URGENT - beardie not using front legs

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Drache613

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Hello,

Wow, Charlie has improved that much in such a short amount of time? That is terrific to hear.
She must feel so much better now. I am sure that her limp will eventually go away completely.
I'm glad that she is doing so well now! :D

Tracie
 

TyrannosaurusWreck

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Bad news: it seems her one leg isn't improving, and she seems to be regressing in terms of that one leg (she isn't using it at all) :(
I'm going to take her to a DIFFERENT vet within the next 2 weeks, I wish I could sooner but the only good one around that takes reptiles is an hour away and my mom is extremely busy :(
We're hoping to find one just as good that's closer; we're still looking!

No worries, though; she's very healthy otherwise :)
 

AHBD

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Are you still using the calcium powder and have you adjusted the uvb bulb so it's in the tank ? Can you post a pic of her set up ?
 

Drache613

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Hello,

We need to make sure that this isn't gout developing also which will sometimes mimic the
symptoms of metabolic bone disease.
Definitely post pictures of your lights so we can see how they are placed.

Let us know how she is doing.
Tracie
 

TyrannosaurusWreck

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image0.jpg


Here's half her tank- I took this a few weeks ago so I don't have an image of her whole terrarium, but this is approximately half of it.

My mom bought a T5 (it's a T8 in this image) but it hasn't arrived yet. When it comes I'll figure out how to mount it in the cage but it will be tricky because the only way to open the tank is from the top; it slides off toward you so if I mounted the light on the lid I wouldn't be able to take it off.

Also, I got a more accurate thermometer (digital, and it tells the humidity as well) and a temperature gun so I can monitor the temperature more closely.

Her water bowl is on the opposite side of the tank and is large enough for her to bathe in.

I started giving her calcium powder without D3 as well as the multivitamin powder. I dust her crickets daily like before.

She hasn't eaten much for the past 2 days. We're planning to take her to that other vet. If they don't find anything my mom will probably be upset at me, but I don't really mind. I just want to make sure she's ok.

I want to think she's brumating, but she's still relatively alert most of the time, and it's just her left front leg that seems to be bothering her as she doesn't like when it's touched (she lets me touch her other arms and legs without showing any disconfort), and she drags it behind her.


Her basking rock usually reaches 105-118 degrees F, her warm side is 92-100 degrees, and her cool side is usually around 85 degrees. At night it reaches ~70 degrees on the cool side and ~80-90 degrees on the warm side.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
The set up is nice, only big problem is the t8 on top of the screen. The weaker uvb would not penetrate that far down so you could have actually left the screen off and put the uvb fixture kitty-corner across the top. Not your fault at all since the stores don't tell you that the bulb needs to be about 10-11" away only if unobstructed by the screen. She was probably lived her life in the pet store without good uvb so it's just showing now, though she otherwise looks healthy. :) Calcium with D3 can still be used since she can't be getting enough with that bulb. I don't think a vet will help, they might give a calcium shot and might want to run a lot of tests when she can probably recover on her own with proper lights but you have to decide about the vet for yourself. Right now it's obvious that the lack of uvb is the problem . she can't absorb calcium or D3 without it. Once that's corrected it may take a little while but you should see improvement. If you set her up in a short medium tote with no screen she can benefit from the t8 right now. Here's how I used to set up my babies, plenty of uvb and I always used t8 bulbs .
https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29889/full

BTW I can't remember if you've taken her out in the sun at all ?
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
That is really good work on your part that you were getting her out in the sun :) That possibly saved her from crippling MBD. Still, there is probably still a degree of calcium deficiency causing weakness in her legs. Hopefully the new bulb will get her back to good shape.
 

TyrannosaurusWreck

Member
Original Poster
While the new bulb is still not here, will this work? I pulled the lid off a bit so it isn't in the way of the bulb.

image0.jpg


I know it isn't the best set up (especially with all the wires from the thermometer) but I hope it's adequate. I have a reptile hammock for her but I removed it for the time being since I don't want her to hurt her leg more.

Also, for the T5 will the lid I have right now be okay? Or will it still be ineffective? Should I get a new terrarium? I just want the best for my beardie, I thought I did all the research needed (I looked online for a few months before getting her) but still it seems I'm doing something wrong :(
 

CooperDragon

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That will help. Without the screen, 6-8'' is a good range to shoot for if you can. When you get a T5 and a fixture with a reflector, it should be fine on top of the screen and about 10'' or so above the main basking area (taking into account some loss of intensity due to the mesh top).
 

Drache613

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Staff member
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Hello,

How is she doing today?
That looks very nice, the T5 will work just fine with the screen top. I am glad to hear you have
been taking her outside for sunshine while you still could! Hopefully once you get the new T5
tube it will help a lot more.
Sometimes it does take quite awhile for their muscles to gain strength back. Though, with a
regular calcium supplementation, good diet & lighting hopefully she will continue to improve.
Keep us posted on her.

Tracie
 

TyrannosaurusWreck

Member
Original Poster
The order was cancelled because they ran out of lights, so we had to go out and find the light at a store yesterday. Now that I have a T5, Charlie seems better compared to a week earlier; however, she's been refusing to eat. I offer her live food, freeze-dried crickets, and greens/veggies, but she ignores it all. I've had to drip water on her nose for the past few days. I started mixing it with calcium powder once a day so she at least gets some calcium.

Earlier today, she was enjoying basking once again with her mouth open so I think she's improving instead of regressing again. I'm hoping that she is enjoying the T5 light.

image0.jpg



I don't know what else to do. Do we need to get a fecal exam/x-ray done? I'm not sure what a vet could do without testing her for anything. Should we wait it out and see if the T5 helps her? I'm going to start monitoring her weight.

In the meantime, what can I do to help her? Should I give her baths, or would that disturb her too much?
 

Claudiusx

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Definitely a good idea to monitor the weight. Post the weight updates here and we can get a better grasp of how she's doing.

The light should start helping soon. Hopefully her appetite comes back! :)

-Brandon
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Do keep us posted on her weight & behavior! I hope she is feeling better soon & it looks like
Charlie is happy under her new light.

Tracie
 

TyrannosaurusWreck

Member
Original Poster
I have awful news to share.. She passed away this morning.

I'm so, so absolutely heartbroken.. I went to give her water, but she didn't move at all or react to being touched, and her eyes were half-closed.. I picked her up, and her rock is covered in feces/diarrhea where she was laying, all dried up. Her belly was hollow, despite being perfectly fine (although lethargic) yesterday..

It hasn't even been an hour and I miss her so so much.. We were going to be Hiccup and Toothless for Halloween.. we were going to celebrate our birthdays on the same day... I was going to take her to college with me... and now I can't... I'm going to get her cleaned up and bury her in the backyard...

I don't know where I went wrong besides the uvb light.. I had her for only a month, the t8 instead of t5 uvb light shouldn't have caused her to perish so quickly.. It's all my fault, I should've begged my mom to let me take her to the vet and at least get a fecal exam or x ray... I just wish I knew what was wrong so i could've helped her...

Words can't describe how absolutely devastated i am right now. I feel like the worst beardie owner ever. I'm so sorry charlie.
 
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