Head Tilting / Barrel Rolling! Please help!!

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MehKayy

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I'm in desperate need of help. My bearded dragon, Pheonix, fell I'll about a week ago and is slowly dying. I've tried everything and have even taken him to the vet but they have no idea what's wrong with him.

A week ago, he just suddenly started acting weird. He was fine and was laying on his basking branch at first. Then he started tilting his head. I assumed he saw a mealworm or something as he does that when he sees food at the bottom of his cage. I quickly learned this was not the case when he fell off his branch and was laid on his side with his head still tilted. After this he began "barrel rolling" and stopped eating and pooping. He grew unresponsive to light as well.

As I've said I've been to the vet and she has no idea what's wrong with him. She gave him a vitamin shot and sent more vitamins and protein powder home with me but they aren't helping. He's quickly lost most of his weight, and is basically skin and bones. His breathing is shallow and I'm afraid he'll pass soon. Someone, please help me. He's my best friend and it's paid ful for me and him to just watch him slowly die.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Oh my he's in a very bad way... poor boy :(

A small mercy is he is not blackbearding so he's not in agony.

You need to get him to a good reptile vet PRONTO as he is very emaciated and very sick and need urgent vet treatment (takes a LONG time for a bearded dragon to get to such an emaciated state) .
There are no cheap / free home remedies that will fix what's wrong with him.
General and exotics vets are next to useless , though they can do some basic tests such take xrays.

Seems to me you need another better qualified vet examine him, take bloods, xrays and maybe keep him in for observation and tube feeding for a while to try to build him up .

Here is a list of REPTILE vets : viewtopic.php?f=45&t=234369&p=1803862&hilit=melissa#p1803862
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
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Hello,

I am sorry to hear about your dragon. Just exactly how far did he fall & what type of surface
did he fall onto, a hardwood floor, carpet?
Did the vet do an x-ray to determine any broken bones? He may have internal injuries if he is
losing weight at the speed & not very responsive. Based on the neurological problems that you
have described, it is likely a head injury or something of that sort.
Have you tried feeding him slurries made out of a blend of a variety of greens, baby food squash or fresh blended squash along with chicken or turkey baby food. Blend all of that together with calcium mixed in with it, too. Since he is so thin, spread the feedings out in several little meals so he doesn't get sick from too much at one time.
If you have a ceramic heat emitter, use that overnight to help maintain the tank at or around 80
so help boost his immune system.
Which UVB source are you using, is it a tube bulb or a compact/coil light?

Tracie
 

MehKayy

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Original Poster
I've been feeding him baby food mixed with his medication and protein powder. It doesn't seem to be helping any as he's still losing weight. He hasn't pooped since he's gotten sick so I'm worried about that as well. His uvb bulb is a compact bulb it's Reptisun 5.0, which I kept about 8 inches above him.

I don't think the fall was the cause of this as he started the head tilting before he fell. He fell from his branch which is only 3 inches from the bottom of the tank, the bottom of his tank has the reptile carpet over it. But when I let him out to run around when he was healthy he used to run into doors, I don't know if that's what caused it or not.
I want to take him to an better hospital but I lack the funds to pay for his treatment.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
MehKayy":1jk4ny6s said:
I've been feeding him baby food mixed with his medication and protein powder. It doesn't seem to be helping any as he's still losing weight. He hasn't pooped since he's gotten sick so I'm worried about that as well. His uvb bulb is a compact bulb it's Reptisun 5.0, which I kept about 8 inches above him.
<<< are you using a feeding syringe and feeding needle to get the food at least into his mouth, and if he's too weak to chew / swallow , directly into his stomach ie viewtopic.php?f=45&t=232687

<<< exactly what is the protein powder you are giving him ?

<<< a 5% compact is totally inadequate , even if it's a 26W version, it needs to be not more than 4 inches from him for him to get adequate UVA and UVB . The 13W version , even closer .

See my cheat sheet for more information : viewtopic.php?f=6&t=234738&p=1806050#p1806050

At the very least you need to ditch the 5% compact and upsize to a 26W UVB200 ( 10% UVB ) and mount it so it's within 8 inches of his "basking spot" .
Since he's so weak and ill, the basking spot needs to be on the floor of his viv = not elevated at all = as he is at high risk of falling off.

And yes as the advise given so far here by Drache613 is useful but not likely to be a great help to him since you are already giving some kind of protein to him (or trying to).




I don't think the fall was the cause of this as he started the head tilting before he fell.
<<< head tilting and flipping over are indicative of ADV (I believe from my readings)

He fell from his branch which is only 3 inches from the bottom of the tank. But when I let him out to run around when he was healthy he used to run into doors,
<<< beardies have poor depth perception , but excellent vision and good colour vision, so his running into vertical flat surfaces is not indicative of anything

I don't know if that's what caused it or not.
I want to take him to an better hospital but I lack the funds to pay for his treatment.

If you are working there are ways of raising the necessary funds , I'm sure someone here who lives in your country (USA ??) will pipe up and tell you how this works.

How old are you ?
.....are you having to rely on others to pay for his care and now his vet treatment ?
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Poor guy, I really feel for him + for you as his owner. Can you get him out in the sun, setting him in the grass for 45 minutes every day ? The uvb bulb was not producing much uvb which he needed to absorb the calcium that affects all body functions including neurological. If this is calcium related the sun will help immediately , better than any bulb. So start doing that ASAP, just sit outside with him in the sun but put him n the grass so he doesn't overheat.

Another possibility is the adenovirus....it can cause those symptoms out of the blue. You can get him tested to rule that out. Ask Tracie [ Drache613 ] who is an expert . working with an organization that is looking for a cure for adenovirus.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Oh I see. The compact/coil light was definitely not producing adequate UVB. He is having neurological issues & the head tilting most likely, too. Have you considered getting a new light to help him?
Taking him outside right now will help give him a good UVB boost. The best UVB tubes that you can look for are either the Reptisun 10 or the Arcadia D3 12%. I highly recommend you go ahead & get a new light as soon as you can so he can absorb his calcium & vitamins.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Please update us when you can, I hope he starts to make some progress.

Tracie
 
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