Took my beardie to a specialist; left with more questions

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Claudiusx

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That's great news! If you cant feel any eggs in her then I wouldn't worry about it.
High calcium is not always a sign that egg production is underway. At this point, I would start looking into what else could have caused the high calcium levels. I think tracie eluded to the idea that she could have been absorbing her eggs based off her slightly raised ALT levels.

-Brandon
 

lizdragon

Hatchling Member
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Ahh ok. Thank you. I'm a bit confused because the vet made it seem like she would definitely be laying eggs. However I'd be very happy if she was not laying eggs at all. My fear before seeing your post was that she could possibly be egg bound since she had not laid eggs yet.

Also, I she mention I changed up her diet and have now been feeding her dubia roaches and bathing her nearly every day. Since then she has been eating vegetables and pooping regularly. I wonder if that had anything to do with it.
 

lizdragon

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So up until a few days ago my Liz was doing great, eating tons of veggies and bugs and pooping often, but now I'm starting to get really worried. She has been refusing to eat for the past few days. In addition to that, she's been pooping every day. They're very tiny poops and also watery (it looks like a tiny bit of poop in a small puddle). I didn't notice how watery it was until the other day.

I really am not sure what to do and am starting to panic. I'm really hoping this is because she is going to lay eggs soon. She has also been crawling around her cage constantly, then staying in her basking spot for a few minutes, then crawling around again. I'm not sure if I should take her to the vet. She had gotten a fecal test there about a month ago and it came out fine, so I'm not sure about parasites. I don't know what other exams the vet could do now that she has done a blood test and fecal exam. Do you have any advice as to what might be going on?
 

lizdragon

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SandP":3bs5fdaq said:
Sounds like she was getting ready to lay eggs. Any update on her?

Hi! Yes. This is an update from yesterday copied and pasted from another thread I:

An update:

I took Liz to the vet yesterday morning. They said that they really don't think she has eggs in her or impaction because her bottom side feels soft. Maybe I should have mentioned to them that the last time she laid eggs (back in September) she only laid 7 eggs, so I wonder if they weren't able to feel them because she only has a few eggs to lay?

Anyways, the vet and the tech basically said this is a complex problem and they don't know what I should do. They mentioned that her calcium levels were off the chart in the blood test from last month, and did another blood test to see if they have changed at all. The vet told me to take her to this one specific doctor who is supposed to be the best of the best. The problem is that she only works there once a week, so I can't get in until next Thursday (7 days from now). In the meantime they gave me carnivore care to give her because she isn't eating.

I'm also worried about her poop right now. It's so small you can barely see it and it's in a puddle of clear liquid. She's going every day now. I'm so incredibly stressed about this situation right now and it's literally all I can think about. I just hope that I'm doing the right thing.

Edit: I should add that when she pooped today, it almost looked like she was trying to push more out. I wonder if there is something blocking her. The vet said that she really didn't think so though. She continues to be very restless, crawling around her cage in circles.
 

AHBD

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You're correct that the eggs can't always be felt if they are a small, infertile clutch. It does seem like she's trying to push something out. hopefully if she's impacted though the Carnivore Care can help soften it. Keep putting her in the laybox + be sure it's partly covered.
 

lizdragon

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AHBD":2ag2vje9 said:
You're correct that the eggs can't always be felt if they are a small, infertile clutch. It does seem like she's trying to push something out. hopefully if she's impacted though the Carnivore Care can help soften it. Keep putting her in the laybox + be sure it's partly covered.

Thank you! Yes, that’s what I’m hoping too. I put her in her lay box again today. It just seemed strange that the vet was so adamant on her not laying eggs or being impacted. Maybe I should have insisted on an x-ray, though I don’t even know if eggs would have shown up (last time she laid eggs they didn’t show up on an x-ray from the day before). I’m hoping the doctor who’s supposedly an expert I’m seeing next Thursday can help me out more. Or that by then she’s laid the eggs.
 

lizdragon

Hatchling Member
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A positive update:

She ate one worm today! This is the first food she’s eaten in over a week (apart the carnivore care)! Obviously it doesn’t mean things are totally better now, but I’m hoping that’s a good sign.
 

lizdragon

Hatchling Member
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So Liz's appointment with the specialist (different one than the vet I saw initially) is finally tomorrow. She seems to be doing okay despite not eating normally in nearly two weeks. She's been taking the carnivore care all right. Anyways, I noticed that she is starting a big shed and I read that sometimes beardies can lose their appetite due to this.. could this possibly be why she is not eating? I will ask the doctor as well when I see her tomorrow.

Results from her second blood test came in and her calcium levels went way down (almost by 50%) but they are still a little bit higher than average. So I'm not sure if it's eggs anymore.
 

lizdragon

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Sorry if everyone is tired of me posting about Liz all the time, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I finally have an answer!!

It is indeed eggs. The other vet was wrong when she told me that it wasn't. The specialist I took her to today did an x-ray and told me that she has eggs but there aren't that many which is why we can't feel them in her. I'm so relieved to finally know what's going on. She said to keep putting her into her lay box but to add soil to it, and then I have to give her two injections 24 hours apart (which I'm really nervous about :? to be honest). She said if she still doesn't lay eggs we will need to think about surgery which will be very expensive but we don't need to resort to that just yet.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Don't be sorry about posting updates, that's why this forum is here, to help figure things out and updates always are welcome. :) I thought it sounded like she had eggs, hopefully there will be no complications.
 

lizdragon

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Thank you! Also...


SHE IS LAYING EGGS RIGHT NOW! Sorry for the all caps but I'm just so frickin happy! Praying they all get out now and her appetite returns. I'm just so grateful she was able to lay them without the injections and especially without the surgery.
 

lizdragon

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Thank you! Does anyone know around how long the laying process usually is? The vet said it didn't look like she had a lot of eggs. I ask because I need to leave in three hours and I'm hoping she is done by then so I can put her back in her cage.
 
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