Coccidia and Gout

[Drache613]

Hello,

Wow that is quite some swelling right there on the knee area. At least it doesn't seem to be bothering him right now & he is still moving around a lot.
Fluids may have settled in that one area for some reason. Hopefully if they can get that drained it will help. You can try giving longer warm baths to see if that helps any with the swelling, too.
He didn't like his slurry so much? How much kale does he eat? Be sure he gets other greens too along with the kale since that can bind calcium if eaten in excess.
Let us know how things go at the vets.
I hope Rocket is feeling better soon!

Tracie

Tracie

 

[Khloi]

He is really picky with eating. He will not try anything new willingly so I have to syringe it to him. I mix the yoghurt with the black Cherry juice and syringe it to him but it always stains his teeth it makes me chuckle. I tried offering it on a low bowl and he pretty much dragged himself through it and ended up having another bath.... I can only get food in him with a syringe. Do you have any idea on how I can get him to want the greens? I tried putting them on the locust and letting them crawl but he clocked on very fast.


He's eating a lot more meat better he had locust butterworms calci worms and a wax worm yesterday he even let me hand feed the locust which he hasn't in a very long time. He eats about 4 bits of small kale leaves he doesn't really care for veg



As far as I know his leg doesn't bug him he still flees from me at syringe time and he's getting a lot faster. He starts up his meds for coccidia today for a final five days after his seven day break and only has three days left on the other before we go to the vets. I'm
Not excited to go back to two medicine he's gonna hate every second of it

He managed to get kale stuck in his teeth yesterday but he let me clean it out with a wet cotton bud. Even though I pull at his mouth a lot for he syringes and stuff like this he has never gone to bite me yet


I'll try him in the bath tonight and tomorrow. He is still going to the toilet well.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Have you tried putting any worms in with his greens to see if that helps out? Sometimes they can be very picky with their greens.
So he is pretty messy with the cherry juice? That is pretty funny.
I am glad to hear that he has a good appetite now, better than previously. He must be feeling better.
How did the medication round go, did he get mad? They are usually pretty even tempered & don't try to bite, either.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

 

[Khloi]

Hello

I have taken rocket to the vet today she has totally ruled out gout. She suspects him as having sceptic arthritis. She said he will always have that lump on his knee but with continuing on the antibiotics it should go down a little bit but not grow any bigger. She says it's something formed in the bone where the infection hit him and as long as he stays mobile it will not bother him at all and not lead to amputation who've I am so happy abou !! Rocks now weighs 120g he has gained 20g in the two weeks he hasn't been at the vet so his appetite has definetly picked up.

He has an appointment in another two weeks to check that the septic arthritis has cleared as well as the coccidia


Thank you very much for your advice and support through this tough time for me

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is great news Rocket doesn't have gout then, how wonderful!
Infection can settle in the bone like that causing issues. At least he shouldn't have to get his leg amputated since it was caught early.
I hope the coccidia has cleared up also.
If it doesn't seem to be bothering him either he will not be hindered at all from it.

Keep us posted on his progress.

Tracie

 

[Khloi]

Hello,

Rocket has picked up a great deal in his eating, he will happily eat me out of a whole box of locusts daily although I try to restrict him as I know if he had it his way he would just eat and eat and eat..

I've been giving him calci-worms for breakfast and he demolishes them before I leave and I've started leaving a salad in, he eats a little of it but right now thats good enough. When I get home he is given his medicine and then the locusts as a reward for taking it...even though he shakes me off and runs away.

His knee only seems to hinder him in the bath as he cant extend it to wriggle away, but it has no problem when he runs, he is as fast as he used to be which is really reassuring. He has finished the last dose of his Coccidia medicine but will remain on the baytril for two weeks to ensure that the septic arthritis is all gone.

This is Rocket on the mend, it's nice to take a picture of his normal naughty self.

I think he is one of the most photogenic lizards ever, as soon as he see's the camera he poses!

