danger to humans. There are known cases of death of scientists from the teeth of crocodiles. Precisely because herpetologists deal with dangerous animals, their profession is considered dangerous.

Important! When bitten by a snake, it is not recommended to drink alcohol, make bite incisions, cauterize the wound, and apply a tourniquet above the bitten place. It is necessary to suck out the poison by mouth, drink plenty of fluids, immobilize the bitten limb, administer an antihistamine and anti-snake serum based on the venom of the snake that inflicted the bite.

Today, more and more people prefer to purchase exotic animals as pets, such as salamanders, newts, frogs, tree frogs, caimans. There is evidence that about 300 different species of reptiles are kept at home in Moscow. Therefore, the profession of a herpetologist-veterinarian is becoming more and more in demand. Firstly, for such households it will be necessary to create special conditions, which only a competent specialist can tell about.
It is also necessary to have information about the intricacies of keeping, feeding reptiles and amphibians, and also about safety rules when cohabiting with them in the same room. Secondly, it is rarely possible to keep an animal so that it does not have health problems. And the usual veterinarian is not always able to prescribe competent treatment. A herpetologist can help with this. After all, it is he who understands the peculiarities of the life of these animals, knows the methods of therapy that are applied to them, has the skills of surgery and is able to conduct high-quality diagnostics.

Nevertheless, in our veterinary clinics, such a specialist is still a rarity. And outside of this area, veterinary medicine began to pay attention only about half a century ago, although the tradition of keeping reptiles in the house goes back to Ancient Egypt. It was its inhabitants who lived in the house next to the snakes, attributing to them the functions of a home amulet and using them to catch small rodents. The Indian nobility also liked to keep reptiles in their dwellings.

Important! Those who are going to have an exotic need to know that keeping amphibians and reptiles as a petnot recommended in families with children under four years of age.

Some private veterinary clinics still try to involve specialists in the field of herpetology in consulting, highlighting “treatment of reptiles” as a separate service. For example, in the Moscow clinic "White Fang", a herpetologist who works at the zoo conducts an appointment. There is also a herpetologist at the Bio-Vet clinic in St. Petersburg. They also house the equipment necessary for examining animals and taking tests (ultrasound, bone tissue analysis, ECG, etc.).
There are also practicing herpetologists in the clinics "Center" (Moscow), "Bambi" (Moscow), "Beladonna" (Moscow), "LLC Sfera-9" (St. Petersburg), "Veterinary Hospital" (Saratov), "Ambulance" (Nizhny Novgorod). There is one specialist in this field in Novosibirsk. On the website of the international scientific center for the treatment and rehabilitation of animals "Zoovet" an online appointment with a herpetologist is conducted. Most often, herpetologists have to deal with the following diseases of reptiles:

overheating and thermal shock;
colds;
infectious inflammation of the oral mucosa;
deficiency of vitamins and minerals;
thermal and chemical burns;
rickets;
conjunctivitis;
helminthiasis;
indigestion;
anorexia.

Consultation with a herpetologist-veterinarian is necessary if an exotic pet refuses to eat or eats too little food, with a long absence of emptying, lethargy, and lack of activity. Often diseases in reptiles are asymptomatic, which makes diagnosis difficult. Owners of exotic pets need to carefully monitor their behavior and changes in appearance.

Important! People who are going to get an exotic pet, even before purchasing it, should search for relevant information and find a person who knows a lot about reptiles and amphibians and can consult and examine the pet at any time in case of a disease.

Basic knowledge and skills for an unusual profession

A specialist in snakes and amphibians should have the following knowledge:

how to take away poison from a poisonous snake;
how the body of the main species of reptiles and amphibians is arranged;
what personal safety rules must be observed when handling snakes and their poisons;
how to prevent a snake bite;
the basics of first aid for a snakebite;
sanitary and technological requirements that apply to herpetological laboratories;
the main diseases of the herpetofauna.

The herpetologist must have the following skills:

take poison from a snake;
bring the poison to a dry state;
measure the toxicity of the poison;
weigh the poison;
accept a reptile or amphibian, weigh it and place it in a cage;
determine the sex of the animal;
determine the age of the animal;
make a diagnosis;
to diagnose;
prescribe treatment;
make advice on proper nutrition and animal care, on preventive measures against diseases.

