dark blood in urate/stool

[SRT12141992]

Hey guys, I posted in the health section but I think this is a bit more urgent. The last few times my beardie has pooped there has been dark blood in the stool, mainly the urate area. I am worrying that he has parasites, he is also not basking as much lately. I emailed my local vet and they are gonna charge 55 bucks for a fecal. I can't afford that unfortunately and my mom thinks its stupid to spend that much money on a lizard. (If anyone can help me find somewhere cheaper to drop off my fecal i live in Kenmore, WA area.) He poops every 2-3 days and the urates/poop are usually really big, tho im not really sure what normal sized poop looks like.
Would it be too dangerous to treat him for parasites without getting a fecal? He is about 17 inches long and a year and a half old. Three days ago i started upping his baths to 20-30 mins every day because of the blood and last time he pooped he was REALLY straining I was freaking out

 

[Goonie]

Most vets would NOT treat with meds without at least a fecal sample. You just can't go by the color of the poop.
$55 is a tad high for just a fecal. Is there any other vet in your area who could run the test?

Blood could mean a number of things, not just presence of parasites. It could be internal bleeding or the inability to process foods, therefore causing the organs to work extra hard to the point of perforation.

 

[SRT12141992]

Most vets would NOT treat with meds without at least a fecal sample. You just can't go by the color of the poop.
$55 is a tad high for just a fecal. Is there any other vet in your area who could run the test?

Blood could mean a number of things, not just presence of parasites. It could be internal bleeding or the inability to process foods, therefore causing the organs to work extra hard to the point of perforation.

Oh god I hope its not internal bleeding. Could it be dehydration? he was switched to freeze dried crickets a month or 2 ago. Im looking for vets nearby now im not having much success, the other one nearby won't do a fecal unless im a client and they charge 48 just for an exam.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

This could indicate internal bleeding as suggested, not just parasites or worms. A fecal is highly recommended due to the nature of the issue.
Are you using a UVB light? What type & brand of UVB light do you have?
Do you use calcium?
What type of foods do you feed?

Tracie

 

[SRT12141992]

Hello,

This could indicate internal bleeding as suggested, not just parasites or worms. A fecal is highly recommended due to the nature of the issue.
Are you using a UVB light? What type & brand of UVB light do you have?
Do you use calcium?
What type of foods do you feed?

Tracie

I'm getting the fecal done next time he poops, found a cheaper vet nearby. Reptisun 10.0 long tube, he used to be really good at sitting under it but within the last week or two he hasn't been sitting under it as much. I use calcium powder on the veggies and sometimes put it on the pre gutloaded freeze dried crickets, for greens i use collard greens, chard, sometimes kale, sometimes carrots as a treat, occasional bell pepper or brocolli or squash. Collard greens and chard are the usual staples, we get them fresh from an organic farm. Also use a multivitamin powder on the veggies a few days a week

 

[Goonie]

The freeze-dried crickets may be the culprit. Crickets have hard exoskeletons to begin with, but being freeze dried is almost like coating it with plaster. It also removes much of the nutritional value.
If at all possible, you should feed him live crickets, or better yet, worms.

 

[SRT12141992]

The freeze-dried crickets may be the culprit. Crickets have hard exoskeletons to begin with, but being freeze dried is almost like coating it with plaster. It also removes much of the nutritional value.
If at all possible, you should feed him live crickets, or better yet, worms.

I used to feed him reptiworms, I fed him those for the majority of his life and he never had blood issues, the issue I had is sometimes they wouldn't fully digest (apparently a common problem with reptiworms).

Hmm that sucks I didn't know that about the freeze dried crickets! I thought they would be fine, should I just feed him baby food until he gets better?

 

[Goonie]

That would be best, and until the fecal results are back.
Be sure to buy the most natural baby foods. Check the sugar and sodium content.

 

[SRT12141992]

That would be best, and until the fecal results are back.
Be sure to buy the most natural baby foods. Check the sugar and sodium content.

My mom is at the store and she is gonna pick up some pedialyte and I'll give him a bath with it. i'm worried he's acting lethargic just laying in his cage, I'll give him a couple more baths today, I hope its something as simple as dehydration because if its internal bleeding they probably can't do anything this sucks I feel so bad for him. i just took him out of the cage hes sitting on my lap he is so cold I'll try to put him under the bask light.
He also has some retained shed on his head, he had recently shed but some of it didnt come off his head.

Here he is basking

his basking spot is usually a hammock but it keeps falling so I put him on the branch and switched the uvb with the heat lamp for now since he was so cold.

 

[SRT12141992]

UPDATE: got the fecal done today, she said it was negative for parasites. So he pooped today and it did look better, he wasn't straining but there was still a tiny bit of pink blood in the urate, it also was normal sized. I also soaked him with pedialyte/water mixture.
The vet is gonna give me a free exam tomorrow morning so hopefully she can offer some insight.

 

[Burra]

I think that's awesome that your vet is doing an exam for free! Be sure to tell them everything you have been feeding, your supplements, and husbandry. All of these things contribute to a diagnoses of what is wrong.

And get rid of the freeze dried crickets, I had a bad experience with them a long time ago, and I have never heard anything good about them. If you must, feed the canned ones. They at last have some moisture. Live crickets and worms are the best though, and don't forget to gut load them.

Good luck!

Edited to add:
I'm a small animal vet tech and red or pink blood in the stool is USUALLY from straining or irritation. Keep in mind that's for small animals, the hospital I work at doesn't see reptiles.

 

[Goonie]

That's great that he doesn't have any parasites! What a relief, huh?
How wonderful that the vet's going to give him a free exam! Hope he'll check out ok.

Keep us posted.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is great he was negative for parasites. I would agree, his GI tract is most likely irritated from the freeze dried crickets. If he was a little dehydrated or low in calcium that could cause straining, too.
The organic greens are excellent for him. He looks good while he is basking. His colors are nice also!
The Reptisun 10 tube is a good bulb. How far is it from him?
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie

 

[SRT12141992]

Hello,

That is great he was negative for parasites. I would agree, his GI tract is most likely irritated from the freeze dried crickets. If he was a little dehydrated or low in calcium that could cause straining, too.
The organic greens are excellent for him. He looks good while he is basking. His colors are nice also!
The Reptisun 10 tube is a good bulb. How far is it from him?
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie

So can I give him live crickets instead without worrying? I don't really want to give him live foods until his poop has zero blood in it. The reptisun is like 5 inches from his log, and its through a mesh screen. I gave him the water/pedialyte bath and he perked back up a bit after it. He still doesn't have much of an appetite though

 

[Goonie]

If at all possible, remove the mesh screen. The screen will break up the UV spectrum and thus not deliver the correct amount to your beardie, even at such close distance.

The closest distance that the UV should be from his basking spot is 8 inches away. Anything closer may be causing harm than good.