Onion poisoning

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JuneB

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Please help! I fed both of my Dragons onion greens without checking the safe food list. My male is dead and my female is barely hanging on. I can't afford to run them into the vet which is also 2 hours away. I force fed her some critical care and bathed her in warm water. Now I have her wrapped up in a towel and a blanket and am holding her against my body. She is very pale with a black beard and tail. I'm really afraid that she is not going to make it. Is there anything I can do for her? She's a yr. old and about 14 inches long. All her lights are correct, she is housed in a forty gallon tank with felt as a substrate. Temps range in the 90's. Is there any chance she will recover? Please help?
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
How sad, it sounds like she will not make it either. If you could run her to an emergency vet they could administer activated charcoal. Maybe there's a tiny chance , other than that it's very slim. Or get some yourself at a drugstore but you might not be able to do it as quickly or properly as the vet. So, so sorry. :(
 

JuneB

Member
Original Poster
I have activated charcoal that I used in my fish tanks. How do I administer it. Crush it and mix it with water and syringe feed it?
 

JuneB

Member
Original Poster
I feel like the worst reptile mom ever. I've had both of my Dragons for a yr now. I'm so sad that I lost Scorch before I even realized he was sick and it is so disheartening to watch Safira struggling to survive...
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
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Yes you crush it and mix it with water. You want to administer it as quickly as possible after ingestion of the toxin. Mix a small amount (maybe 1/16tsp or so - a big pinch) of charcoal with about 1tsp of water. Then offer via plastic syringe if you have one. The dosage is based on weight. 300-450g offer .07ml, 451-600g offer .09ml, 600-750g offer .13ml
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
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I would also offer him as much water as he will drink by dripping it on his nose. The extra water may help his system filter the toxins.
 

JuneB

Member
Original Poster
Unfortunately, Safira didn't make it through the night...? She was my first beardie so her loss is really hard.
 

CooperDragon

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I'm sorry to hear that =(. I know how hard it is to lose a dragon. To lose both must be absolutely awful.
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
Oh my, I'm so sorry, I just read this post. How terrible to lose both your babies, but please don't blame yourself, you didn't know. It was a mistake that is common and hopefully others will read this post and it will stop them from making the same mistake, so you're helping in that way, though I know that's of little comfort.

Just to add something for others reading this post to learn from, please, please, everyone that has any type of pet or a child in the house (or even for yourself) should run to the drugstore or Walmart (cheaper) and in the medical supply section or the vitamin/supplement section you'll find bottles of "Activated Charcoal", usually it comes in either tablets that need to be crushed into a very fine powder, or it's already in powder form, so you just have to mix the powder with water and force-feed it to whomever ate something toxic or poisonous as quickly as you possibly can. The charcoal then absorbs everything in their stomach and prevents it from being absorbed into their bloodstream, and then it will carry the toxin/poison out of their body. If you get it in them quickly after they ingest the toxin/poison (usually within an hour of ingesting something you can still absorb a good bit of whatever it is, especially if the animal has a slow metabolism) you can typically save them, also give them lots of water with the Activated Charcoal.

Always keep a bottle of the Activated Charcoal in your house in a spot where you'll remember where it is.

Again, I'm so very sorry for your losses, we'll be thinking about you. Please do not be too hard on yourself about this, it's a very common mistake. I'd bet that the average Bearded Dragon owner doesn't know that onion is toxic to Dragons. It's really not your fault...
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Oh no, I am so sorry to hear you lost both of them. :cry:
That is very rough. We will all be thinking about you.


Tracie
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Along the same lines, for future reference, you can get activated charcoal kits which are quite helpful. The kit comes with everything needed to dose and administer the charcoal (just add water). In an emergency situation this is helpful because the instructions and dosage are clear & written on the inside of the box. You don't have to think about it much and do calculations. I keep one in my dragon's travel carrier and it is with him at home and on the road. http://www.bug-de-lite.com/store/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=Charcoal_Kit
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
CooperDragon":xy68putk said:
Along the same lines, for future reference, you can get activated charcoal kits which are quite helpful. The kit comes with everything needed to dose and administer the charcoal (just add water). In an emergency situation this is helpful because the instructions and dosage are clear & written on the inside of the box. You don't have to think about it much and do calculations. I keep one in my dragon's travel carrier and it is with him at home and on the road. http://www.bug-de-lite.com/store/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=Charcoal_Kit

Cooper thank you for posting this "Activated Charcoal Kit", this is much easier than having to crush-up tablets and measure out the correct dose, etc.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
I'm so sorry, what a terribly sad situation. I know you are devastated but don't blame yourself. You're already feeling bad enough, my heart goes out to you. :(
 
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