Strange symptoms

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debbie6092

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Greetings. My six month old beardie stopped eating on me, so I took her to the vet. An x-ray suggested some sort of mass in her chest. Blood work suggested that she is anemic and had a high white blood cell count (but not the type associated with infections). The vet thinks it is either a tumor or abscess (probably tumor with the white cell count), but is not sure. She does not think the prognosis is good, but suggested putting him on doxycycline which has some tumor shrinking properties. Does anyone have any suggestions on what it could be? I also don't want her to suffer. . . Help! We're going to try the doxycline for a while and see what happens
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Can you post the blood work for Tracie to see ? The vet you took your baby to is a reptile vet? You said he stopped eating were there other symptoms that suggested he was sick ? Sometimes its the lighting in the tank that makes them quit eating - that is why I asked --- can you post pics of him please ? Here is good thoughts to you I am hoping for a good outcome
Karrie
 

debbie6092

New member
Original Poster
I didn't get a copy of the bloodwork. I just talked with vet on the phone and now I am having trouble remembering the exact numbers. I am going in the morning to get the shot of the antibiotics, so I will get a copy. The numbers definitely suggested anemia and high white blood cells (but not the kind associated with infection). The x-rays showed something in the chest. My doctor is an exotics vet, but not necessarily a reptile specific one. She posted my beardies x-rays on a reptile specific vet site, because she thought they were so unusual. Other specialty vets confirmed that the x-rays suggested something in the chest -- could be abscess or tumor. The lights in my tank are good. I replaced the UVB bulb and the temperature has been good (110 in hot side - to 80 on the cool side). My beardie is lethargic, which matches with the anemia. We are force feeding her critical care.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Oh dear --- I am sorry-- well Tracie needs to chime in on this one --- she will be able to read the blood work results when you post them --- she is usually on at nite so hopefully she will respond to this
Karrie
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
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Hi there,

I agree, if you could post up the blood results that would help.

If you could get a picture posted of the Xray that would help too.

I'd like to see the x ray so we could tell if it's a foreign mass (such as a tumor) or if it's actually enlarged organs pushing into the chest cavity. Is she breathing OK?

When is the last time she poo'd?

Could you post a picture of her so we can see her?
And of her setup?

-Brandon
 

debbie6092

New member
Original Poster
Here's the blood work and his set up. I am working on uploading the x-rays.

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Thanks!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok I am guessing that the UVB is a coil from the pics? Is it a 13 watt or a 26 watt in that dome?
Karrie
 

debbie6092

New member
Original Poster
Yes, it is a 26 watt UVB coil. It was just replaced at the sixth month mark. I am attaching her x-rays. You can see that the space for the lungs is not as big as it is supposed to be.

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Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
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Hello,

The bloodwork has most of what I need, as it does show inflammation & elevated WBC
counts. The urea nitrogen doesn't indicate any renal issues, at the moment & the AST looks
ok, maybe a bit low which is the liver enzyme indicator. It can be low due to B6 deficiency or
other mineral deficiencies.
The calcium "appears" ok, but, the hip bones look lighter on the x-ray pictures, than they
should which means her body is leaching calcium from the large bones. It might be the angle
too but it looks like her back is slightly hunched. Technically that could be a tumor, or it also
could be the bones growing incorrectly because of metabolic bone developing.
If she has only had a compact/coil light, then her 25 hydroxy levels (D3 storage) are likely
becoming depleted. This causes malabsorption over time & the bones can develop strangely.
She is growing so if she isn't absorbing properly then her bones can soften & grow in odd
positions, etc.
Hopefully she doesn't have a tumor. Does she breathe normally? When it appears that the
lung volume is decreased, pneumonia should also be considered, too.
I would highly recommend upgrading your UVB lighting to either a Reptisun 10 T5 tube or an
Arcadia D3 12% T5 tube, both of which are very good.

Can you try to post some more up close overall body shots of her too, so I can see her body
condition better? Are her eyes puffy, or is that just the angle of the picture?

Tracie
 
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