Cat attack :(

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scylla555

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Hello everyone, last friday my husbands cat managed to get into my 5 months old, bearded dragons tank (there is a lid). I was looking everywhere for her but couldn`t find her. Well 5 hours later I was in the kitchen when she crawled towards me. Her head was bloody and she looked terrible. I cleaned her off with water and Q-tips and applied a very small amount of Antibiotic Ointment. She was active and very alert but clearly under shock. This happened in the middle of the night so right the next day I went to the vet (not an actual reptile vet but she has expierence with bearded dragons and Iguanas and I don`t have a reptile vet in my area). She gave me Enrofloxacin and told me to orally give it to my beardie for the next 10 days. She said her muscle got injured but she doesn`t know about the eye sight.
Scylla (my dragon), didn`t eat saturday and sunday but yesterday (monday) she ate her veggies and today she ate a bunch of crickets and her veggies. She isn`t as active as usual but she does seem to come around very well. Her eye concerns me, it`s still shut and she hasn`t opened it since I found her.
I`m a first time bearded dragon owner and my little dragon is very important to me. Needless to say, there won`t be any cats around her and as soon as she (hopefully) fully recovers , she will move in her 55 gallon tank with a LOCK on the lid!!!. I seriously feel awful about what happened to her and I will do everything I can to help her get better. I`m attaching pictures of her with dates. Maybe one of you has any suggestions, or knows if she might be blind or just still under shock etc.? Thank you very much in advance!

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AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Wow, poor dragon, but looks like she's recovering very nicely, and eating is always a great sign. No way really to tell if she'll be blind, but it looks like mostly the puncture was above the eye. If she starts to open it, a vet will be able to see how it looks. Keep in mind that even if she loses sight there, she will adjust quickly. Good job on getting her fixed up quickly.
 

scylla555

Member
Original Poster
AHBD":o54ozvd8 said:
Wow, poor dragon, but looks like she's recovering very nicely, and eating is always a great sign. No way really to tell if she'll be blind, but it looks like mostly the puncture was above the eye. If she starts to open it, a vet will be able to see how it looks. Keep in mind that even if she loses sight there, she will adjust quickly. Good job on getting her fixed up quickly.

Thank you!!! Yeah, me and her were a mess when I found her (or better when she found me). I didn`t really know what to do at first. Getting all the dust and fur off my tiny dragon was a bit tricky and she did hiss at me a little- I don`t blame her. The vet said to give her canned baby food if she didn`t start eating in a few days. So glad I won`t have to stress her with the force feeding and she eats on her own now. She does poop too. She does a good job catching the crickets even though she has to move her head to the side in order to see them with the good eye. I used to feed her small meal worms with tweezers sometimes. But I read those aren`t good for beardies..too bad because they are slower and easier to catch for her right now.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
When I feed my beardies, I shake the crickets pretty hard in a jar or oatmeal container , this coats them with the calcium, and also stuns the crix so they are dizzy + wobbly and easy pickins' when they get dumped in the tank. If you do 5-6 crix at a time that way, your dragon can catch them much more easily if they are just limping around her. Give her as many as she wants, but about 5 at a time. The crix don't have a chance to run + hide. Don't leave any crix loose afterwards, they will be attracted to the wound and come out at night possibly to nibble on her.
 

scylla555

Member
Original Poster
AHBD":2c8te271 said:
When I feed my beardies, I shake the crickets pretty hard in a jar or oatmeal container , this coats them with the calcium, and also stuns the crix so they are dizzy + wobbly and easy pickins' when they get dumped in the tank. If you do 5-6 crix at a time that way, your dragon can catch them much more easily if they are just limping around her. Give her as many as she wants, but about 5 at a time. The crix don't have a chance to run + hide. Don't leave any crix loose afterwards, they will be attracted to the wound and come out at night possibly to nibble on her.
That`s a great idea (getting them all dizzy). I have been taking any left over insects out at night time..just the crickets are hard to get without squeezing them or ripping out legs etc. ugh. Oh well, I am sure I will get better with practice ..
 

PonchoandDaddy

Hatchling Member
You can also put the crickets in the freezer for a minute before you give them to her. That will slow them down. She looks like she's healing up nicely. She's beautiful. Did the vet take an xray to see if it damaged the actual eyeball?
 

scylla555

Member
Original Poster
PonchoandDaddy":2xkbvln6 said:
You can also put the crickets in the freezer for a minute before you give them to her. That will slow them down. She looks like she's healing up nicely. She's beautiful. Did the vet take an xray to see if it damaged the actual eyeball?

I will definitely try that tomorrow, thanks :) and yes she is !!! No, the vet didn`t take any xrays. She just said to wait and see and to keep her updated on if she opens the eye etc. It`s time for her antibiotics now, what fun..amazing how strong they are even when they are so little. It takes a little while for me to get her mouth open...(6x more times, woot) . I give them to her when she is semi asleep that way she isn`t all too freaked out and gives me more of an whatever attitude :idea:
 

traceyb73

Sub-Adult Member
You are doing a great job! I can't believe the difference in just a few days! The wound looks great. I can't imagine how upset you were when you found her. I don't have any cats but I have a dog...I couldn't imagine my reaction if he hurt her. I think he would be outside looking in, that's for sure! Fortunately, for him, he is very gently and nice to my little girl.