If a herpetologist works as a veterinarian, he needs to know and be able to take an anamnesis. In particular, you will need to ask questions about the origin of the animal, its gender and age, arrangement, size and conditions (day and night temperature, humidity, lighting, hygiene frequency) in the terrarium, diet and diet, defecation mode, etc. Therapy of cold-blooded animals has significant differences from other animals that are more common as pets. Therefore, it is not safe for the health of reptiles to use the same tactics.

Where is art taught?

The science of reptiles is taught in a separate course called "Herpetology", which is usually taught in most biology departments of higher education institutions. The specialty "herpetologist", in particular, can be obtained at the Ural State University named after Gorky, at the Institute of Biology, Ecology, Soil Science, Agriculture and Forestry of Tomsk State University.
During their studies at the university, students study such issues as evolution, organization, lifestyle, anatomical features, the geography of distribution of amphibians and reptiles, the structure of poisonous apparatuses and general information about toxicology, the main milestones in the development of herpetology in the world, the problems of preserving species diversity. How to treat animals is not taught in universities. Those who want to acquire the specialization of a herpetologist-veterinarian undergo an internship in the veterinary departments of zoos and in foreign zoological clinics that specialize in the treatment of exotic animals.

Did you know? IN Everyone knows that the turtle is one of the slowest animals on Earth. On land, it develops a speed of no more than 15 km / h. But in the water, a leatherback turtle is capable of speeds of 35 km / h.

Thus, we found out that herpetology is a science that studies the structure, features of the organism, the behavior of representatives of the class of amphibians and reptiles. A herpetologist can be both a scientist who observes animals in the wild or in captivity, and a veterinarian who treats them. Medical care for animals belonging to the classes of reptiles and amphibians should be carried out by a specialist who has completed a course in herpetology. Owners of exotic animals should take care to establish contacts with a veterinarian-herpetologist working in the clinic or on call.

Veterinarian herpetologist engaged in the diagnosis, examination and treatment of reptiles. The most common reptiles as pets are: turtles, snakes, lizards, monitor lizards, iguanas, chameleons, geckos, crocodiles, basilisks. However, reptiles, like other pets, may need veterinary care from time to time. The treatment of reptiles occupies a separate area in veterinary medicine - herpetology. Doctor dealing with reptile treatment, highly qualified veterinarian herpetologist.

If you notice any deviation from the normal state and behavior of your pet: a change in color, a decrease or loss of appetite, the appearance of incomprehensible bumps or bubbles, changes in urine or feces, then this is a reason to call a veterinarian herpetologist. Experienced Reptile Veterinarian able to diagnose the disease, even if it is asymptomatic.

The network of veterinary clinics VetKlinik-Msk has at its disposal a mobile team of veterinaryherpetologistsfor planned and emergency veterinary care for reptiles in Moscow and Moscow Region.

Need a scheduled checkup? Urgently need emergency help? Or do you just need to take tests at home?

It is enough to call the 24-hour veterinary dispatch service for reptiles.

Veterinary herpetologist for reptiles at home

Visiting reptile veterinarian Comes to your home with all the necessary tools and a set of medicines. Therefore, the assistance of a veterinarian-herpetologist is provided in accordance with all the rules and sanitary standards. Mobile teams of reptile veterinarians are highly qualified and have extensive experience in providing veterinary care.

In addition to basic veterinary care, you can count on helpful advice from a veterinarian on keeping and caring for your pet.

Herpetologist veterinarian for reptiles in Moscow and Moscow Region

Provides veterinary care to reptiles in Moscow. Scheduled house visit by a herpetologist veterinarian at a convenient time and day of the week. Emergency visit of a veterinary herpetologist.

At calling a veterinarian herpetologist at homebe prepared to answer the dispatcher's main questions: the age of the reptile, obvious symptoms of illness, possible facts after which the condition worsened. Depending on this, a certain specialist is sent to your pet: a therapist, a surgeon, a veterinarian-dentist and others (even narrow specialists).

