HELP WONT STOP COUGHING

I have a previous post so if you need background please read that one. I took my bearded dragon CJ to a second vet because he wasn’t getting better from not eating. This vet prescribed him a liquid antibiotic and to keep feeding him his powder food called Carnivore Care. So my brother has been taking care of him making sure he took the medicine and the food. Now that I got him back today I notice he won’t stop coughing and breathing hard. I also notice that liquid is coming out of his nostrils and he seems to be puking up liquid also. He won’t eat so we need to force feed him but I think he breathes it in instead of swallowing it. His beard has also been turning black and he’s puffing it a lot he’s never done that before. Please help I’m really worried about him.

Get him back to the vet here is a website to find a reptile vet
www.arav.org
Karrie

KarrieRee":2hrgghqv said:

Get him back to the vet here is a website to find a reptile vet
http://www.arav.org
Karrie

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The vet I went to is in another city. I have school and can’t take him myself. My brother is the only one who could.

Did you use the website I posted- your dragon sounds very sick- I would find a way to get him in + his basking temps and good UVB are the most important things in that tank - are you using a coil UVB? I would keep him a little warmer over nite like around 80 so he can keep his immune system up - are you using any colored bulbs?
Karrie

KarrieRee":1v34tnmk said:

Did you use the website I posted- your dragon sounds very sick- I would find a way to get him in + his basking temps and good UVB are the most important things in that tank - are you using a coil UVB? I would keep him a little warmer over nite like around 80 so he can keep his immune system up - are you using any colored bulbs?
Karrie

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Yes I used the website and I can’t take him to any of those spots they’re hours away from me. I use an 18 inch Zoo Med UVB bulb I got it a couple days ago. I don’t have any bulbs that I use at night. Which would be best?

Hi there,

What did the vet prescribe?

Based on your first thread, your dragon just looked very undernourished. Was a fecal test performed at all?

The liquid medicine, I assume this was administered orally? If done wrong there is a good chance that the medicine was actually aspirated and that caused a buildup in the lungs, which is why your dragon would be coughing.

-Brandon

What are his basking temps? And how are you taking them ? No stick ons you need a digital probe thermometer- the UVB is a zilla ? If so you need to get this bulb a Reptisun 10.0 T 8 take the plastic cover off the fixture so the bulb is exposed- it needs to be inside the tank approx 6-8 inches directly above the basking decor--
Karrie

Claudiusx":31u85fuk said:

Hi there,

What did the vet prescribe?

Based on your first thread, your dragon just looked very undernourished. Was a fecal test performed at all?

The liquid medicine, I assume this was administered orally? If done wrong there is a good chance that the medicine was actually aspirated and that caused a buildup in the lungs, which is why your dragon would be coughing.

-Brandon

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The vet gave him Calcium Gluc it says it’s a calcium supplement and the second one is Baytril and is an antibiotic They are both given orally. He is really bad with taking medicine he clamps his mouth closed when I have tried before. My brother told this to the vet so they recommended using a rubber spatula and putting it in his mouth then giving the medicine. My brother had been giving him medicine this way for the past two days and now I have him back. They didn’t do a fecal test I don’t know if they offered it either since they talked to my brother. Can you please tell me the right way to orally give him his medicine I really feel so sad seeing him like this.

KarrieRee":2pz1oph7 said:

What are his basking temps? And how are you taking them ? No stick ons you need a digital probe thermometer- the UVB is a zilla ? If so you need to get this bulb a Reptisun 10.0 T 8 take the plastic cover off the fixture so the bulb is exposed- it needs to be inside the tank approx 6-8 inches directly above the basking decor--
Karrie

Click to expand...

His basking temp is in the mid 90s the thermometer is on the back of the tank, I’ll get the digital probe one asap. I do have a Reptisun 10 T8 UVB and I have never had a cover on that light it’s always been exposed but from my last post I learned I needed a reflector so I got one that same day.

Ok and it needs to be in the tank approx 6-8 inches from basking decor- I am going to have the vet tech look at your post
Karrie

Hello,

Sorry your dragon is having trouble!
Why did the vet prescribe Baytril?
Can you get the strength of the solution of the Baytril, his dose & your dragon's bodyweight &
I can double check the dose for you. Also, how much Gluconate is being given & what is the
strength & dose of that also?
Since he is coughing, he probably aspirated fluids or food which can cause pneumonia or other
respiratory issues. Try placing him on a slight decline overnight, to allow his lungs to drain out
any fluids if needed. You are using a stick on thermometer?
For now, I would cease giving food & fluid with the syringe until you can get him stabilized.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

Drache613":2zrv9xdx said:

Hello,

Sorry your dragon is having trouble!
Why did the vet prescribe Baytril?
Can you get the strength of the solution of the Baytril, his dose & your dragon's bodyweight &
I can double check the dose for you. Also, how much Gluconate is being given & what is the
strength & dose of that also?
Since he is coughing, he probably aspirated fluids or food which can cause pneumonia or other
respiratory issues. Try placing him on a slight decline overnight, to allow his lungs to drain out
any fluids if needed. You are using a stick on thermometer?
For now, I would cease giving food & fluid with the syringe until you can get him stabilized.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

Click to expand...

The Baytril is an antibiotic she wanted to avoid any infections. I don’t know how to find the strength but it says it’s 100 mg/ml and I have to give him 0.04 ml once a day. I’m pretty sure he puked up liquid I left him for a couple minutes and came back then saw liquid on the mat of his tank. He is 1.2 pounds last time he was weighed but he seems to have lost weight sorry I don’t have any thing to weigh him with so I’m not sure. I’ll try to place him on a decline today I wish i saw this reply yesterday.

Tracie is on late at nite so all responses come late at nite --- she can help the most w/ his medical in the meantime did you get your UVB situated?
Karrie

Poor CJ, he's having a tough time and I know it's really hard on you.. It's obvious that you care very much about him and even took him to a vet. He was looking ill in your first thread but the vet never should have prescribed an oral antibiotic without determining what was wrong. Since he drinks a lot he may be having kidney issues and Baytril won't help. So now he has a cough because he's aspirated the meds. + possibly the food. I'd stop the Baytril altogether and just gently drip the C.Care food on his snout. You can also try squishing an insect until the guts come out a bit [ I know it's gross ! ] and smear it gently on his mouth. He may eat it if he gets a taste of it . He may do better too once the light is situated above him.

Hello,

How is your boy doing this evening? Has he thrown up at all?
The dose should be ok, but, if he doesn't have an infection it can affect him negatively &
really dehydrate him also.
If he doesn't have an infection then it wont help him at all really. The Gluconate is fine, as
long as it is dosed properly.
Is his beard still dark today?
Please let us know how he is doing, I hope he is not as critical today.

Tracie