Dr. Rachel Siu

Check out this time lapse of my dermestid beetles cleaning this rattlesnake skeleton for @TheSnakeGuy! I even teamed up with @KAIRO!! for the dissection- more pictures to follow! 🐍 #rattlesnake #rattlesnakes #snakes #reptile #reptiles #bones #skeleton #skull #skulls #osteology #anatomy #vultureculture #oddities #science #biology #vet #vetmed #prevet #veterinary #medicine #zoo #exotics #wildlife #nature #animals #dermestidbeetles #dermestid #bug #bugs

You’ll never guess what we removed from this leopard gecko’s eye. 👀 This is actually a built up of keratin, debris, sometimes pus, and shed skin from the eyelids. The build up of keratin can become so intense that it starts to distort the eye and eyelids, like you see here. This issue can be pretty uncomfortable, and leopard geckos affected will often stop eating, especially if it occurs in both eyes and they cannot see, as they are very visual hunters. In severe cases, they can lose their eyes from infection and ulceration, but many do well with medicated eye drops or ointment once the material has been cleared. This condition is often caused by a vitamin A deficiency or improper husbandry, which leads to improper shedding and the inability to clear debris from their eyes. Please, do not attempt this at home as it is very easy to damage the eye underneath if you do not know what you’re doing or if you do not have the adequate tools to do so. In many cases, pain medication or sedation may need to be used, as leopard geckos can also drop their tails when stressed. To prevent this issue, you should feed a variety of insects that have been gut loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables, and include powdered supplements that include a multivitamin with pre-formed vitamin A. You can only imagine the relief this gecko felt once this material was removed! 🦎 #gecko #leopardgecko #lizard #reptile #reptiles #zoo #exotics #wildlife #animals #pets #nature #leopardgeckos #geckos #vet #vetmed #veterinarian #veterinary #medicine #veterinarymedicine #veterinaria #medical #doctor #premed #prevet #vettech

Another day, another turtle ear abscess 🐢🫡 Aural abscesses are common among turtles and surgical treatment is required to remove the hardened pus. Hypovitaminosis A can play a contributing role. After flushing the abscesses out, turtles usually do well with pain medication and antibiotics. #turtle #turtles #abscess #boxturtle #reptile #reptiles #zoo #exotics #wildlife #rescue #conservation #animals #pets #nature #vet #vetmed #veterinarian #veterinary #medicine #veterinarymedicine #veterinaria #medical #doctor #premed #prevet #vettech

Here we are doing an ultrasound of a chameleon suffering from follicular stasis. All of those round structures that you see are follicles, which are the precursors to eggs. The black that you see around those structures is fluid. Normally when a reptile creates these follicles, they will either reabsorb them, or they will ovulate and go through the rest of the reproductive tract, turning into infertile eggs. The problem arises when the reptile’s follicles fail to regress or ovulate. When they are static, they can become inspissated or necrotic, and can even rupture, leading to egg-yolk coelomitis. Once coelomitis sets in, the prognosis is much worse. The treatment for follicular stasis is spaying, but due to how weak she was and her guarded prognosis, the owner elected for humane euthanasia so she did not suffer. The best way to prevent this from occurring is keeping optimal husbandry, so always double check your temperatures, humidity, calcium supplementation, and UV lights. It’s also important to keep your reptile at an optimum weight, as obesity can be a contributing factor. Reptiles should also have either a focal area or an entire enclosure full of substrate to dig and lay eggs in. #chameleon #chameleons #reptile #reptiles #lizard #lizards #zoo #exotics #wildlife #rescue #conservation #animals #pets #nature #vet #vetmed #veterinarian #veterinary #medicine #veterinarymedicine #veterinaria #medical #doctor #premed #prevet #vettech #follicularstasis

More satisfying pops, this time in a Guinea pig! #guineapig #pimplepopping #pimplepopper #guineapigs #zoo #exotics #wildlife #rescue #conservation #animals #pets #nature #vet #vetmed #veterinarian #veterinary #medicine #veterinarymedicine #veterinaria #medical #doctor #premed #prevet #vettech

So excited to welcome a bird to our family! It was starting to get a little too quiet around our house. 😂 Loki is a blue-throated macaw that was surrendered to me after the previous owner suddenly developed medical issues and could no longer care for him. Follow along our journey as we continue to train him (shoutout to @Landon with @BirdTricks), work on correcting his diet and healthy weight loss, and get his first veterinary check up! More to come! 🦜 #bluethroatedmacaw #macaw #parrot #bird #parrots #birds #zoo #exotics #wildlife #rescue #conservation #animals #pets #nature #vet #vetmed #veterinarian #veterinary #medicine #veterinarymedicine #veterinaria #medical #doctor #premed #prevet #vettech