Opening a beardies mouth for meds?

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Hello, I noticed Bahamuts stool was always quite smelly (he's about 6 months old or so) and never seemed normal to me. I found out he had an excessive count of coccidia and also had some pinworms. I got all my meds and I started treatment a week ago (albon primarily, forgot the name of the other). I had no idea about probiotics (vet never mentioned) so I ordered and just received the one everyone raves about... the acid something + (forgot exact name I'm at work). Bahamut ABSOLUTELY hates his meds. I don't blame him. I'm going to start a routine where I med him in the morning and give him probiotics when I get home from work. His appetite is probably half of what it normally is (crickets and collards are his primary diet) which i read albon can do since its harsh and wipes out the good bacteria, but he's still extremely active and alert, and his stool has improved. Been giving him 2 15 min baths every day as well. He doesn't really appear to have lost weight. maybe his big gut doesn't sag as severely. My only concern is since he hates his meds so much... he knows when its med time. His jaw is ridiculously strong and I don't want to hurt him (or myself, he chomps down hard!) He's been keeping it really locked. What are the best and safest methods for getting that mouth open? I've tried rubbing his lips which worked 1 time...but anything helps. I'm a bit hesitant to pull on his skin below his jaw... read mixed reviews on that. Normally I just try to open his mouth and squirt the meds in asap. He was super against it this morning, almost made a coughing noise while I was attempting. If I'm gunna be giving him a probiotic too he needs that mouth open.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Sorry that you're having this trouble. Many vets now opt to use Ponazuril rather than Albon because it usually works in just 2-3 doses. That cuts down on the long time that your beardie has to endure being medicated. How long will he be on both meds ? Anyway, if you can flavor it with something tasty, that might work. You might also try slipping a playing card in his mouth , or small piece of cardboard [ like from a cereal box top ] When he opens his mouth, slip the syringe in quickly, try to get it in the side rather than the front. Hopefully you will both get through this soon !
 

SuperHusky

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I will definitely try that. The albon is 5 doses 5 days in a row then 10 treatments every other day. The other med is once per week for 3 weeks. He smashed his teeth down on my fingers this morning and boy did it hurt. He never liked bath time and he needs 2 baths per day 15 mins each... hes not a happy camper but he has still NEVER flared his beard at me. Did at the vet though, and I had to pet his head to calm him. I wish albon wasn't so many doses but I was unaware of other options and that's what she prescribed me.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
You can ask your vet for Ponazuril, some owners do + the vet looks it up + complies. Otherwise he's on a long treatment with a harsh medication. And as someone who has raised beardies for 20 years, I can tell you that you never ever need to bathe a dragon twice a day, not even once a day for adults. The old thought [ that has been debunked ] is that they absorb water through their cloaca [ rectum ] to stay hydrated, it's simply not true. Limit the baths to every 2-3 days at most to give your dragon a chance to drink if he's thirsty, and dribble a bit of water on his nose. If he's thirsty, he'll drink.
 

SuperHusky

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That is very good to know. And useful since he doesn't like baths much so less baths he would definitely like. Do you recommend having a dish of water in his tank as well, or will the baths suffice? I tried the card technique which is very easy to get him to open, but he squirms his head and flails so hard. I'm not sure how tight I should hold him in place. I got him to take it, it was just a struggle. The other med that is only 3 treatments btw is fenbendazole suspension 10%
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Beardies rarely drink from a bowl, but some will drink if you drip water on the snout. And I'm glad the card worked. :) Fenbendazole [ aka Panacur ] is not very harsh. Too bad your vet didn't prescribe the Ponazuril he'd be done with meds. in 3 days and it wouldn't be so stressful. You can actually order Ponazuril from beardeddragon.co and they can help you to dose it as well if you like. Just a suggestion if your vet won't prescribe it.
 

SuperHusky

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Yeah I've done 7 of 15 treatments so far for the albon. If I switch to the other stuff should I wait a certain amount of time before I use it and stop the albon immediately? Do you know how often the treatments are usually for the other med? Albon would have 16 days left, 8 treatments.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
I don't know what to tell you....coccidia can be really bad but Albon can be bad as well. It destroys not only the coccidia but wipes out the good bacteria in the gut that keeps the immune system strong. There's a fine line between the goodness offered by that med. and the possible bad effects. If you keep him on it, be sure to hydrate him really well. If you chose to stop Albon + go for the Ponazuril, [ the site I mentioned actually has Toltrazuril ,aka Baycox which is like Ponazuril] you could just wait a day or two, then give Toltrazuril according to the dosing from beardeddragon.co. It's usually just 2 doses. Here is the link .
http://www.beardeddragon.co/index.php?route=product/product&path=60&product_id=478
 
I have just been having the same problem with Linus. I found some advice on this site actually, which recommended using the chicken baby food mixed into a slurry with whatever else you are going to give him and doing the nose drop method. (drop a bit on the nose, which beardie licks off, rinse and repeat)

I was a little leery of trying that, because he has never fallen for the nose drip trick, even with his probotics, but once I mixed in the chicken baby food, it worked. Soon my little picky eater was licking away, and opening up for his calcium and vitamin drops!

It's worth a try, anything to get them to take their medicine without as much of a fuss as usual is a plus.
 
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