Seizing, Hissing, and Wheezing in Brumation

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TeddyWyon

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I really need help with my beardie, Dorian.

As of two days ago he entered brumation and everything was okay. I gave him a bath earlier today because he has not defected in a little while. He got a warm bath in some epsom salt, he still didn't poop. I put him back in his tank (20 gal viv) and no issues. About three hours later, he started having what appeared to be nightmares. Now, he's a rescue dragon. I've had him for just over 5 months and his is about three years old. His previous owners were negligent and abusive, and as a result he has some intestinal scarring and early cases of MBD (that I stopped but are still there). Not only that, but he is touch dependent. He almost needs me to be visible or touching him when pooping or to calm down. I do have two other beardies in very similar tanks and set ups, (all are male, none are housed together, none can see each other)

While Dorian was having this 'nightmares', I touched him lightly and he calmed right down. I removed my hand and backed away, not wanting to touch him too much as stop his brumation cycle. Now he is flopping around (not exactly seizing but he looked a fish out of water) and was hissing with a very black beard and tail. After a while this stopped and he deflated in a sense with all the fight out of him. Now he's pressed against the glass (out of his nesting log) with his mouth open and slight wheezing/squeaking coming from him.

He is on carpet, but I do go to great lengths to fully sanitize and clean it at least once a week. He used to be on sand, he is not anymore. (previous owners had him heavily impacted, now he's okay with exemption to scarring and dependency) .
He has a diet of mostly superworms and crickets. He gets 10-12 supers every other day and kale/bokchoy/turnip greens/yams/or a mix of some every second day. Every time he eats the super (or crickets) they are coated with the calcium and multi-vitamin dust.
He has a cool side and a warm side. Cool side is 60-80 Fahrenheit and warm side is 90-100.
He has a basking rock, tree, and then a hammock and log nest on the cool side. As I've said, I have two other beardies (who are not rescues) with this same setup and they are in perfect health.

His mouth and eyes are currently slightly open, and I cannot feel a heartbeat. He is breathing, though considerably slowly even for a brumating dragon.

I really need some help with him, I'm really scared that he might be dying right now and I need to know if there's anything I can do to help him. I don't know the exact conditions he was under with the previous owners, I just know they weren't good and he visibly recoiled at the sight of his most recent owner. (He's had five before me. I will be his last owner and his forever home, I just want to make sure that right now his forever doesn't end today.)

Please, any and all help is very appreciated.
102837-5709476732.jpg
 

TeddyWyon

Member
Original Poster
Well, he's dead. Gave one final wheeze and that was it. Absolutely no breathing or heartbeat. Zero response, eyes won't dilate. He's gone
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

I am heart broken for you & Dorian your boy, I am so sorry that he passed that way. :cry:
You are certain he is gone? I ask just because they can have very slow heartbeats &
respirations when they are ill or in brumation.
If he is gone, at least he had you, & had a wonderful life with you without having to endure
anymore abuse.

Tracie
 

TeddyWyon

Member
Original Poster
I do appreciate the concern, but he is gone. I've checked and double checked and triple checked, he's gone.
I just hope he wasn't in pain and I hope he knew that I loved him.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

I am so sorry to hear that. :cry: It is a horrible feeling to lose a beloved dragon. I am positive
that Dorian knew that you loved him.

Tracie
 

MarlowAndMe

Juvie Member
So sad to read this :( I glad you gave him a good life for his last 5months. It sounds like this world was not very kind to him before you came along and I’m sure , even from that alone , that Dorian will know how much he meant to you

Sweet dreams little dragon x
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
I suggest you ask a vet to check for life signs using a doppler ultrasound.

My approach is to keep suspected dead lizard warm in their tank for 24 hours , once rigor mortis sets in and the blood pools it's the only sure sign of death you can rely on.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
I'm so sorry to read this. It's a slight possibility that he aspirated water but at any rate all my sympathy to you. :( You could keep him in a box on newspaper for a day to be sure [ and I'm 99.9% sure and I believe you know that he's gone ] so no need to waste money at a vets. My deepest condolences to you.
 

TeddyWyon

Member
Original Poster
Thank you all for your sympathies and suggestions. We did keep him over night, hoping for a miracle. It didn't happen, unfortunately. I was unable to take him to a vet yesterday as I don't have a car, but we took his body today. I miss him desperately and seeing him like that broke me, but I had to be sure he didn't have anything that could carry on to my other two dragons.
As it turns out, Dorian died from his previous impactation. He had severe scarring in his intestines along with anemia and of course the MBD. The vet was surprised he had lived so long with so many complications and how much stress he had undergone with so many owners.
I was beating myself up for his death, afraid it was something I had done but according to the vet there was literally nothing I could have done to prolong his life, she even applauded me on my care of him and how healthy I got him despite the circumstances.
We buried him yesterday, by the oak tree in our yard and a yam buried with him. His favourite to eat besides supers was yams, so with luck perhaps it'll take and he can live on in a sense with new life to spring.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Wow, that is so sad but his previous care was definitely not your fault. :cry: Dorian was a
lucky boy to have been able to get out of his situation & finally have a good home with you.
I like to believe people who are cruel to animals will have to answer for it.
He will absolutely live on & I'm sure he will get plenty of sun there too.

Tracie
 
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