Impaction Help

[rosieeek]

Hello! My beardie, Nessy, is five years old her tank temps are about 100 degrees F on the basking side and around 85 on cooler side. She has a basking light and UVB light. She eats crickets and mealworms maybe once every 4 days and otherwise eats veggies.

I took her to the vet today because she has been sleeping a lot, not eating, looks off, pooping frequently but almost nothing, and drinking up a lot of water. I thought it was just dehydration but the vet took an X-ray and said it was an impaction (or a mass outside the GI track like a tumor) but we're hoping impaction.

Nessy received fluids and was put on two doses of olive oil and pedialyte a day as well as a 15 minute soak each day. I really want to know what to expect and an estimated timeline of recovery, she did eat a couple of mealworms today (I avoid the malting/hard ones) but she is still very tired. I'm scared what I'm doing isn't going to help enough and she'll die.

Thanks in advance for any help!!

 

[Geno]

I would soak her about 5 times as much as they are saying in two or three different episodes per day if you have the time. Oil and soaking saved our girl from an impaction but she likes to poop in the water and really wanted to stay in as long as we would let her. Make sure the water is nice and warm and let her soak all she will.

 

[rosieeek]

Thank you! How long did it take for your beardie to get better? She also is always closing one eye and she's very sunken in but sometimes perks up so I have hope she'll get better.

 

[Geno]

Well over a week after we noticed something was really wrong. She would have the occasional off day or two where she was not really interested in being social so I think she didn't feel well for about a week before we were certain something was not right.

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Can you give a rundown of the set up? Also you can give some plain applesauce, canned pumpkin plain and stage one baby food prunes.

 

[rosieeek]

I think it's about a 55 gallon tank and it's tiled so no loose substrate, I have a Repti Glo 2.0 Full Spectrum Terrarium Lamp, 30-Watt UVB almost brand new tube bulb, and I think a exo terra 100 watt heat bulb? Unfortunately, this morning Nessy is almost unresponsive. I bathed her, tried to syringe in some olive oil and pedialyte. But for now she is just sleeping on me.

 

[AHBD]

Hi there....sorry to hear that your girl is so sick ! Can you get a pic of your X-ray to post here ? An X-ray belongs to you, whether from a vet or a doctor you can ask for them. Is your vet very experienced with reptiles ? I'm just wondering if there's a possibility that she's eggbound. That can cause those symptoms too. Was she doing any digging or scratching around the tank before her symptoms ? By the way, the Reptiglo 10.0 is O.K for reptiles, set 8-10" from the animal, but the 2.0 will definitely not give off enough UVB, especially in a tall 55 gal. tank Without the UVB she can not absorb calcium, and that affects all body functions including the muscles that control the digestive and reproductive tract.

Poor thing , I hope she gets over whatever it is. Can you post a few full body pics of her, and of her tank ? To post her, you can upload them to a site like Photobucket , then copy/paste the img/url here.

 

[rosieeek]

Ah I thought my UVB was alright the tank is not very tall at all, more wide. I'll try to post pictures later. The vet took the x rays to see if she had eggs, but it was not that. More of a mass that could only be truly determined with an ultrasound which is just out of my price range.

Nessy opens her eyes every once in a while, but it does seem like she's struggling to breathe. She had a very small, wet bowel movement today. No urates really.

I'm soaking her more often today and hopefully can try to get her to eat a little again later. It's so upsetting watching her just sleep and not really know if she's suffering or how to help her.