ibeebonesy
Member
tl;dr - Has anyone else had a rescue case that went horribly after many years of ups and downs and how the hell
do you deal with the guilt?
**
I do not know what to do. I have a rescue beardie named Luna I’ve had for about two years and she is currently in ICU at the veterinary teaching hospital because we are dealing with a respiratory infection that hit fast and hard. I am feeling like an epic failure and I just need...opinions? Perspective?
She was in such **** condition when we got her - full blown MBD, no use of one leg, emaciated, missing a few inches of tail. They had her on sand and we’re feeding her yard crickets and pellets, years of poop in the cage, etc. we did not expect her to live past a few months, let alone two years.
She’s done okay - she’s never been *healthy* though. She’s always had a weak immune system and issues that we suspect are kidney related (possible gout, etc)...horribly picky eater, hard to keep weight on and keep hydrated, and she’s always at the reptile vet within 24 hours of showing symptoms of anything. I’ve had all her husbandry set up checked out with the vet, checked against recommendations from other specialists...I have a freaking decade of reptile research and experience under my belt with iguanas and turtles and chameleons, but I can’t fix one little beardie and it is *breaking* me. UV output is monitored with a solarmeter, humidity controlled, temps are carefully controlled, minimum of 80F at all times, good range of basking spots from 95 and 105 and 110. Out of drafts and never out long without a heat source. It just never seems to be enough - 1-2 respiratory infections per year and cannot get a solid answer as to why other than “weak immune system”.
She got a lump in her throat last Friday night, went to the vet Saturday. No one could figure it out, so we sent x rays to the ZEW Wing of the vet school for a second opinion and did an anti-inflammatory shot. She was bright, alert, active, good appetite. She hacked up a wad of shredded squash and green Sunday night.
Normal Monday, normal Tuesday, then started getting lethargic Tuesday night. Back at the vet Wednesday, go home with antibiotics, and she just crashed Wednesday night. Rushed to the emergency hospital and they called in the reptile specialist (I haven’t worked with this guy, specifically, but I’ve worked with the two other reptile vets for years - they are some of the best). She’s on IV fluids now, staying over night, and they are running a blood panel.
I feel like this is it. She’s been this sick before, but something just feels different this time, and I’m so tired of chasing myself in circles trying to figure out *WHY* she keeps backsliding. They want to do a CT scan, and all these other tests, and I feel like I’m just making her suffer for more time. I know she’s had a good two years, I know she’s been spoiled and happy, but if we can’t stall these constant infections all together is it cruel to keep going for the months in between antibiotic rounds that she’s “healthy”?
What else can I have done? Could I have demanded blood work sooner when the vet said it wasn’t worth stressing her since she responded to treatment and had clean fecals? Should I have skipped our regular reptile vet (who is an actual reptile person, not just an “exotics” vet) and gone straight to the big boys at the hospital despite the exorbitant price?
do you deal with the guilt?
**
I do not know what to do. I have a rescue beardie named Luna I’ve had for about two years and she is currently in ICU at the veterinary teaching hospital because we are dealing with a respiratory infection that hit fast and hard. I am feeling like an epic failure and I just need...opinions? Perspective?
She was in such **** condition when we got her - full blown MBD, no use of one leg, emaciated, missing a few inches of tail. They had her on sand and we’re feeding her yard crickets and pellets, years of poop in the cage, etc. we did not expect her to live past a few months, let alone two years.
She’s done okay - she’s never been *healthy* though. She’s always had a weak immune system and issues that we suspect are kidney related (possible gout, etc)...horribly picky eater, hard to keep weight on and keep hydrated, and she’s always at the reptile vet within 24 hours of showing symptoms of anything. I’ve had all her husbandry set up checked out with the vet, checked against recommendations from other specialists...I have a freaking decade of reptile research and experience under my belt with iguanas and turtles and chameleons, but I can’t fix one little beardie and it is *breaking* me. UV output is monitored with a solarmeter, humidity controlled, temps are carefully controlled, minimum of 80F at all times, good range of basking spots from 95 and 105 and 110. Out of drafts and never out long without a heat source. It just never seems to be enough - 1-2 respiratory infections per year and cannot get a solid answer as to why other than “weak immune system”.
She got a lump in her throat last Friday night, went to the vet Saturday. No one could figure it out, so we sent x rays to the ZEW Wing of the vet school for a second opinion and did an anti-inflammatory shot. She was bright, alert, active, good appetite. She hacked up a wad of shredded squash and green Sunday night.
Normal Monday, normal Tuesday, then started getting lethargic Tuesday night. Back at the vet Wednesday, go home with antibiotics, and she just crashed Wednesday night. Rushed to the emergency hospital and they called in the reptile specialist (I haven’t worked with this guy, specifically, but I’ve worked with the two other reptile vets for years - they are some of the best). She’s on IV fluids now, staying over night, and they are running a blood panel.
I feel like this is it. She’s been this sick before, but something just feels different this time, and I’m so tired of chasing myself in circles trying to figure out *WHY* she keeps backsliding. They want to do a CT scan, and all these other tests, and I feel like I’m just making her suffer for more time. I know she’s had a good two years, I know she’s been spoiled and happy, but if we can’t stall these constant infections all together is it cruel to keep going for the months in between antibiotic rounds that she’s “healthy”?
What else can I have done? Could I have demanded blood work sooner when the vet said it wasn’t worth stressing her since she responded to treatment and had clean fecals? Should I have skipped our regular reptile vet (who is an actual reptile person, not just an “exotics” vet) and gone straight to the big boys at the hospital despite the exorbitant price?