I wish you luck and it will all work out. It could have been MUCH worse!

Tracey
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Wow, she looks like she is doing pretty well after that ordeal!
Are you putting antibiotic ointment on the area? It appears that the puncture is above the eye. I hope it didn't go too deep.
Does it seem like she can see out of that eye?

Tracie
 

scylla555

Member
Original Poster
traceyb73":2fi5sges said:
You are doing a great job! I can't believe the difference in just a few days! The wound looks great. I can't imagine how upset you were when you found her. I don't have any cats but I have a dog...I couldn't imagine my reaction if he hurt her. I think he would be outside looking in, that's for sure! Fortunately, for him, he is very gently and nice to my little girl.

I wish you luck and it will all work out. It could have been MUCH worse!

Tracey
Hi Tracey, thank you very much!!! I actually have two cats. My (still) husbands cat is the hunter, mine is a 17 lbs lazy one. Either of them aren`t allowed in my room anymore..that`s where my dragon is. I hear my chubby one meowing all night but oh well, the baby needs rest and they sure aren`t helping. You are very lucky with your doggy. I am sure once Scylla is bigger the cats won`t look at her like lunch anymore. We used to live in Hawaii and they would always stare at the geckos but never harmed them.
Yes you are right, it could have been a lot worse :(
 

scylla555

Member
Original Poster
Drache613":3tgwabve said:
Hello,

Wow, she looks like she is doing pretty well after that ordeal!
Are you putting antibiotic ointment on the area? It appears that the puncture is above the eye. I hope it didn't go too deep.
Does it seem like she can see out of that eye?

Tracie
Hi Tracie, this morning she actually opened her eye a little but as soon as she saw me inspecting it she closed it. Go figure. She is very active and actually behaving like a little monkey. She also started shedding again, I take that as a good sign? I don`t put anything on the wound (I did the night it happened) just giving her the antibiotics till next monday. When she opened her eye it didn`t look white or blind but we will see. She holds her head sideways when she catches her crickets or when someone comes in the room so I assume she can`t see with it (yet) She sure is a trooper.
 

tf2185

Member
Here are some of my thoughts on this but someone else more experienced might come along with better information or to tell you I am wrong. Are you currently giving your baby any probiotics? I always thought that when they are given antibioltics that probiotics should be given along with it. Soy yogurt is great, it's what we've used with all four of our dragons when they have been given antibiotics.

On another note, I don't know other peoples opinions on this, but have you ever tried micro superworms? Our small leatherback is a bit spoiled and we don't like crickets at all. We've fed her small dubias which she love but right now her favorite food is micro supers. They are soft and we just put them in a small bowl, dust them, and they can't get out of the dish. If she is having trouble seeing, this might work because they can't exactly run away from your dragon, and they are soft and really small. If she isn't having any trouble eating, by all means just keep up what you are doing. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
 

scylla555

Member
Original Poster
So now I have another question... I have done some research for her move into the 55 gallon tank (she will get a 75 gallon or a 100 gallon once she is grown so she can turn around comfortable etc.) and I found out that the UVB light I currently use isn`t the most recommended, so I am definitely getting the reptisun 10.0, that`s a good one right?
The one I am using right now is a Zilla 20 Watt Desert 50 (that`s what it says on the bulb) She has a basking light too. She is in a 10 gallon tank right now. The vet said that will be better for now while she is recovering.
Just wondering if it`s safe to use my current light with her eye condition?
 

scylla555

Member
Original Poster
tf2185":kekvfh4f said:
Here are some of my thoughts on this but someone else more experienced might come along with better information or to tell you I am wrong. Are you currently giving your baby any probiotics? I always thought that when they are given antibioltics that probiotics should be given along with it. Soy yogurt is great, it's what we've used with all four of our dragons when they have been given antibiotics.

On another note, I don't know other peoples opinions on this, but have you ever tried micro superworms? Our small leatherback is a bit spoiled and we don't like crickets at all. We've fed her small dubias which she love but right now her favorite food is micro supers. They are soft and we just put them in a small bowl, dust them, and they can't get out of the dish. If she is having trouble seeing, this might work because they can't exactly run away from your dragon, and they are soft and really small. If she isn't having any trouble eating, by all means just keep up what you are doing. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Hi! Thank you very much for your input! I appreciate any help and suggestions. No, I haven`t heard of giving her probiotics. Hmmm I will definitely look into that. I was thinking about the micro superworms. I have two " food stores" available for her where I live..PetSmart and Petland. I know Petland only sells mealworms, roaches (she likes them occasionally but hasn`t lately)and crickets. I saw superworms at Petsmart but not sure if they have micro ones. I will look though. She also seems to be picky with the bearded dragon pellets and bearded dragon mixed food that comes in the bags. She doesn`t like it at all (never has) but she does eat her greens. I just keep trying different things. Thanks again!!
 

traceyb73

Sub-Adult Member
Not sure what everyone else thinks about this as I am new too, but my daughter has shown me so many videos of cats and beardies (adults) who actually like each other. But you are right...cats hunt, it's what they do. It wasn't his fault and I know you know that. You are taking such great care of Scylla, she is a lucky girl. :D
 
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