Lizard looks like his intestines are coming out of his

[Lizzie4legs]

Hello,

I would appreciate any advice you may have, please. My lizard is a 2 year old normally healthy lizard who looks as if his poop is actually his intestines are coming out, fairly clear bubulous form with veins attached, which make me think this is an emergency. He is straining and closing his eyes as if in pain.

I do not know of a vet in the Alpharetta/Johns Creek GA area that treats Bearded Dragons, so I would appreciate a recommendation.

I am new to this forum and am unfamiliar with posting a photo, so if you can guide me through, I can add a picture.

Thank you.

 

[munchkins9802]

sounds like a prolapse, put him in a bath with shallow water with a small amount of salt and it should go back in. If it doesn't then he needs a vet asap

 

[Lizzie4legs]

Thank you for your advice. Heading to vet now. Have a nice day.

 

[Onlymediocre]

Heres a link for how to post pics >> viewtopic.php?f=30&t=167225

And It def sounds like an impaction leading to a prolapse. You can put him in a cool (not cold.. like the cool side of luke warm) sugar water bath and that should hlp the swelling go down, and hydrate him a little where he can go potty. GENTLY massage him from shoulders to vent to try to get his bowels moving. And give him as many baths for as long as you can until he has a BM. The sugar water should reduce any swelling and you may have to VERY GENTLY put pressure on the prolapse and it MAY go back in... And def be calling around til u find a vet that will see him, so if it doesnt go back in on its self you have somewhere to take him.

Post us a pic... and hopefully someone will chime in that has experience with this and further advice...

Also after this is all better, you may want to look into how he got impacted and see if its a problem you can fix so it doesnt happen again... it could be loose substrate, feeders too big, mealworms, hydration...

 

[Onlymediocre]

sounds like a prolapse, put him in a bath with shallow water with a small amount of salt and it should go back in. If it doesn't then he needs a vet asap

Munchkins, from what Ive read on here Ive always seen ppl say sugar water, does the salt work as well?

 

[LoveMy4BeardieGals]

OMG NO NO NO SALT! Sugar water NOT salt! He needs to see a vet ASAP especially if you see intestines, and he seems lethargic and in pain. He will probably need it pushed back in and stitched to keep it from coming back out AND he needs a vet ASAP incase any of the tissue becomes necrotic. You pushing it back in can cause lots and lots of pain and I do not recommend that you do it.

 

[snazzyglasses]

Yikes @ salt! Was just going to say the same thing but LoveMy4BeardieGals beat me to it

And Lizzie, fingers & toes are crossed that everything goes okay at the vet's! Let us know how how your beardie is doing when you get a chance <3

 

[Onlymediocre]

OMG NO NO NO SALT! Sugar water NOT salt! He needs to see a vet ASAP especially if you see intestines, and he seems lethargic and in pain. He will probably need it pushed back in and stitched to keep it from coming back out AND he needs a vet ASAP incase any of the tissue becomes necrotic. You pushing it back in can cause lots and lots of pain and I do not recommend that you do it.

Thats what I thought... Its be like pouring salt into an open wound right?? Seems like it could hurt the beardie bad... Ive never seen someone say salt b4, maybe they type-oed it?

 

[Tonja]

Never use salt on a prolapse. Salt has drying properties to it, and you do not want to dry out a prolapse. Salt would send your beardie through the roof in pain on a prolapse also. Use cool water with sugar in it to help reduce the swelling. It may retract back in. Keep the prolapse moist with a bit of vaseline or UNSCENTED baby oil or mineral oil. The beardie needs a vet if indeed he has a prolapse.

 

[munchkins9802]

sorry I meant sugar! My mistake. I had something else I was thinking for salt. Yes sugar water. Many apologies but glad the OP took him to the vet anyway

 

[todd1984]

defantily sounds like a prolapse. I had a experiance with a water dragon it waas so bad. the thing cane out like 1.5 inches out his vent. it was late in the day on a friday so the poor guy was screwed till monday but I kept him in a bare viv with his useal lights. just nothing underhim then I this pain realiving anti biootic cream to help keep it moist when he would not go to the water.
It hurt reo so bad they put him to sleep to put it back in. I would soak him in sugar water and rub his belly and keep him warm and keep the prolapse moist at all times. but good luck I know you had to have freaked when this happend.

 

[AHBD]

Poor thing ! Everyone's given the advice about sugar water + getting to a vet. That's true, but 2 posters mentioned rubbing the belly, this would be counterproductive because it's to be done to stimulate a bowel movement during impaction, and the beardie has already prolapsed and is straining because he feels the" foreign object" that he wants to expel [ not realizing it's his rectum ! ] He wants to get rid of the uncomfortable object, and it's causing more pain. So you def. don't want to rub his belly at all, he is already in extreme discomfort. Please update when you can ! I hope you can help him .

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Please update us when you have news from your vet visit. I really hope that he is going to be alright.


Tracie

 

[LoveMy4BeardieGals]

I hope all went ok at the vets! I know just how scary a prolapse can be! My youngest Auudrey prolapsed and within about 3 weeks she did it again. She had stitches both times and goes for her follow up tomorrow from the 2nd prolapse she had. I hope all went ok

 

[wmwelch]

I hope everything went well with the vet that you found and that your baby is doing better. Please let us know what vet office you went to and the reptile expertise level of this vet.

A few years ago, I had an iguana who had a prolapse. My usual vet office, For Pet's Sake (who specialize in exotics and are located in Decatur, GA) was closed, so I frantically started calling veterinary offices looking for somewhere that was open on a Sunday and treated reptiles. I finally found an emergency vet office that was open somewhere in Gwinnett County and they called in their reptile doctor who was able to get my boy's parts to go back in place. I did the follow-up care with Dr Jason Hutcheson at For Pet's Sake.

While I was looking for a vet, I also googled prolapse and found that it was very important to keep it from drying out, so excellent advice on the bath from several members. Out of curiosity, what is the benefit of adding sugar to the water as opposed to just soaking in a bath?

Wendy