Devastating news - ADV. Now what?

[karmakollector]

So sad to get the news that our girl has ADV. We didn't test for it on the first vet visit -- instead we had a full blood panel done, and it gave high white blood cells but there were no other signs of problems (for example, kidney and liver tests were fine.) We were told to come back in a month for another test, so we did, but decided we should also swab for ADV just because we hadn't.

The blood test looked better -- only azurophils were higher than normal.

But then we got the news: our girl is ADV positive.

She is 5 months old; we have had her since 2 months old. She has been energetic, strong, athletic, and bright-eyed the whole time. She eats like a champ, and poops like a champ. She is growing, as well... a few sheds so far, going from 35 grams at 2 months to 101 grams at 5 months now.

The only worrying signs have been:
1) She has always liked going to bed on the early side. We thought maybe it was just a seasonal thing, due to the short days, but she tends to want to go to sleep around 4:30 (whereas sundown is not until 5:30) -- but she does wake up bright and early, as well.

2) Recently, her poo began to be ill-formed. We took it to vet for fecal sample, but it came up with just a single pinworm, which the vet was not concerned about at all.

In any case... the vet was kind of shocked, because she has been so asymptomatic. But, of course, we are heartbroken. Still, I know some can be basically asymptomatic carriers and we just want to know:
What can we do to give her the longest and best life possible? Are there any natural remedies or supplements, beyond simply good heat/lighting/diet, that help with this?

 

[AHBD]

Sorry to hear this. So far it sounds like she's doing reasonably well and may be one of the strong that survive for many years. DRACHE613 [ Tracie ] is an expert on ADV, she will probably respond when she sees this, if not you can P.M. her. There are definitely some things you can do to keep her as healthy as possibly and to prolong her life despite the diagnosis.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Sorry your girl is adeno positive! Unfortunately, there are quite a few positive dragons due
to poor & irresponsible breeding practices which have gone on way too long.
Do you have any pictures of your girl, along with your tank setup as well?
As your vet had mentioned, they can go on for a long time, not showing any symptoms at all
but then for no known reason, they will begin to show signs or symptoms. Certain things tend
to bring out the flareups of adeno, such as stress, improper setup, nutritional deficiencies, etc.
Do you know what her weight is?
If you have a copy of her blood test, that would be great to see them.
What supplements are you using currently? I usually recommend supplements that help to
support the liver for the most part but also kidneys, too. Milk thistle is great for liver support &
black cherry for kidney support. Those are two supplements that are used a lot for dragons who
had adeno. If she needs help with appetite, bee pollen & probiotics are great. Bee pollen is
excellent for help with immune system help also. I recommend colloidal silvers too, for help
with general overall health & immune system.
I think once they become adults, their immune systems will develop & become stronger, helping
them to better fight infections off more effectively.

Let us know how she is doing.
Tracie

 

[karmakollector]

Here are some pictures of Paisley taken this week. As you can see, she seems fairly healthy and content!

Don't have a copy of her newest blood test yet (we only were told about the results by vet over phone, but plan to request a copy), but I posted her old one on here a while back (maybe 2 months ago?) with concerns about the high white blood cell count (which now seems to make sense), which I think you saw and responded to.

I plan on adding powdered milk thistle (which I also take as part of a multivitamin supplement), as well as some bee pollen sprinkled on her greens sometimes. I am aware of colloidal silver, but wondering about dosage and frequency (I know it can be quite potent.) I also plan to buy some silkworm eggs to raise them as feeders (both because they are healthy and because they contain serrapeptase)

She needs no help with appetite right now! She is a voracious eater, including all veggies I feed her (so far has included mustard greens, bok choy, spaghetti squash, collard greens, kale, green beans, peas, and bell pepper. She eats all of the above, but likes some more than others), as well as dubia and BSFL.

She was 35g at 2 months old (estimate) when we got her 3 months ago, and is now 101g; she has shed about 3 times during that span. So growth seems normal.

As for our setup, here is a pic I just took:

UVB is T5 Reptisun 10.0 HO; the other fixture contains a 50w halogen floodlight plus a 100w CHE on thermostat to boost the floodlight temps when necessary, and also to kick on at night (the room gets down to about 59 degrees, but the CHE keeps her tank floor at about 70-75... which is the exact temperature she seems to want when sleeping, but she likes it HOT while basking, anywhere from 100-105)

Unfortunately, I did just check the UV output of the Reptisun and it has diminished significantly over the past week or two! When I first checked, it was about 4.5 at her basking spot. As of 2 weeks ago, it had diminished to about 3.9 which still seemed okay. But now it is 2.2!! The bulb has only been used for 3 months. I am SO glad I bought a Solarmeter 6.5 so we can know things like this! These bulbs seem to have diminished output WAY earlier than the estimated 6 months people recommend.
Swapped out for an old one we kept around (which, in turn, had already been used for 3 months... but it is giving 4.4 index at the same spot right now!), but we also have an Arcadia 12% on hand for when we need it (have not yet tested its UV index at the same spot. I should, out of curiosity)

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Paisley looks content there & of good weight. That's great to hear she is eating a lot right now
so hopefully her growth will stay up to par.
It looks like you are doing everything correct. Her diet is diverse & the supplements that you
are using & planning on using will be fine. The colloidal silver is safe as long as it is good
quality & you cycle it there wont be any problems.
You will enjoy raising the silkworms, they will be very nutritious for her, too.
The lighting looks nice, & bright. The T5 UVB output has diminished that much? It should
last a decent amount of time, so I am surprised it's degraded that much. The Arcadia T5 tube
lasts quite awhile. If you already have the Arcadia T5 then I would consider switching to it.
Where did you purchase your Reptisun 10 T5? Oh so your old Reptisun T5 is stronger than
the one you were using? Sometimes you can get bad lights & other times they are extremely
good.
The solarmeters are terrific! I have both the 6.2 & the 6.5 & am glad I invested in them.
How is she doing today?
It sounds like you have a good handle on things though & she has an excellent chance at life,
thanks to you.

Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie