Bindy's losing weight :(

[bltkpo]

So, Bindy's gonna get a fecal float done soon - I am noticing he's losing weight (yet still eating until he is full, cricks, occasional butters, and even less often horns, and silks.) .. He eats his veg of collards and bok choy on and off. Under a repti-sun, his basking temps are about 105-110. He went from 265 grams to 248 grams. He's been rather lethargic (I thought it was just the winter weather; a sort of semi-brumation) but the weight loss is bugging me. He poo's ever 3-4 days, where the urate is pure white until it meets the poo part, then it's an orange-brown for about 1/4 an inch.

I hope to get a fecal float within a week (more like next bowel movement), but are there any interpretations of these symptoms in the mean time? Is there anything I should ask to be checked for specifically, that might relate to the weight loss?

Bindy is 8-9 months old, and 17 inches long.

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

If it helps, my lot don't tend to do a full brumation, but they do less, eat less and lose a little weight. Until we get feedback from the vet, there's not much I can suggest - you're already being checked for parasites, which is a good thing.

Keep us updated, and you might want to request your post transferred to ER rather than Health - I think you get more responses on there.

 

[bltkpo]

Hi, thanks for your response!

Bindy is too young to really brumate anyway, so I wasn't expecting him to. I had thought about posting in ER, but our situation isn't urgent, necessarily. I was just curious about other peoples interpretations on our situation. I don't want to freak myself out - I hope to get a poo test to the vet ASAP. Blah. I am just a concerned mama

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

There's nothing wrong in being a little concerned - it pushes us all to be better beardie carers
I hope it turns out to be something minor, Bindy might just be having a funny phase. Hyphen (my youngest) thinks he's off his food, but only manages for perhaps two days before caving in to some treats. There's nothing wrong with him, and he's a fat little chunk, so I don't mind too much if he drops a couple of grams.

 

[MissT]

You know, he isnt really too young... some brumate as young as 6 months but the fact that he is eating would suggest that he isnt

Has his behaviour changed at all? Has he been more/less active?

 

[bltkpo]

He is less active, but he eats relatively well (up until now - he's not taking his crickets like normal)...

He needs to poo already so I can get that off to the vet and to calm my nerves.. blah!

 

[RaptorTheBeardie]

Take him to the vet immediately! I saw a post a few months ago with a beardie named alexstrazza, you might wanna look that up. But she started losing weight and died two monthe later, although it was from a fungal infection. Look up the post and see what is happening, because some of it seems similar to yours.

 

[bltkpo]

I wish we could trust our vet - We don't have an actual exotic vet around here .. the nearest is two hours away. The vet we have access to is "comfortable" around reptiles but isn't totally knowledgable.

NOW you've scared me, thanks! lol.

 

[RaptorTheBeardie]

Im sorry for scaring you. Could you post some before pics and what she is now( if you have any)? Id like to see how dramatic the weight loss is and if you need to do anything further. And sorry for scaring you just nted yiu to know how serious it was. Hope he eats more very soon! Best of luck! :wink:

 

[Claudiusx]

I'm sorrry Bindy is worrying you. It's probably nothing major :mrgreen:
Has Bindy's poos not been regular? I noticed you said you are waiting for him to go so you can have a fecal done, which is a good idea imo.

20g of weight loss isn't the biggest thing in the world, but surely enough to worry any good owner
Is it possible Bindy is slightly impacted, which is why she isn't eating as much?

How has Bindy doing today?

-Brandon

 

[RaptorTheBeardie]

I'm sorrry Bindy is worrying you. It's probably nothing major :mrgreen:
Has Bindy's poos not been regular? I noticed you said you are waiting for him to go so you can have a fecal done, which is a good idea imo.

20g of weight loss isn't the biggest thing in the world, but surely enough to worry any good owner
Is it possible Bindy is slightly impacted, which is why she isn't eating as much?

How has Bindy doing today?

-Brandon

If she was impacted, the extra poo would mean she would gain weight, not lose it, as she has no way of expelling weight. I dont know the cause, but its probably not impaction.

 

[Claudiusx]

If she was impacted, the extra poo would mean she would gain weight, not lose it, as she has no way of expelling weight. I dont know the cause, but its probably not impaction.

Actually, The impaction would make the dragon not want to eat, and therefore causing the body to call on the fat reserves and everything else, decreasing the weight of the dragon, even with the waste product still in the body...

And no offense, but its much more likely to be related to impaction than it is to be related to a fungal infection :wink:

-Brandon

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

It was a good suggestion and it's nice to see you involved though Raptor

 

[bltkpo]

Im sorry for scaring you. Could you post some before pics and what she is now( if you have any)? Id like to see how dramatic the weight loss is and if you need to do anything further. And sorry for scaring you just nted yiu to know how serious it was. Hope he eats more very soon! Best of luck! :wink:

It's ok! I'm just a worried mama. It's hardly noticeable, the weight loss. On Friday I was just looking at him and it "appeared" he was thinner (his pancakes weren't so big ect) So on a whim, I weight him. his previous weight was about 268 grams. Now he is about 248 grams. =/ It's not really visible to anyone but me..

Brandon - He hasn't got much to be impacted by other than his crickets? He's slowed down on the pooping thing (he eats about 10-15 cricks a day, and turns up his nose to any more) ... He has horns, silks, and butter worms too on the off chance they come in.

He doesn't live on sand, or have anything else that could clog up his little tummy.

He has slowed down on pooping - he poops about twice a week (Last time was Saturday morning)

When he was a baby it was like clock work, every single day.

I'm just a worried mama hahaha I love him too much to have him hurting.

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

If he's eating a balanced diet and he's taking in plenty of liquids, get your floats done
If his fecals are clear, don't sweat it - some beardies are awkward like that - Tsam will go maybe three times a week, and 100% on a Saturday afternoon. Not sure why, but he's like clockwork for Saturdays!