Digestive disorders in lizards

The digestive system converts food into energy. In lizards, left over waste is expelled through the vent which is the reptile equivalent of the anus in mammals. The digestive tract of your lizard consists of the mouth, stomach, intestines and vent.

Lizards have lots of very small bones that are similar to teeth; when these break they regrow. In our mouths the roof is called the hard palate; the lizard does not have a hard palate, instead he has a hole called the choana. Tegus have a forked tongue whilst Bearded Dragons have a short, fleshy, sensitive tongue.

A tube called the esophagus leads from the mouth to the stomach.

After the stomach, the digestive tract continues as the small and large intestine.

The vent is made up of three areas: the corpdeum, urodeum and proctodeum. The food waste from the large intestine is stored in the coprodeum. The urodeum is the area which stores urine, and sperm or eggs (depending on whether your lizard is male or female). Both the coprodeum and urodeum empty into the proctodeum and from here all feces and urine are passed out of the vent.

The liver is the largest organ inside the body and has many functions. It plays an important part in the breakdown of proteins and fats from the food. It also helps the body to expel any poisons and other harmful substances.

The pancreas produces juices which help to breakdown food.

Stomatitis is inflammation of the mouth, and is commonly known as ‘mouth rot’. Stomatitis can be caused by either viral or bacterial infection. Damage to the mouth can also cause mouth rot.

Pay particular attention to the condition of the house. Very active species such as Water Dragons may need the sides of the house to be covered to prevent them from running into the glass or plastic. Low temperatures in the house can also lead to a weakening of the immune system.

Check the furniture in your lizard’s house to make sure that there are no sharp areas which could damage his mouth.

If you think your lizard has stomatitis get him checked by your veterinarian.

Fatty liver disease, also known as hepatic lipidosis, is when the liver cells become swamped with fat, preventing the liver from working properly. It is very difficult to detect fatty liver disease; there are no obvious symptoms, but a lizard with this condition will stop eating. It is important to weigh your lizard regularly to spot any severe weight loss.

Low temperature can cause loss of appetite.

If the food for your lizard is too big, or if you feed too many insects at once, this can put him off eating.

If your lizard loses more than 10% of his bodyweight you should take him to the veterinarian.

Lizards often eat material from the floor of their house by mistake which can lead to impaction in the large intestine, this is when pieces of the material clump together to cause a blockage.

Constipation is when a lizard cannot pass feces. If your lizard is constipated you may notice him straining to pass feces or that his feces may look very dry.

The temperature in your lizard’s house is vital. If it is too cold the intestines cannot digest food properly and this can lead to constipation.

Calcium is needed to make the intestines work properly. Ensuring that your lizard’s UV light is at the correct height and is not too old will help the lizard to absorb calcium through the intestine.

It is very important that your lizard has water at all times and that the humidity in his house is at the correct level. Dehydration often leads to constipation.

Make sure your lizard is eating the right type of food and the correct amount. If he is greedy his intestine may become too full and therefore prone to impaction. It is also a good idea to make sure that the material you use for the floor of your lizard’s housing is large enough not to be swallowed by a hungry lizard.

Constipation is often left until it is too late. If an impaction is very severe an operation may be necessary to remove the material blocking the intestine.

A vent prolapse happens when one of the organs that are plumbed into the vent (for example the large intestine) gets pushed out of the body. Egg binding and low calcium in the diet can cause a vent prolapse.

A prolapse is an emergency; if you suspect a prolapse you must take your lizard to the veterinary practice as soon as possible.