Hypercalciumia...vet is at a loss. Seeking help!

[AHBD]

Beautiful ! Nothing brings the color out like being in the sun. Just be sure there;s always access to shade.

The hind end pic is pretty dark, could you get a couple more in better light ? Even so, it does look like Leezardo is a female....it's flat back there, no hemi penile bulges showing in the tail.

 

[leezardo]

Still kind of dark....better angle maybe? I can try again if you think it is too hard to tell.

 

[BeardieLover232]

omg, I had a dragon named Lizarto and she was also a female. these guys are the best
and yes she is a female

 

[AHBD]

Yes, post a couple more pics

 

[AHBD]

I'm pretty sure it's a female though. At first [ in this pic ] it looks like there are 2 hemi-pene bulges but it's actually the muscle/tendon on the outer edge of the tail and the lump in the middle that create that illusion, but 1-2 more good pics will help. But I do think she's a girl.

 

[leezardo]

 

[AHBD]

Yes, she's a girl.

 

[leezardo]

***Update***

Had a great meeting with the retired zoo vet today. He specialized in reptiles for 20+ years there. He seemed very knowledgeable and gave me a beardie anatomy lesson

Here is the summary...
1. Leezardo is officially a girl.
2. She needs to loose about 100 grams.
3. The retained shedding is likely a culprit for most of his pain. It has constricted the blood vessels, causing inflammation and swelling. Plus the extra weight isn't helping.
4. Soak 15 minutes 3 times a week and massage the sore front leg.
5. No more superworms, wax worms, or crickets. He suggested earthworms and hornworms.
6. Laser therapy treatments. On sore leg, back leg, and tail. Supposed to speed healing by speeding up cell division and circulation. He had one today and will have one tomorrow and Friday.
7. If all else fails, amputation of the front claw at the wrist area and he would go ahead and do the tail at the same time.
8. No calcium supplements.

Here is an x-ray from the vet visit I went to the first time. No blood work was done today.

 

[AHBD]

Well I already came to the conclusion that Leezardo was a girl, was overweight and had been given too much calcium but I didn't charge you anything. :lol:

By the way, can you post pics of her entire set up as well as the right front foot ? I didn't see any retained shed causing restriction to her foot. I'm inclined to think that she may have injured it in the tank, especially because she is carrying extra weight . Uneven foot sheds are very common and only if you see a distinct band around the toes is it usually a problem. Here are pics of my dragons with uneven sheds, this is normal and is not a health concern.

https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29912/full

https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29897/full

 

[leezardo]

I know, right???

Since she has been injured, I haven't turned on the other UV light (currently a Reptisun T5 HO - replaced the one that he is on with a 10). The fixtures are the newer ones with reflectors. I have the one zip tied under the metal grate top. The heat lamp is clipped onto the grate with mini springs. I need to get a new bulb that is hotter. She is in the basement, and it is cooler and a little more humid. It is finished and all, but still there is a difference. Cool side is 70 and her rock area was only 80 today - usually 90. Still low....like I said, new bulb needed.

I have rearranged the tank several ways. Since she is injured, I have that low, easy to climb on "rock."

Past arrangement before this one...hammock is gone. Someone suggested her nail could have gotten caught and she hurt herself.

Here is the progression of her hand that is bothering her. This is the one she has been limping on since March. When I get the build up off, it is very yellow and there are several layers. I had it looking pretty decent in April, but it came right back once I reduced baths. The back leg that turned white overnight has gone back to more of a normal shade and is starting to shed. Looks much like your pictures.

March 26

April 11 - looks smooth because there was manuka honey on it earlier.

May 25 - This is how she holds her leg up. She jerks it and it shakes if you mess with it or she thinks you are going to.

Tonight

 

[leezardo]

Oh - and today she got soaked and I worked on that a long time. She was NOT happy, and I have the scratches to prove it.

Forgot to mention that there might be some arthritis in the wrist area - and the laser therapy can help that. (We did it for our boxer a few years ago.)

 

[AHBD]

Ah-ha, the hammock. That's almost certainly the culprit. She probably sprained it before you took it out and is taking a long time to recover because of her extra weight. I'm pretty sure that's what it is....the foot is not infected looking but any area that has trauma on a beardie takes longer or has more unusual shed patterns.

By the way, be sure to get her temp. on the basking side back up to 98 -100. You can just buy a 60 watt bulb to put in your other dome that you had.

 

[leezardo]

That makes perfect sense. I am absolutely BAFFLED by the products on the store shelves. You expect things to be okay and good for your pet....then you find out almost everything is NOT! I am an animal lover in general. I have always had dogs, just acquired 2 outdoor cats that became indoor by their choice, and even had a cockatiel (who I thought was a girl and turned out to be a boy!). You only hear about dog food recalls. Can't even remember a time a cat or any other animal has been mentioned. Just infuriates me.

That said...I hope these 3 laser treatments do the trick. I just bought a kitchen scale to monitor her weight. Will get the extra lamp going. Got another timer for that tonight as well. Also got a digital thermometer that I put in front of her fake rock. It records the day's high and low.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I have a couple suggestions that might be just the go for her....

Silkworms ....
http://www.silkwormstore.co.uk/benefits-of-silkworms.html
http://nutritiongang.com/silkworm-enzyme-serrapeptase/
.... My vet swears by them for injured reptiles ....as an everyday feeder.

and for the basking lamp
http://www.komodoproducts.com/komodo-light-stand.html ,
.... you can easily adjust the height of the basking globe from the basking spot to achieve the desired basking spot temperature simply by adjustintg the stand and when you have the desire temp, a turn of a knob locks in the height.

 

[kingofnobbys]

That makes perfect sense. I am absolutely BAFFLED by the products on the store shelves.
<<<< yep .... and lots of claims and advertising to get you to buy the gear (that makes max profit for the shop , which usually doesn't mean it's the best gear to buy).

You expect things to be okay and good for your pet....then you find out almost everything is NOT! I am an animal lover in general. I have always had dogs, just acquired 2 outdoor cats that became indoor by their choice, and even had a cockatiel (who I thought was a girl and turned out to be a boy!). You only hear about dog food recalls. Can't even remember a time a cat or any other animal has been mentioned. Just infuriates me.

That said...I hope these 3 laser treatments do the trick. I just bought a kitchen scale to monitor her weight. Will get the extra lamp going. Got another timer for that tonight as well. Also got a digital thermometer that I put in front of her fake rock. It records the day's high and low.