The motives that prompted a person to get a reptile at home can be very diverse: curiosity, creating a certain image, emphasizing status, professional or economic interest, and simply love for them. All over the world, the number of reptiles as pets has recently increased significantly; accordingly, such a field of medicine as veterinary herpetology is becoming in demand.

Amphibians and reptiles (amphibians and reptiles) are various types of crocodiles, lizards, snakes, newts, frogs and turtles. These cold-blooded animals have a special metabolism, because body temperature and metabolic rate are directly dependent on the environment. Therefore, the treatment of reptiles and amphibians requires knowledge of their living conditions and skills in care and maintenance.

Depending on the species, these animals can be extremely unpretentious, or, on the contrary, quite capricious and require certain conditions in a terrarium. Despite the fact that reptiles live in almost all climatic zones, in Moscow, it is not easy to recreate comfortable conditions for a full-fledged life of a pet at home. Unfortunately, this is what leads to various serious pathologies.

Diseases and pathologies of reptiles, including those caused by changes in climatic conditions and the usual way of life, are very important to detect in time and contact a specialist in a clinic in a timely manner.
Not every veterinary clinic can offer treatment for reptiles in Moscow. This is primarily due to the lack of experienced herpetologists - specialists in reptiles.

Veterinary herpetology

As a science, veterinary herpetology has a relatively young age, especially in our country - only a few decades. The difficulty in treating and diagnosing reptiles is that they are examined differently than other pets. From general diagnostic studies, they take a blood test, feces, do ultrasound, x-rays, and so on, but special, specialized methods play the main role.

That is why the presence of an experienced herpetologist in a veterinary clinic plays an important role in the correct diagnosis and proper treatment of these animals. Our doctors keep track of the latest research in veterinary herpetology and therefore use only modern methods. Of considerable importance is the technical equipment of the medical institution, which you trust to take care of your pet's health.

Treatment of reptiles in Moscow

Many owners in Moscow rely on dubious "for the user" brochures that contain unverified and sometimes outright harmful information on the care and maintenance of reptiles. Even the presence of well-illustrated foreign literature will not help to understand the pathology, and even more so in the treatment of these animals without sufficient knowledge and practical experience. Do not take risks, contact the professionals!

In conclusion of the article, I would like to touch upon such a problem as the protection of reptiles and amphibians in principle. Many species of reptiles and amphibians are threatened with complete extinction, quite a lot of these exotic animals are listed in the Red Book. Owners of rare animals, support the conservation of their species, pay special attention to the health and reproductive function of pets.

herpetologist

Herpetologist in Moscow

In the round-the-clock veterinary clinic "Panvet" services are also provided for lovers of exotic animals. Herpetologist in Moscow accepts his patients seven days a week. In order to save money and in the absence of the ability to transport the animal to a veterinary clinic, a specialist can perform an examination at home.

Reptiles, being the most ancient animals on earth that appeared on our planet long before the existence of man, are one of the most beautiful and unusual species of animals that our compatriots more and more often want to bring home. And today, meeting an exotic reptile at home is not such a big rarity, as it was, for example, a few years ago. And if the decision to get a cat, a dog or a parrot at home today can hardly surprise anyone, then such animals as a turtle, a lizard or a snake, first of all, cause a person to feel fear and fear.

Cost of services of a herpetologist

Despite all their exoticism and danger, such animals need careful care, care and affection, which only the most caring and patient owner can provide. They especially need it when their beloved pets suddenly get sick with something. And in this situation, not a single owner of an exotic animal can do without such a specialist as a herpetologist in Moscow. Unfortunately, it is rather problematic to quickly find an experienced reptile doctor today, and it is time that often plays the most important role for the health and life of a beloved turtle or lizard. Therefore, having the phone number of a veterinary clinic where herpetologists work is a vital necessity for the normal existence of pets in your home. In addition, the acute shortage of such specialists is also explained by the specific behavior of this species of animals, since they include dangerous poisonous snakes, huge alligators and many other representatives of the animal world, the treatment of which can quite often threaten the life of a veterinarian. Therefore, only experienced doctors, whose services are offered today by the city veterinary clinic "Panvet", thanks to their vast experience and their many years of practice, will be able to cure almost all diseases of these animals.