Vet visit

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AHBD

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I'm so sorry to hear that he's not getting better but is just getting worse. This has nothing to do with lights but it's a direct result of the treatment. You should be documenting the way that your dragon has gone downhill since the unqualified vet caused this health decline. If there is a liver problem sometimes milk thistle may help. I don't know what else to say except to let this vet know what he did and see about a refund and giving a review on their website with a warning because they obviously don't know how to treat reptiles and they may be harming others. Still try to get fluids + the probiotocs in him, mostly fluids though. If there's any food he'll lick at, give that to him.....baby food squash, green bean and even try raw honey, unpasteurized.
 

Claudiusx

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I agree, keep him hydrated and try baby foods. Baby foods like squash will also help settle the stomach.

Buy a cheap kitchen scale too so that you can track his weight. That will be important to do right now too.
If he continues to not want to eat, and is losing weight, i'd suggest you start using this:
https://www.amazon.com/Oxbow-Critical-Care-Supplement-1-Pound/dp/B0021WRJFE/ref=asc_df_B0021WRJFE/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198101685250&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3077834775554565337&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031743&hvtargid=pla-354907067511&psc=1

So sorry this is happening, but we will help you both get through it.

-Brandon
 

beardiebaby19

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":20ftsz13 said:
I dont know exactly what is going on but the all nite black beard does not sound good-- please go over your lighting in the tank -- are you using any colored bulbs ? What are you using for a UVB? Please no coils-- basking temps what are they and how are you taking them? NO stickons--
Karrie

His uvb is a new 22” 10.0 t5 HO tube that sits on top of his screen (about 10 inches from nearest basking spot with plenty of hiding spots). NO colored bulbs and no coils. Only his uvb and a 100 W reptile heat bulb. His temperatures are measured with a temp gun and his basking temp is about 97 F. I would say that he’s seemed healthy otherwise, as he still moved around and all, he just seems really stressed and I don’t know why. He pooped probiotics this morning and went to his hide and is blackbearding now, so it hasn’t gone away this time. It usually goes away by morning and he looks completely fine.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
O.K, it doesn't sound like he's doing TOO bad all in all [ hopefully ] Can you post a pic of him ?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The screen on top of the tank is a fine mesh like a screen door or a wide holed type-- if its a fine screen like a screen door it needs to go into the tank for optimal UVB rays -- fine screens tend to block 30% of the rays - he is obviously in distress w/ the black beard - AHBD can better help w/ the medical stuff going on - but the UVB placement is extremely important -- distance for UVB should be 12-15 inches w/ basking decor directly underneath
Karrie
 

Claudiusx

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The UV situation is fine how it is, and it isn't related to what is going wrong with your dragon right now.
I agree, a picture would be good to see.

Focus on getting a scale so you can track weight, keeping hydration up, and look into the CC I linked.

-Brandon
 

beardiebaby19

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Claudiusx":2rb7j0pe said:
The UV situation is fine how it is, and it isn't related to what is going wrong with your dragon right now.
I agree, a picture would be good to see.

Focus on getting a scale so you can track weight, keeping hydration up, and look into the CC I linked.

-Brandon

Trying to administer probiotics right now, but he’s refusing to even open his mouth.
106687-5702266022.jpg
106687-3431677534.jpg

These are pictures I just took. He’s not black bearding at the moment but he looks miserable and sick. Do his eyes look sunken in to you? He is hydrated, but he looks dehydrated. The area around his hips is noticeably skinnier than usual. He has lost weight, about 20g since his vet visit... this is really worrisome. His bone structure, however, seems to be healthy as nothing seems soft and there’s no bumps along his back. Could this be early MBD? I’ve always been careful with the lighting and supplements, but he was preparing for brumation, so he stopped eating calcium/vitamins along with food. Could this somehow be a reaction to the medications he took at the vet? I’ve never seen any reactions like this, but right now I’m just trying to come up with possible reasons. He acted this way only after the vet visit. Another question, how can I administer probiotics to him? I think it may help a ton, but he won’t open his mouth at all to let me administer them. Trying my best to keep calm, but I’ve become really stressed about the entire situation. I just want my lil man back and feeling better. I’ve read some forums on here that suggest liver failure or something major like that, and it terrifies me, but I’m trying to be open minded and look at all of the options before I panic.
 

Claudiusx

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I know it's scary, but they can bounce back from these things.

He definitely is losing his fat stores based on the base of his tail. Has he not been eating anything at all?
How much does he weigh right now?
This isn't related to MBD at all, so don't worry about that.

He does look pretty sickly in the picture, but like I said, they can definitely bounce back from these things with a bit of effort and attention.

