Cassidy
Member
- Beardie name(s)
- Stevie
Beardie Advice ~ Spay?
28 minutes ago
Quick update on beardie. (More information about my beardie on profile)
Brief background, I have had her since 2018, adopted my first beardie from someone who couldn't give her the time she needed so it worked out fine. However, her previous owner did not know "he" was actually a she. I found out she was a female when she laid her first clutch of eggs and needless to say I was shocked lol. She is clearly a happy healthy girl, (and spoiled) because she has now been laying eggs frequently in clutches of 14 eggs and more. Her max has been 23 eggs in a single clutch.
During these several clutches of eggs being laid, she had been getting live bugs as a source of protein and dusted with calcium. However, I noticed that there seemed to be a direct correlation when she was eating live bugs and getting reproductive tract infections as well as an increase of fluid in her reproductive tract. She was put on antibiotics through IM injections and she eventually got better and had follow up vet appointments. The suggestion of spay for her was put on my radar by her vet at the exotic animal hospital I am employed at. As of recently, she got yet another reproductive tract infection and had fluid build up in her reproductive tract. And once again, she was put on an antibiotic being fortaz injections, every 3 days for 10 doses total which was the same as the first round of treatments. And the problem went away after these treatments to bring the inflammation down. Once again spay had been put on her radar. Note: she has had doses of other medication in the past to control the amount of "healthy gut bacteria" that was in her system. Too much would pose a potential problem so her vet wanted to control and lessen the amount that had showed up through fecal sample submitted.
She has also been put under anesthesia before due to her ingesting a firefly which are highly toxic. I'd rather not discuss details but I was the one to hold her upside down while she had her stomach pumped, etc.
I am just contemplating if there were any other options other than spay for her since she responded to the antibiotics/Fortaz so well. I would rather give her antibiotics whenever the issue arises. Rather than risk her life for a spay that might not be needed if she never has folliculitis again. I don't want to make a wrong decision for her. I love her very much and last thing I want to do is mess up and do something irreversible.
I'm planning on getting another vets opinion asap. She is getting another ultrasound 2 weeks from yesterday 2/28/22, to keep monitoring what's currently going on inside her. 2 eggs that have developed, but no shell on them, and no fluid in reproductive tract. Her vet seemed pleased with what she was seeing and still wanted her back in as I said, 2 weeks from yesterday 2/28/22. Her vet doesn't want me to do anything different in my care for Stevie.
I'd value opinions or suggestions preferably from vets or other experienced owners who maybe had to face this as well. Thank you for taking the time and reading through this if you made it this far
Side note: as of 2/28/22, her vet said that correlation between diet and reproductive tract infection was highly unlikely, but I haven't given her live bugs since, and found alternative sources of protein for her which were ok'd by her vet. (dried insects being black soldier fly larvae, mealworm, and soon to be crickets if I can find them, I refer to them as her crunchies as well as dried veggies as well because she enjoys crunching
)
28 minutes ago
Quick update on beardie. (More information about my beardie on profile)
Brief background, I have had her since 2018, adopted my first beardie from someone who couldn't give her the time she needed so it worked out fine. However, her previous owner did not know "he" was actually a she. I found out she was a female when she laid her first clutch of eggs and needless to say I was shocked lol. She is clearly a happy healthy girl, (and spoiled) because she has now been laying eggs frequently in clutches of 14 eggs and more. Her max has been 23 eggs in a single clutch.
During these several clutches of eggs being laid, she had been getting live bugs as a source of protein and dusted with calcium. However, I noticed that there seemed to be a direct correlation when she was eating live bugs and getting reproductive tract infections as well as an increase of fluid in her reproductive tract. She was put on antibiotics through IM injections and she eventually got better and had follow up vet appointments. The suggestion of spay for her was put on my radar by her vet at the exotic animal hospital I am employed at. As of recently, she got yet another reproductive tract infection and had fluid build up in her reproductive tract. And once again, she was put on an antibiotic being fortaz injections, every 3 days for 10 doses total which was the same as the first round of treatments. And the problem went away after these treatments to bring the inflammation down. Once again spay had been put on her radar. Note: she has had doses of other medication in the past to control the amount of "healthy gut bacteria" that was in her system. Too much would pose a potential problem so her vet wanted to control and lessen the amount that had showed up through fecal sample submitted.
She has also been put under anesthesia before due to her ingesting a firefly which are highly toxic. I'd rather not discuss details but I was the one to hold her upside down while she had her stomach pumped, etc.
I am just contemplating if there were any other options other than spay for her since she responded to the antibiotics/Fortaz so well. I would rather give her antibiotics whenever the issue arises. Rather than risk her life for a spay that might not be needed if she never has folliculitis again. I don't want to make a wrong decision for her. I love her very much and last thing I want to do is mess up and do something irreversible.
I'm planning on getting another vets opinion asap. She is getting another ultrasound 2 weeks from yesterday 2/28/22, to keep monitoring what's currently going on inside her. 2 eggs that have developed, but no shell on them, and no fluid in reproductive tract. Her vet seemed pleased with what she was seeing and still wanted her back in as I said, 2 weeks from yesterday 2/28/22. Her vet doesn't want me to do anything different in my care for Stevie.
I'd value opinions or suggestions preferably from vets or other experienced owners who maybe had to face this as well. Thank you for taking the time and reading through this if you made it this far
Side note: as of 2/28/22, her vet said that correlation between diet and reproductive tract infection was highly unlikely, but I haven't given her live bugs since, and found alternative sources of protein for her which were ok'd by her vet. (dried insects being black soldier fly larvae, mealworm, and soon to be crickets if I can find them, I refer to them as her crunchies as well as dried veggies as well because she enjoys crunching
)
