SAD NEWS (AGAIN,) HEALTHY DRAGON DIES

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kjmarcus

Member
WE LOST OUR LITTLE SPARKY. WE HAD A HEALTHY 3 MONTH OLD DRAGON WHO HAD BEEN CHECKED OUT BY AN EXOTIC PET VET AND HAD STOOL SAMPLE. WE PURCHASED HIM FROM A VERY GOOD REPTILE AND BIRD PET SHOP AND BOUGHT THE LIGHTING, VITAMINS AND MINERALS, AND DUSTED THE CRICKETS, USED 'GUT LOADING' FOR THE CRICKETS. THE VET SAID THAT OUR HOUSING WAS FINE. ROCKY BECAME UNWELL AND DIED VERY SUDDENLY. WE THEN BOUGHT LITTLE SPARKY, SEEMED YOUNGER THAN ROCKY HAD BEEN BUT WE TOOK HIM TO THE VET AND HE SEEMED HEALTHY ALTHOUGH HIS STOOL GREW PINWORMS AND COCCIDIA. WE WERE TREATING HIM WITH THE ANTI-PARASITE MEDICATIONS (SEQUENTIALLY AS PRESCRIBED BY VET). A FEW DAYS AGO SPARKY'S APPETITE WAS POOR BUT HE WAS ACTIVE, ALERT AND POOPING. SUNDAY HE SUDDENLY BECAME WEAK AND LISTLESS. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK HIM TO THE ANIMAL HOSPITAL. HE WAS EXAMINED AND ADMITTED FOR EVALUATION. THE EXOTIC PET VET SAID THAT HIS PROGNOSIS WAS VERY VERY POOR AND WE DECIDED TO HAVE HIM PUT TO SLEEP AND THE VET AGREED THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING.
THE VET REVIEWED WITH US OUR LIGHTING, ETC AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DID WRONG BUT WILL GET ANOTHER, THIS TIME FROM A PLACE THAT BREEDS THEM AND WE WILL GET ONE SLIGHTLY OLDER. THE ONLY THING THAT WE DO DIFFERENTLY IS WE WILL NOT USE THE SUBSTRATE THE ORIGINAL PET SHOP OWNER HAD RECOMMENDED. IT SAID THAT IT WAS MEANT FOR REPTILES, WAS SAFE AND DIGESTIBLE AND EVEN CALLED REPTISAND OR SOMETHING SIMILAR.
WE WERE REALLY FOND OF THESE LITTLE FELLOWS AND THAT IS WHY WE STILL PLAN TO GET ANOTHER.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS?
KAREN
 

vickson420

BD.org Addict
Retired Moderator
Oh I am so sorry for your loss :( .
I do think it would be best to go with an older beardie from a different breeder.Were both from the same breeder and did you use the same tank to house them? It a very good idea not to use any sand especially calci/reptisand it isnt safe or digestable so you are on the right track about that.Again I am very sorry if you have any questions about anything feel free to ask.
 

beardie parents

BD.org Sicko
I'm sooo sorry. Yes, you should get a new one. I, also, think you should get an older beardie. Unfortunately, sometimes babies can have problems that aren't noticable. I understand why you want another. It might be a really good idea to clean and sterilize the tank you used completely. It's possible that the first one had an illness that wasn't obvious and could have been transmitted to the new baby.

I hope the next one doesn't get sick like the first two did.
 

Tatty

Juvie Member
:( I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my large, beloved, lovable four year old male Bob about a month ago. We always blame ourselves even after trying everything. I would agree that you should get an older beardie from a different source. Don't use sand or any substrate. Line the bottom with newspaper and change it daily. The sand can cause impaction in beardies. Lots of luck in bringing the joy of another beardie into your home.

"Tatty"
 

lizardgrrl

Sub-Adult Member
I'm so sorry about your baby! :cry: How long did you have Sparky? Obviously not long enough, we get attached so fast!