Since he is losing weight, I definitely recommend buying the powder I linked you. If he is willing to eat live food right now, that is even better. But the powder has a lot of good nutrients in it too that he will need. It will help his stomach feel better too.

How are you trying to administer the probiotic right now? With a syringe? Sometimes you just need to hold them tight, and use something like a credit card to gently pry their mouth open. Then put the syringe in their mouth at an angle (never aim it straight back, they can aspirate).
Be careful though, their jaw can fracture if they are fighting it too much.

It's best if they are able to lap it up out of a spoon, or from dripping it down the front of their face.

-Brandon
 

beardiebaby19

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Claudiusx":39xfnrl2 said:
I know it's scary, but they can bounce back from these things.

He definitely is losing his fat stores based on the base of his tail. Has he not been eating anything at all?
How much does he weigh right now?
This isn't related to MBD at all, so don't worry about that.

He does look pretty sickly in the picture, but like I said, they can definitely bounce back from these things with a bit of effort and attention.

Since he is losing weight, I definitely recommend buying the powder I linked you. If he is willing to eat live food right now, that is even better. But the powder has a lot of good nutrients in it too that he will need. It will help his stomach feel better too.

How are you trying to administer the probiotic right now? With a syringe? Sometimes you just need to hold them tight, and use something like a credit card to gently pry their mouth open. Then put the syringe in their mouth at an angle (never aim it straight back, they can aspirate).
Be careful though, their jaw can fracture if they are fighting it too much.

It's best if they are able to lap it up out of a spoon, or from dripping it down the front of their face.

-Brandon

Thank you, this forum has really helped. I’ll do my best to keep calm. He hasn’t been eating at all, but only recently had he been losing weight. He was a healthy 500g before the visit and is now about 480g. I will keep an eye on his weight. He won’t take any live food, unfortunately, but I will make sure he gets in some of the probiotics. I will definitely take a look into that powder. The herbivore one, right? He won’t take the probiotics from a spoon, so I have had to just drip it down his face with a syringe, but he’s never had a problem with it until now.
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Ok, 20g isn't really much of a weight loss so that's good, but the fat stores depleting is something you want to stop.

Yup, go with the herbivore version. Keep us updated on him.
What probiotic are you using? Sorry if I missed it earlier.

-Brandon
 

beardiebaby19

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Claudiusx":2eijfakx said:
Ok, 20g isn't really much of a weight loss so that's good, but the fat stores depleting is something you want to stop.

Yup, go with the herbivore version. Keep us updated on him.
What probiotic are you using? Sorry if I missed it earlier.

-Brandon

Yup and the weight loss could totally be due to stools, as he’s had diarrhea a bit since the visit (side effect from medications). I was just worried about his fat stores, but I am working to stop that. I’ll order the herbivore version, and hopefully I get it very soon. I am using the flukers repta+boost powder at the moment. I am trying to spread his dosage out throughout the day. I was able to give him some just now. He definitely still has his energy, so that’s good. I’ll be working very hard to keep him hydrated. Sorry if I’ve been seeming paranoid lol. This has been a really crazy week for me. I know he can bounce back from this, as they are hardy creatures.
 

beardiebaby19

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Quick post to keep you guys updated. His eyes have sunken even more. I’ve been trying to give him extra water with the probiotics, seeing if severe dehydration could have been adding to all of this, but he won’t take it. I drop it down his nose with a syringe, but he never will open his mouth. I can get him to eat the probiotics after being patient, but I’ll have to figure something out for the water. Trying to find unflavored pedialyte to help this. He does seem to be dehydrated, but this seems like a new symptom. Fat pads are sinking in more, trying to get the powder you have suggested. Might take awhile to get here, unfortunately. Just a post to keep you guys updated on his condition.
 

CooperDragon

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Try some baby food squash or sweet potato and see how that goes. Those will also provide hydration but the flavor might be a bit of an incentive. No guarantee, but worth a shot.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Along with what Cooper said [ I was typing at the same time ] Do you have some raw honey or can you get some ? Honey that's unpasteurized. Try some of that mixed with just a little water, beardies often like the taste of it and will lap it up. You can put some of that across his mouth and he may lick it off just because he feels it there and if so you can offer as much as you can as long as he's licking.
 

beardiebaby19

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Thanks a lot for those two tips! I’ll get some baby food to try that. Luckily I had some raw Honey. I cannot believe how well the honey trick worked! At first he wanted nothing to do with it, but as soon as he gave it a taste he was all for it and drank a ton! Even went to his bowl to drink some honey/water. That should help a ton. Thanks!
 
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