High Blood Sugar

[DragonBus]

Thank you Sue, snazzy glasses and esther19. I keep thinking things like if only I had done this, or that. I know I did my best for him, I spent so much time and money on him, most non herpers think I'm out of my mind. In 15 years of herping I have never had a lizard as smart, as spunky or as fun as Fuzzy. He had a great personality and a unique bright eyed intelligent look that I noticed the day he hatched. I dont know where to bury him since I live in a school bus..... :dontknow:

 

[DragonBus]

Fuzzy last week. He was getting up every now and then and seemed to be getting better after the vet took out the abcess. After biopsy, it was found to be an unusual bacteria and Fuzzy was prescribed Amoxicillin, (penicillin), which the vet tech said was so unusual in reptiles that he had never given that prescription out before. No wonder Fuzzy didnt respond to baytril or cephilexin. They are broad spectrum antibiotics and this bacteria was unaffected by them. Necropsy showed his liver slightly modeled and a bit off in color. Fuzzy did have elevated liver levels in his bloodwork last year but went back to normal. I opted not to pay to have cytologists look since it seems he died of the infection. I figure it was systemic or something. He had been fighting it since last November or December, so he had a lot of love to keep him going for that long.

 

[SpikesAgirl]

Sounds like poor Fuzzy's little system has been through a lot this passed year, poor little guy. He's resting easy now. <3 Ohhh, that's a tough one: "Where to bury him?" I don't know if this is a crazy question or not but, has cremating him and keeping his ashes crossed your mind? Can your vet do that? I know we had our dog done through our vet. The urn could probably be sent back to the vet for you to pick up. I don't know if it costs the same for a big dog vs. a little lizard. Just a thought if you can't find a good, final resting place for him during your travels...

 

[DragonBus]

Spikes a girl,
Yeah I thought about cremation. I don't know if I can bear to have his cute little body burned up. I thought about making a custom box for him and just buring him where we are now. He probably had the funest summer he's had in years here, and there is a spot out back whe he always used to hang out in and watch the sunset under a rhodedendron. I think I might do that, there's a good vibe there. I can always take the box or leave it, depending on what happens in the future. One of the kids told me the last people in my spot buried their cat back there. This is a very beautiful park. I'm going to have a funeral here. All the little kids here used to come over and play with him and the girls almost daily this summer, they all miss him and loved him a lot. I'm trying to make a memorial vid. I found lots of old pis of him. He really was a funny little guy and did some michief in his life thats for sure. He's in my fridge till the funeral. I miss my boy so much.
-Steph

 

[DragonBus]

Thank you snazzyglasses for making your first post to console me in Fuzzys passing. That really touches me and means so much to know that someone else I did'nt even know has been pulling for us all this time. Cool.
-Steph

 

[DragonBus]

This is the last picture I have of Fuzzy alive. Taken last Tuesday, two days before his passing. He seemed fine in this pic, except his eyes were a bit sunk. About an hour after this photo he began throwing up and went downhill from there. He looks like king cool here, sitting on top of Peekaboo.....

 

[SpikesAgirl]

:love5:

 

[snazzyglasses]

Thank you snazzyglasses for making your first post to console me in Fuzzys passing. That really touches me and means so much to know that someone else I did'nt even know has been pulling for us all this time. Cool.
-Steph

You're very welcome!
It sounds like you're an awesome dragon momma and have been doing everything you can for all of your babies! There need to be more people like you (and like the rest of BD.org!) in this world, imo.

 

[DragonBus]

Since Fuzzys passing I have had more time for the girls....I discovered Peekaboos front feet will not bend forward at the wrist, and her toes barely bend at all. This would account for her walking so tall on her front feet amd having a hard time keeping her balance. I wonder is this is a side effect of the high blood sugar. I have been applying warm wet compresses and massaging her feet. Her hind feet seem fine. Has anyone ever encountered this problem before? When I bend her toes she opens her mouth in pain. She is generally floppy and lacks muscle tone compared to Fuzzy (R.I.P.) and Hutch. Her tummy lets her guts sag.....The vet thinks its due to the high blood sugar going unchecked for so long....its hard on the body.

