Common Diseases of Lizards
Dr.
Silvia Blahak (Detmold)
The same
way as the number of herpetologists, keepers and breeders of
reptiles and amphibians has increased since the start of the
Nineties – the German pet shop organization speaks of about
850,000 keepers of reptiles, but the number should me much
higher – the demand for qualified veterinarian care for
herpers' pets has grown. Every herper should have at least
basic knowledge enabling him to judge if the pet needs
veterinarian care or not in the case of an injury or abnormal
behaviour. There's a good reason why questions of this kind
are a major part of the so-called "Sachkundeprüfung" for
professional keepers and dealers in Germany.
Dr. med.
vet. Silvia Blahak is the only veterinarian in the
Westphalian region with a special qualification for reptiles
and amphibians. Her special field is virology and pathology
working at the State Veterinary Department Detmold. Plus she
helped a lot of herpers and their pets at a veterinary
practice located also in Detmold. She is a member of the
working group „pet trade and pet keeping“ of the Veterinary
Organization for Animal Welfare (Tierärztliche Vereinigung
für Tierschutz e.V.) issuing for example the TVT guidelines
for reptile shows. In her lecture which is interesting for
herpers and veterinarians alike she shows the most common
diseases of lizards in the veterinary practice.
More information:
www.tierschutz-tvt.de
