My partner thinks I'm paranoid/hypervigilant with Alduîn (and, okay, maybe I am)... but I'm noticing some unusual swelling or deformation and wondering if this to be expected despite the MBD treatments.
His hind legs, particularly the one that was already swollen, tend to become so stiff that they are essentially dead weight. For example, he once adjusted his body in a way that lifted his right rear leg off the ground entirely and it didn't change position at all for close to a minute, when gravity eventually brought it back to the ground. His toes also are somewhat uneven (hard to see in this pic, probably).
I'm also really concerned about his front "wrists". They seem to be swelling and I am seeing bulges on either side that weren't visible in earlier photos. It also seems like his "wrists" are splaying outward (like I've seen with rickets -- which is also caused by vitamin D deficiency, but he gets UVB most of the day...).
Our next scheduled appointment with the vet is on November 8th. I called with a few questions a couple days ago and the vet did get back to me with answers; I'm wondering if I should ask about these too, or just wait until the appointment. Little Alduîn is still eating his insects quite well (17 yesterday, 21 today) and defecating every morning, though he has refused even a single bite of any fruits or veggies for almost a week now (collard greens, turnip greens, butternut squash, strawberries).
He also continues to cut his UVB time short by hiding after about 10 or 11 hours. His lights go on at 6am, he usually comes out around 7 or 8, but then he hides from the lights around 5pm. I want him to have a longer photoperiod but he really seems to hate the light after a while.
It just feels like he's getting worse despite the treatments. He can't hold up his own weight -- he has to either pull with his front legs, push with his hind legs, or use his tail as a counterbalance and kind of wrench himself around. I fear for his safety. We're doing the best we can. I hope it's enough. I'm continuing to read and learn. I've been going through Brown's
Guide to Australian Dragons in Captivity and excerpts from Mader's
Reptile Medicine and Surgery, and trying to see if my local library can get their hands on the newly updated
Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery. I realize it's a big waiting game with reptiles because they take so long to recover... It's just hard to stay hopeful, I guess. I was talking with my partner about this earlier, but I feel like part of me is hopeful and optimistic while another part of me is already fortifying an emotional wall and assuming the worst.
What a merry-go-round.
Anyway, if you have any thoughts on the swelling/bumps/anything else, I'd love to read them. Tomorrow will be day 18 of treatment, so still fairly early days. I hope this record turns out to be useful for others who find themselves in a similar boat with their little dragons. And with luck, we'll be seeing him on the path to recovery soon.
With kind regards,
Aaron