I'm going to introduce his log back to him this weekend and order him another two that you screw into the side of the vivarium when I get paid so he has stuff to do rather than just lay flat on the newspaper like he has done recently. it'll be great to see him climbing again now that he can use his leg! I'm going to leave him on newspaper until the vet rules the coccidia out and then put him on a new substrate, is there any you reccomend? He was on carpet but he couldn't rub when shedding. He's currently shedding his head and very grumpy about it.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is terrific news Rocket is improving so much & is very mobile, too! It sounds like he doesn't really have a lot of trouble walking & running either.
He is a great looking, handsome dragon.
At least he is done with the coccidia meds & hopefully the Baytril will clear out the last of the infection also.
He has a big appetite too, how wonderful. He isn't done growing, either.
You can use tiles, they are easy to clean. A lot use non adhesive shelf liner, also.

I am happy he is doing so well now!

Tracie

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Just checking to see if you have any updates for us? I hope all is well out your way & hope little Rocket is doing fantastic!


Tracie

 

[Khloi]

Hey, sorry I haven't been on much due to christmas.

Rocket was at the vets yesterday, his legs drained a lot he still has his callus and will for life but it doesnt bug him at all. She said he looks lovely and healthy and is gaining weight well even though he point blank refused to move his leg for her... making out he was still limp until she turns her back and hes there trying to jump onto the scales..give me strength. Obviously still crippled..

He is fully over the septic arthritis, but he still has small coccidia traces so she has upped his dose of medicine for a longer period of time and given me a special cleaner to clean out his viv with, it's meant to be a lot stronge than shop bought so it will do the job nicely apparently. She doesnt want to see him for a month so it can't be that much of a major concern..he still refuses to take his medicine for me. Takes it like a complete angel for the vet, I try the exact same way and he has none of it

Other than that hes well, got my first black beard from him the other day because I put him down without paying enough attention to him, he puffed right up, ran over to me and headbutted my ankle.. :lol:

 

[Drache613]

Hello!

I am happy Rocket is doing so well now! At least his swelling has receded & the area on his knee shouldn't bother him too much if at all.
He is a naughty boy trying to fake out the vet with not having a sore leg. I guess he is just being a ham! LOL
I am happy he is over his septic arthritis now. I am sure the coccidia will clear itself out also.
You may have to bribe him to get the meds down.
Oh heaven forbid you didn't hold him long enough so he black bearded you? That is pretty funny.
It sounds like he may be just a little spoiled, too.

Tracie

 

[Khloi]

I finally got aound to sorting his lighting in his viv out...phew!

He now has one staight down spotlamp and his uvb mounted on the upper part of his tank!
So his temps read hot side 38-41* and his cool side is 28-32*


I also went a bit crazy with the vines and logs...whoooops..but he loves it

This is his new lighting at the top of his viv

And I've mounted his themostat next to the light for accurate readings so he doesn't get too hot

He's gonna have woodchip back when his coccidia is all cleared up

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

He is looking good! That's ok, I am sure he loves the vines & climbing areas.
Did he ever have a problem with impaction when using woodchips for substrate?
The lighting looks great, it is nice & bright, too. The tube is nearby the basking so that should work out perfectly. I am glad that you got the temperatures all tweaked also.
How is his appetite doing?

Tracie

 

[Khloi]

He never had an issue I just took it away because I was over cautious. Everyone keeps saying to me to get sand but idk that's also a compaction isn't it. Tiles would work too but I'm
Not sure on them. You guys are the experts. Advise me !

I was gonna put the uvb above him but it just kept catching the glass. Because it's at a tilted angle next to his glass opening it reflects right into the viv so yeah

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

If you did decide to use sand, be sure it's washed & sifted playsand instead of calcium sand.
Tiles or non adhesive shelf liner is very good also plus it's easy to keep clean.
Yes, but the UVB is overhead though so that will be fine.
I hope he is doing well today!

Tracie

 

[Khloi]

How would you wash playsand?