Soaking in Pedialyte a NO NO!

I wanted to address the practice of soaking reptiles in pedialyte to treat dehydration because I am dealing with a couple of rescues that might be suffering because of this practice. As a long time rehabber, I am skeptical about the benefit of soaking to relieve dehydration in general. I do soak rescues in water because the warmth does aid in defecating if you have an impacted animal, and I do soak just in case soaking helps the dehydration. However, I am very much against the notion that soaking an animal in pedialyte or Gatorade is a good idea for several reasons.

First, hydration really needs to come from inside. Soaking in water can be tried, but not instead of fluid therapy, either orally through handfeeding or tube feeding, by subcutaneous injections, or by IV. If the keeper or rescuer cannot get fluids down the animal safely by syringe, then the animal needs to be taken in for vet care.

Second, I can see no benefit from soaking in pedialyte because the scales are not as likely to absorb the electrolytes as they are to become clogged and coated with it, and after a few hours, that stuff sours! Then you essentially have a spoiled sugar coated reptile that cannot absorb heat or UVB well, and is at risk of developing scale rot because of a weakened immune system and because its scales are smothered in spoiled sugar solution. Pedialyte is mostly sugar , salt and water, and it goes bad 48 hours after opening IF refrigerated and within hours if not.

I have a baby rescue that was soaked in pedialyte by the very well meaning person who sent it to me, and let me say that I consider this person a very good friend and a very kind soul for sending these babies to me so that I could help them. I have managed to stabilize it, but am now facing scale infection because I suspect that the pedialyte seeped under a few layers of incomplete sheds and spoiled. The baby had a sickening sweet smell and gummy peeling scales in spots all over its body. He is at the vet's office now for a culture and blood work.

If anyone has a good, scientifically based explanation as to why soaking in pedialyte can benefit dehydrated reptiles, please post it. Until I am convinced otherwise, I whole heartedly advise AGAINST this practice!

If they take a drink while soaking, the pedialyte helps the dehydration more than plain water would.

But why would you risk scale issues for one POSSIBLE sip? I can tell you that that one sip will not make a dint in a truly dehydrated animal. You can get just as they might drink in a bath by syringe and prevent scale issues on top of the issues already present.

Originally Posted by rosebud945

But why would you risk scale issues for one POSSIBLE sip? I can tell you that that one sip will not make a dint in a truly dehydrated animal. You can get just as they might drink in a bath by syringe and prevent scale issues on top of the issues already present.

You realize you can rinse a reptile off after soaking in that stuff right?

I love how he asks for a real science based answer and the responses are well gee you can rinse it off....no duh....there are not facts supporting this theory..

Would you like to take a bath in urine? I hear it helps hydrate you...if you can't tell, that was a joke...

Well, these were not rinsed, and rinsing would not have gotten it all out from under the sheds, so the risk of scale issues would still have been present. I am afraid that many people would not rinse it off if they thought the pedialyte can be absorbed through the scales.

I just don't see any benefit from a medical standpoint, and am dealing with a BIG negative effect at the moment.

Originally Posted by rosebud945

Well, these were not rinsed, and rinsing would not have gotten it all out from under the sheds, so the risk of scale issues would still have been present. I am afraid that many people would not rinse it off if they thought the pedialyte can be absorbed through the scales.

I just don't see any benefit from a medical standpoint, and am dealing with a BIG negative effect at the moment.

Can you post the medical issues this may cause? Are they proven facts?

I'll let you know what the vet says. Beyond that, I am seeking info here, and operating on common sense. I have never found good solid evidence that soaking in general aides hydration in desert and semi desert reptiles, and I have found NO authoritative source that advocates soaking ANY reptile in pedialyte. I have found hearsay in some reptile forums. If I have missed something, please point it out or post it!

And I did list the issues that I suspect could be caused by the practice in my first post: poor heat and UVB absorption, and scale infection/rot.

I have no knowledge of soaking in pedialyte but soaking in water will help hydrate a snake which can absorb moisture through it's vent. Of course, I don't have any 'proof' to post.. :/