It may not be the sand in this case. While the sand is definitely a problem, killing many babies with impaction, my understanding is that the medicines for parasites are very harsh on adult systems, and should not be given before at least six months of age. One of the problems with the dragons and vets is that there is very little training on reptiles in general, and even if someone has specialized in reptiles, the range of the needs of different species is so great, and conflicting, that sometimes we have more info available to us right here than the vets do. My very good reptile vet wanted to give Kang an injection of ivermectin to clear up his mite problem. I had just done some reading on ivermectin and the damaging, often fatal, neurologic effects on beardies, and refused the treatment, because I knew the odds were pretty good that it would kill Kang. We found other solutions for the mite problem, but if I hadn't seen the information here, I might have lost Kang. On the other hand, the same vet will not treat coccidia or pinworms unless the dragon has extremely high levels, and is having problems as a result of the worms. He regards lower levels of coccidia normal and harmless to the dragon. I find I am constanting learning something new about our precious friends every day. :study:

I hope you know that your Sparky knows how much you loved him/her(?) and will be guiding you to find your new dragon. When you look for your next dragon, listen for the little voice that says "Here!" :love5:
 

kjmarcus

Member
Original Poster
MANY MANY THANKS FOR ALL OF THE KIND MESSAGES AND HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS. WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR FIRST DRAGON, ROCKY, WAS 3 MONTHS OLD BUT SPARKY WAS YOUNGER BUT NOT MUCH, HOWEVER HE AND THE OTHERS FROM THAT GROUP WERE ALL SMALL AND SEEMED YOUNGER. THERE WAS ANOTHER MUCH LARGER ONE THAT THE SHOP OWNER SAID WAS THE SAME AGE!
I HAD ORDERED ACIDOPHILIZ TO HELP LITTLE SPARKY WHILST HE WAS BEING TREATED WITH THE MEDICATIONS BUT IT HAD NOT COME BEFORE HE DIED. PERHAPS THEY WERE TOO HARSH FOR HIM. WE WILL NEVER KNOW BUT WE WILL BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT THIS FOR OUR NEXT DRAGON.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND KINDNESS
KAREN
 

gulfbrzdawn

BD.org Addict
I feel bad that you had to go through that not only once, but twice.There was obviously something wrong with those babies when you got them. Don't beat yourself up about it. The problem seems to already have existed, you did nothing wrong. I say get another one from somewhere else and try again. Don't lose hope! I hate breeders and/or pet stores that don't know what they're doing.
Good Luck !!!
 

Kaitlyn55

Hatchling Member
awww..... thats so sad! :( We really do get attached to them so quickly... I hope you have really good luck with your new dragon. we wish you luck. :(
 
I am sorry for your loss. Sometimes they have a hard time bouncing back from illness.
I agree about a older dragon. You should check your local craigslist. There are always homeless older dragons in desperate need of proper care for adoption.
 

midnight_962002

Sub-Adult Member
Karen,

You CAPS are killing me!!! Where did you get the beardie from? The problem with reptiles is that once they show that they are sick it is usually to late. Since you plan on gettting a new one I would suggest that you give your cage and decor a serious cleaning. Bleach, steam, oven kind of cleaning. The parasites are still alive in the cage and will continue to be until you kill them.

Good Luck

Ernie
 

renich

Juvie Member
this is so sad. i'm sorry you had to go through this.

i agree that sand should not be used for beardies under 1 year old. i used to use playground sand that i sifted twice before putting it in bernie's viv. but it wasn't used until he was 1 year old. we used reptile carpet when he was under a year.

did your beardies poop regularly? i agree it may have been impaction due to the sand. pet stores just give out incorrect info so many times.

i also agree to sterlize your viv before you get another beardie. and get your new one from a different place.

good luck! and let us know how everything goes.
 

kjmarcus

Member
Original Poster
Thank you again to all. Your replies and advice are most appreciated and helpful. Both Rocky and Sparky were pooping regularly so we had not thought that this a problem of impaction. We will surely clean the terarium thoroughly. I think that the possibility of the anti-parasitic medication being the source of poor Sparky's untimely demise seems likely. He seemed perfectly well until about 9 days into his medications was when he became ill very quickly. I suspect that although the vet who prescribed these was the exotic pet vet of the group, she probably didn't see too many new younger dragons. I don't know if most people take their dragons in to for an initial examination after first bringing them home. I am a physician (for people) and so I thought that it was the right thing to do for him to have a 'check-up'. Perhaps we should have waited a little longer.
Everyone's kind messages are very helpful and comforting.
Karen
 
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