Upper respitory infection

Hi I think my female beardie has respiratory infection she is puffing up and clicking and lickng alot. I'd there anything I can do until I make a vets appointment tomorrow thanks. She only started this evening

If it's sudden it may not be a RI. Do you see a lot of mucous around her mouth (much more than usual) or is she acting lethargic? Best thing to do is keep her warm and comfortable. A vet can take a sample from her mouth and analyze it (takes a few days) to see what's going on and which bacteria are causing the infection if there is one.

No mucus think her nose is blocked vet I spoke to online said it definitely is that as we sent a video. I will keep her warm and comfy got vet for antibiotics tomorrow x

If her nose is blocked, it's possibly a nose plug which is part of a shed cycle. That should come loose on it's own and free the nostril after a while. Until it comes loose you may see more mouth breathing than normal.

Would that explain the clicking sound c what they Say thank for the advice x

I was going to say the exact same thing, if you.mean that her nostrils are actually visibly blocked, like you can see something white or the color of the skin on her face just inside her nostrils blocking the entire "hole", then those are nose plugs from her shedding...She may have an upper respiratory infection as well, just a coincidence possibly because no, nose plugs don't cause any breathing sounds like clicking or wheezing, but they are a normal part of the shed process. Is she shedding her head/jaw/face now or did she recently? If so then that's exactly what they are. Now if you actually see mucous in her nostrils, like "boogers" or liquid, then that isn't shed obviously, but a solid, usually white thing just inside her nostrils seems to be blocking her nostrils, it's most likely shed.

Typically when my dragons have nose plugs, I'll wait until the outside skin around their nostrils starts to peel up (this is usually the last part of them shedding their face/head and it takes a while for the outside skin around their nostrils starts to peel up), and when there is a good size piece of shed sticking up from around the outside of their nostrils, I'll gently pull up on it and the nose plug will come out. It doesn't hurt them at all, and it helps them out. Don't ever stick anything inside their nostrils to try to get it out, which is what we want to make sure the vet doesn't do thinking it's from an infection. If your vet is an experienced reptile vet then they'll know what it is, but if your vet is a general or "exotics" vet then they most likely will have absolutely no idea what it is, unless they have owned bearded dragons themselves.

Thank you ever so much for that detail I think she got the shed as well as the respiratory infection. Her nose is blocked up with the white as u said I did not put two and two together it makes sense. The vet is a specialist tomorrow they deal with this thing all the time highly recommended apparently thank you for the information

No problem, and I'm glad he's seeing an experienced reptile vet, it's very important, as we see so many vets giving horrible advice and even prescribing the wrong types of medicine without even running any tests...It's terribly difficult to find a good, experienced reptile vet in this country, so if you have one hang onto them!!!

The nostril plug/shed will eventually come out, and they don't cause any issues. If he's breathing with clicking, wheezing, coughing, etc. then yes, it's most likely an upper respiratory infection and unrelated to the nostril plugs.

Is there anything I can do for the nose plugs

Like I said, if you wait until he sheds the skin around the outside of his nostrils, once there is a piece sticking up on the outside, you can gently pull up on it and pull the nose plug out, but this is usually the last thing to shed, it takes a while. Never stick anything in his nose or try to pick the outside skin off, you'll hurt him. The nose plugs are fine though, no need to do anything, he can still pass air through his nostrils, they cause no issues. They'll shed out soon.

Staceymdavies":26becx46 said:

Is there anything I can do for the nose plugs

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.... tempting as it might be to use a very fine but stiff bit of wire to get the nose (nostril) plugs out , or make a hole in them , best to leave them be , if a gentle but firm rub with the ends of the fingers or a cutton bud doesn't shift them , be patent , the dragon will likely get them out himself by rubbing on something hard and rough .

So don't go probing about to unblock those blocked nostils , the tissues in their nostrils and sinuses are very delicate and you could them a serious injury.

My Toothless has exactly the same thing going on re blocked nostrils. I was worried for a few days he may have a RI caused by the aspirating some silkworm fluid , but I see no sign of that.

Thank you been to the vet and the said it was a nose plug and managed to get the nose plug out. She is shedding like crazy thank you for all the advice