I got Bart in May, she was about 2 months old. From the get-go, I had perfect husbandry and no mistakes were made to my knowledge. Great appetite, eats her crickets and salad occasionally. In September, she started slowing down, but I just attributed it to a crazy baby starting to chill out. In mid-November, her appetite dropped and slight swelling in her limbs began to occur. Cue panic.
A vet visit (in Houston) and an expensive blood test showed high uric levels. She was prescribed Allopurinol. Two weeks into treatment, she has stopped eating completely for a few days, so I stop giving her Allopurinol as her condition was declining and begin force-feeding. I immediately call the vet (in Houston) and say I need a new plan as this isn't working and I get "Okay, we'll have a tech call you back soon". I wait a few days, and her condition seems stagnant. I soak her many times a day at this point, even use pedialyte. I send a fecal sample off to test ADV. One week after calling my vet (in Houston) with no response, Bart begins bleeding from her mouth a few minutes after warming up in the morning. Not just a little cut, this is a puddle of blood under her. She was having a horrible time breathing (I am currently in College Station, 1.5 hours away from Houston vet).
I found a vet in College Station and had her put down. The reason for the visit aside, this was the most wonderful dealing with a vet I've had. The vet offered free cremation (normally 50), free necropsy and report (normally 150), and the vet called me multiple times to check on me and report back. I even got a handwritten card along with a paw print. Best possible outcome, given the circumstances. On the other hand, the Houston vet called me one week after her death, TWO WEEKS after I called them. It was really upsetting.
I got the lab results back, ADV negative. The vet called for the necropsy report. Uric acid build up in limbs and around the heart. Fatty liver disease (she says once Bart stopped eating, this disease probably set in). All this lowered her immune system and she contracted a blood infection, which ultimately caused bleeding in her lungs.
I just want to know what led to this. The vet went over my husbandry and she says it could just be genetic, as there weren't any care issues. Thank you all.
A vet visit (in Houston) and an expensive blood test showed high uric levels. She was prescribed Allopurinol. Two weeks into treatment, she has stopped eating completely for a few days, so I stop giving her Allopurinol as her condition was declining and begin force-feeding. I immediately call the vet (in Houston) and say I need a new plan as this isn't working and I get "Okay, we'll have a tech call you back soon". I wait a few days, and her condition seems stagnant. I soak her many times a day at this point, even use pedialyte. I send a fecal sample off to test ADV. One week after calling my vet (in Houston) with no response, Bart begins bleeding from her mouth a few minutes after warming up in the morning. Not just a little cut, this is a puddle of blood under her. She was having a horrible time breathing (I am currently in College Station, 1.5 hours away from Houston vet).
I found a vet in College Station and had her put down. The reason for the visit aside, this was the most wonderful dealing with a vet I've had. The vet offered free cremation (normally 50), free necropsy and report (normally 150), and the vet called me multiple times to check on me and report back. I even got a handwritten card along with a paw print. Best possible outcome, given the circumstances. On the other hand, the Houston vet called me one week after her death, TWO WEEKS after I called them. It was really upsetting.
I got the lab results back, ADV negative. The vet called for the necropsy report. Uric acid build up in limbs and around the heart. Fatty liver disease (she says once Bart stopped eating, this disease probably set in). All this lowered her immune system and she contracted a blood infection, which ultimately caused bleeding in her lungs.
I just want to know what led to this. The vet went over my husbandry and she says it could just be genetic, as there weren't any care issues. Thank you all.