Spooky799kil
Member
Hi everybody, my bearded dragon Spike is in bad shape and the problem is I have no idea why, and my vet explanation makes no sense to me. This will be long post because I want to post all that has happened to my bearded dragon. Hopefully one of you guys can help me out.
First things first, Spikes husbandry;
Cage 40 gallon tank 18 height by 18 deep and 3 feet long
Lighting, Solar Sun Glo 125 watt
Heating pad under cage.
Temperature 90F
Substrate newspaper
Rock and a few Pet store logs for climbing.
Now I will tell you what happened. Spike was doing fine. I fed him crickets everyday and some veggies although he was not much a veggie eater only eating one or two pieces. But then I started notice some problems. His front legs became stiff and almost immobile, making limp around. At the same time he lost his appetite and becoming less active. I brush this off as possible brumation but the stiff front arms was concerning. I thought he might have metabolic bone disease. So I took him to the only vet I could find in my area that looks at exotic reptiles.
We took a stool sample and an X-ray. Stool showed no possible parasites. The X-ray showed that there seems to be nothing wrong with Spikes front legs however the vet told me his hind legs were bent and possible start of metabolic bone disease. I told him the lighting I had before which I will admit was not really good. So he suggested getting UVB UVA and heat light all in one bulb PowerSun by zoo med. He also gave me medicine to help his appetite come back and some Calcium syrup to help with his calcium level while I search for the bulb. The visit costed 300 dollars (Yikes). After this it took a few weeks for spike to start eating again. I went to a few different pet stores asking them if they could ship the bulb the vet recommended. The pet stores did not have the bulb but one said they had Solar Glo UVB bulb which they told me was the same bulb as the one vet said only it was just a different brand. So I bought the bulb.
Spikes appetite came back after a week. Everything seemed to go back to normal. After about 5 months his front legs became stiff again only this time it was all of his legs and was worse to the point he would not move unless I provoked him to do so. So I took him to the vet again and same thing as last time. Stool showed no parasites. The vet had no idea what could be causing the problems with his legs. He wanted to do blood work to determine his health and gave me the same medicine as before for his appetite and calcium. By the end of the visit it was 400$. Yep I spent 700$ on Spike. I did not realize that it was this expensive to help a bearded dragon.
Anyways this was 2 week ago but Spike has not gotten better. I believe giving the medicine has actually made him even worse. He began throwing up the medicine. I was almost crying as I have never seen a bearded dragon throwup before. He also began to ignore me as in anytime I tried to hold him he shut his eyes and try to get away. He must have been so stressed. I got him to eat a few crickets but the next day he threw them up. I tell you this throw up was worse. He puked up the cricket parts undigested and just this brown color. I suspected it might be from the crickets in his stomach but I am not sure.I then gave him a bath with Pedilyte water which he drank only to have him throw it up the next hour. The vet soon called and said his bloodwork seemed to be all normal. He said his kidney function was normal and his calcium level is normal so can't be metabolic bone disease. He said stop giving him the medicine since it was pointless now. I told him he threw up. He said he does not know what is wrong with him. He then asked if I did everything he told me to do. He then asked about what bulb I got and I told I had bought the Solar Glo bulb to which he said that was the wrong bulb and he had recommended the PowerSun UVB bulb by Zoo Med telling me that the Solar Glo bulb said it was synthetic and was bad knock off. Because I didn't buy the right bulb he blames that is the reason he has been having problems. He also said by the time a bearded dragon is throwing up the damage his already been done. He said I could bring him in and give him medicine for throwing up and show me how to feed him through syringe which possibly have to do for the rest of his life since he refuses to eat.
At this point I have already spent almost 1000 dollars on him and I don't think I could feed him through a tube the rest of his life as he hates it. I am thinking of just putting him down. I love him but I don't think he is going to get better. I still have no idea what went wrong. The vet blames the bulb but that makes no sense because one he said his calcium level is normal so shouldn't that mean the UVB Solar Glo bulb did it's job? And two all the other people I have called they say they use that exact same bulb. I would also I like to point out I had one bearded dragon before Spike named Yoshi and he lived to be 10 years old and I didn't even have some of the right stuff. I never had problems with him, but I have learned from then.
So I would like to ask what do you guys think went wrong? I really wish Spike would get better but if he throws up one more time I going to put him down. I am sorry if I have been a terrible owner in anyway. Can someone please help, thank you.
