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Marion L. Janusz
Certified Reptile Specialist
.
739 Borden Rd.
Cheektowaga, NEW YORK 14227
Because RARE cannot afford to return out of town calls, please email
your request, and we will be happy to
respond to you promptly. We check our email at least twice a day.
.
.
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Feeding Red-foot and Yellow-foot tortoises
Ornate Box Turtles
Shell-Rot Revisited
GREEN IGUANA CARE SHEET
REPTILE COURSE
Convulsions in Iguanas
How to find a qualified Herp Vet
EYE PROBLEMS IN AQUATIC TURTLES
RECOGNISING VETERINARY EMERGENCIES
AN OUTLINE ON TREATING RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN CHELONIA
REFEEDING SYNDROME
KILLING REPTILE MITES
Ornate Box Turtles
Shell-Rot Revisited
GREEN IGUANA CARE SHEET
REPTILE COURSE
Convulsions in Iguanas
How to find a qualified Herp Vet
EYE PROBLEMS IN AQUATIC TURTLES
RECOGNISING VETERINARY EMERGENCIES
AN OUTLINE ON TREATING RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN CHELONIA
REFEEDING SYNDROME
KILLING REPTILE MITES
REFEEDING SYNDROME
Refeeding syndrome consists of metabolic disturbances that occur as a result of reinstitution of nutrition to patients who are starved or severely malnourished.
Any individual (mammals) who has had negligible nutrient intake for 5 consecutive days is at risk of Refeeding syndrome. Refeeding syndrome usually occurs within four days of starting to feed. Patients can develop fluid and electrolyte disorders, especially hypophosphatemia, along with neurologic, pulmonary, cardiac, neuromuscular and hematologic complications. With reptile patients because of their slower metabolism, this can happen much later, anywhere from 3 weeks for a lizard or turtle to over 6months-1 yr for a snake that eats rather large meals at one sitting. We normally wait until the reptile starts losing more than 15-20% of BW, before initiating refeeding.
What happens is that during prolonged fasting the body aims to conserve muscle and protein breakdown by switching from ketone bodies to fatty acids as the main energy source. The liver decreases its rate of gluconeogenesis thus conserving muscle and protein. Many intracellular minerals become severely depleted during this period, although serum levels remain normal. Importantly, insulin secretion is suppressed in this fasted state and glucagons secretion is increased.
For reptile patients at risk for refeeding syndrome, initially feed about 50% of calculated energy needs for the patient’s real (existing) (not optimal) BW over a 24 hr. period. This energy level is repeated for several days until clinical improvements are noted, such as improved hydration, decreased depression and immobility and increased alertness. Increases in BW at this time are likely to be the result of increased body water and adipose, not lean tissue.
Any individual (mammals) who has had negligible nutrient intake for 5 consecutive days is at risk of Refeeding syndrome. Refeeding syndrome usually occurs within four days of starting to feed. Patients can develop fluid and electrolyte disorders, especially hypophosphatemia, along with neurologic, pulmonary, cardiac, neuromuscular and hematologic complications. With reptile patients because of their slower metabolism, this can happen much later, anywhere from 3 weeks for a lizard or turtle to over 6months-1 yr for a snake that eats rather large meals at one sitting. We normally wait until the reptile starts losing more than 15-20% of BW, before initiating refeeding.
What happens is that during prolonged fasting the body aims to conserve muscle and protein breakdown by switching from ketone bodies to fatty acids as the main energy source. The liver decreases its rate of gluconeogenesis thus conserving muscle and protein. Many intracellular minerals become severely depleted during this period, although serum levels remain normal. Importantly, insulin secretion is suppressed in this fasted state and glucagons secretion is increased.
For reptile patients at risk for refeeding syndrome, initially feed about 50% of calculated energy needs for the patient’s real (existing) (not optimal) BW over a 24 hr. period. This energy level is repeated for several days until clinical improvements are noted, such as improved hydration, decreased depression and immobility and increased alertness. Increases in BW at this time are likely to be the result of increased body water and adipose, not lean tissue.