 

[SpikesAgirl]

Ouch... that sounds painful. Poor girl. I have no clue about that. Have you researched the effects of diabetes on a humans extremeties? That may give you an idea if its a side effect of the high blood sugar or not. I think most of us here are learning from what you're going through. Doesn't seem to be a common complaint... :roll: I think your thread is the ONLY thread on it. It's certainly the only one I've seen. Do you have Facebook? There's a group page on there that might be of interest to you. I think Cheryl from Rio Reptiles and Beardeddragon.co started it (I'm not 100% positive, but I'm pretty sure!) Maybe posting some of your babies' issues there might get you some more information? Getting into another bearded dragon community can't hurt, right? We all learn from each other... <3

Here's the FB group link (page name is: BeardedDragon.co Making Dragons Better!):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/103861156347217/

Here's the Beardeddragon.co link:
http://www.beardeddragon.co/

Here's the Rio Reptiles page:
http://www.rioreptiles.com/index.html

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I am so sorry about Fuzzy... I was hoping he would pull through. You did everything that you could so don't doubt your abilities!
At least he was happy with you.

When was the last time you had a blood test done on Peekaboo?
What medications/supplements have you tried for the high blood sugar & what other suggestions does or has the vet had?
I would like to try & help if possible. There has to be something that is being missed.

Tracie

 

[DragonBus]

Tracie,
I havent had peekaboos blood tested for a couple of months. Im pretty broke from all of these health problems the little ones have had. Peekaboo is really going downhill and gags when I feed her now. Similar to what Fuzzy did near the end. She contorts her mouth so bad its alarming. Fresh blood comes out the corner of her mouth the last 3 times I fed her or gave her water. She is a rag doll, sleeping all of the time. I can only arouse her briefly and get her to take a few steps then she closes her eyes again and goes limp. Sometimes she opens her mouth wide when I talk to her in response, eyes closed. Her eyes are a bit sunk. She clearly does not feel well. Mommy is worried and sad....I think she has not much time left.

 

[SpikesAgirl]

You should PM Tracie so she sees what's going on quicker... Hoping for the best for you and your Peekaboo!

 

[pocketdragon76]

So sorry to hear of your troubles. I just took my 7 year old female, The Dude, to a specialist today which was an hour drive. I was told she had high blood sugar, 700. This doctor had never even heard of that happening in beardies and is doing research. I was wondering if you had learned anymore about it since your earlier posts that I had read. They are hospitalizing her for the next couple of days and I'm just all torn up without her here. They are giving her fluids, gave her a soak, doing tube feeding, antibiotics and have her in an incubator. Her blood test also showed very high white cells and kidney readings (which could be from dehydration). She's now half the weight she was a year ago. She's not having the gasping that you described though.

 

[DragonBus]

Pocketdragon76,
Peekaboo showed improvement on .6cc Glipizide, and the year long battle with crust forming at the corners of her mouth ended when I put her on Fuzzys leftover amoxicillin, which was discovered he needed after growing a culture from the abcess in his mouth, kinda rare......but she began holding her head up and opening her eyes more. I lowered her temps after she overheated, but she has gone downhill again. Getting her out and moving her around helped her and stimulated her to nibble on some grass this summer. She holds her poop in for days till it causes her pain, and with great discomfort finally lets out enough poo to fill the grand canyon. You may want to have your vet contact Dr. Burgess at South West Animal Hospital in Beaverton Oregon.

Peekaboo is mot doing well now, but between excersise, glipizide, and imcreasing greens she did do better. Antibiotics included amoxcicillin, baytri, cephelexin chloramphenicol .27 mls and Raglan for her upset tummy.....she squirms in pain if I feed her more than 2-3ccs liquid blended food....A&D, Collard greens and Pretty Pets Juvinile Iguana formula. I know how helpless you must feel....I just keep trying, watching her because she is trying to communicate with me, I just
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