First things first, Spikes husbandry;
Cage 40 gallon tank 18 height by 18 deep and 3 feet long
Lighting, Solar Sun Glo 125 watt
Heating pad under cage.
Temperature 90F
Substrate newspaper
Rock and a few Pet store logs for climbing.
Now I will tell you what happened. Spike was doing fine. I fed him crickets everyday and some veggies although he was not much a veggie eater only eating one or two pieces. But then I started notice some problems. His front legs became stiff and almost immobile, making limp around. At the same time he lost his appetite and becoming less active. I brush this off as possible brumation but the stiff front arms was concerning. I thought he might have metabolic bone disease. So I took him to the only vet I could find in my area that looks at exotic reptiles.
We took a stool sample and an X-ray. Stool showed no possible parasites. The X-ray showed that there seems to be nothing wrong with Spikes front legs however the vet told me his hind legs were bent and possible start of metabolic bone disease. I told him the lighting I had before which I will admit was not really good. So he suggested getting UVB UVA and heat light all in one bulb PowerSun by zoo med. He also gave me medicine to help his appetite come back and some Calcium syrup to help with his calcium level while I search for the bulb. The visit costed 300 dollars (Yikes). After this it took a few weeks for spike to start eating again. I went to a few different pet stores asking them if they could ship the bulb the vet recommended. The pet stores did not have the bulb but one said they had Solar Glo UVB bulb which they told me was the same bulb as the one vet said only it was just a different brand. So I bought the bulb.
Spikes appetite came back after a week. Everything seemed to go back to normal. After about 5 months his front legs became stiff again only this time it was all of his legs and was worse to the point he would not move unless I provoked him to do so. So I took him to the vet again and same thing as last time. Stool showed no parasites. The vet had no idea what could be causing the problems with his legs. He wanted to do blood work to determine his health and gave me the same medicine as before for his appetite and calcium. By the end of the visit it was 400$. Yep I spent 700$ on Spike. I did not realize that it was this expensive to help a bearded dragon.
Anyways this was 2 week ago but Spike has not gotten better. I believe giving the medicine has actually made him even worse. He began throwing up the medicine. I was almost crying as I have never seen a bearded dragon throwup before. He also began to ignore me as in anytime I tried to hold him he shut his eyes and try to get away. He must have been so stressed. I got him to eat a few crickets but the next day he threw them up. I tell you this throw up was worse. He puked up the cricket parts undigested and just this brown color. I suspected it might be from the crickets in his stomach but I am not sure.I then gave him a bath with Pedilyte water which he drank only to have him throw it up the next hour. The vet soon called and said his bloodwork seemed to be all normal. He said his kidney function was normal and his calcium level is normal so can't be metabolic bone disease. He said stop giving him the medicine since it was pointless now. I told him he threw up. He said he does not know what is wrong with him. He then asked if I did everything he told me to do. He then asked about what bulb I got and I told I had bought the Solar Glo bulb to which he said that was the wrong bulb and he had recommended the PowerSun UVB bulb by Zoo Med telling me that the Solar Glo bulb said it was synthetic and was bad knock off. Because I didn't buy the right bulb he blames that is the reason he has been having problems. He also said by the time a bearded dragon is throwing up the damage his already been done. He said I could bring him in and give him medicine for throwing up and show me how to feed him through syringe which possibly have to do for the rest of his life since he refuses to eat.
At this point I have already spent almost 1000 dollars on him and I don't think I could feed him through a tube the rest of his life as he hates it. I am thinking of just putting him down. I love him but I don't think he is going to get better. I still have no idea what went wrong. The vet blames the bulb but that makes no sense because one he said his calcium level is normal so shouldn't that mean the UVB Solar Glo bulb did it's job? And two all the other people I have called they say they use that exact same bulb. I would also I like to point out I had one bearded dragon before Spike named Yoshi and he lived to be 10 years old and I didn't even have some of the right stuff. I never had problems with him, but I have learned from then.
So I would like to ask what do you guys think went wrong? I really wish Spike would get better but if he throws up one more time I going to put him down. I am sorry if I have been a terrible owner in anyway. Can someone please help, thank you.
. I have a beardie with gout and his feet and arms look like mine does. Before I got Daizy diagnosed his back legs just quit working and then I noticed his front hand was swollen and so was his lower arm. He now takes allopurinol every day and with in a few days he could move his back legs. He still has a stiffness when he walks but gets around pretty good. Especially during mating season when he sees the female. 
