Lungs not expanding

[MommyOfDragons]

So for the past few months, my beardie has had a lot of health issues (parasites, gout, adenovirus, not growing). She's on medication/supplements for everything and we've seen the vet, had blood tests, etc. Two different vets are not able to tell me why I never see her lungs expanding. She had the tips of her nostrils cleaned out with a toothpick a few days ago. Her nostrils are super tiny to begin with. She doesn't have mucous and I don't hear any wheezing. She isn't active at all - can't walk more than a few steps actually. She HAS improved a teeny tiny bit physically since being on the meds (and uric acid levels and calcium are now where it should be). I'm also syringe feeding her if that makes a difference, but the lung issue started before I had to put her on a liquid diet. She opens her mouth every minute or so and kind of gulps. She is an air-sucker and fills her tummy, but her mouth opening is excessive. And it's not due to her being hot. When she sleeps at night at 72 degrees F, she is still opening her mouth which makes her extremely sleepy during the day.

Does anyone have advice they can offer? Other things to check on her, any tests I can request from the vet (x-ray)? Thanks for your help.

 

[CooperDragon]

They can breathe very shallowly if they want to. Especially when they are at rest. Not seeing her lungs expand isn't necessarily a problem. An x-ray may reveal abnormalities or pockets of mucous but it's probably not necessary unless she is having trouble breathing. If that were the case, I'd expect you'd see the opposite with her taking big gasps or having rapid breathing.