meds or no meds?

[ayiaskepi]

Hello.

I posted a few things yesterday regarding my beardie and superworms, limb twitching, black beard, vet visit, etc. I wanted to get some opinions regarding her diagnosis by the vet. Her fecal came back positive for higher than normal levels of coccidia, and get this... hook worm. She is being prescribed Albon for the coccidia and Panacur for the hook worm.

Firstly, I am very skeptical regarding the hook worm diagnosis. She was purchased from a breeder who I went to personally. His facilities are immaculate and living conditions of the dragons the same. I am being told again and again that she may have misdiagnosed hook worms instead of pinworms (which are normally found in dragons as well). I am trying to decide whether or not to go ahead with treatment. My dragon is very stressed right now (full black beard, not eating today, still twitching, and is only passing urates) and there is always the possibility that the high levels of coccidia could be from the intense stress. I was told by a well respected vet (through my breeder) that the twitching is probably from all the superworms which caused a huge rise in the protein levels, causing a chemical reaction in the blood, and a drop in calcium levels. This, he says, is temporary and will go away once calcium levels are up again. I am going to try to get her to eat again today bu heavily dusting a few dubias with calcium in the hopes that she will eat them.

Any advice regarding the meds?? I do not want to treat and destroy all the good flora in her system and then need to supplement with probiotics. On the other hand, what if the treatment is really necessary??? Maybe I could wait (as was proposed by someone to me) until her stress level is down and eating habits more normal before treating??

Sorry about the long post. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[ajkry2]

There's a medicine called Reptaid that I haven't tried yet, but here's the thread...

Reptaid Thread

Maybe that'll help. I'm gonna order some for my pooper (she has coccydia and pinworms), hopefully it'll do the trick

 

[Gail]

Panacur is really mild, used properly it shouldn't cause any gut flora upset. I do believe that albon is quite a lot harsher though.
If it was me I would get some liquid calcium to help with the twitching, treat the worms with the panacur and retest for coccidia in 2-3 weeks. Having a worms can cause coccidia levels to go up, it could drop after treatment.

That reptaid stuff wouldn't be a bad idea either.

 

[ayiaskepi]

Thanks. I am going to fill both prescriptions and then see what I am going to do. I thought about the liquid calcium, but I cannot get her to eat anything. She wont even open her mouth. It is not just her limbs twitching, but everything - even her head a bit. I am concerned. I wonder if I can keep either medicine for the future without using both now. Shelf life? Reptaid is an idea, but it would take probably a week for me to get it via mail. She will only release urates still, but she also has not eaten in two days (counting today), so there is not much to come out anyway. I do not know what to do. I feel really bad for her.

 

[Gail]

sounds like its time for the vet to give a calcium injection.

 

[ayiaskepi]

HOw much is that type of injection? Can I give liquid calcium??

 

[Gail]

I have no idea how much a injection is, you'd have to ask the vet. Will she lick if you drip water on her nose? You could give her liquid calcium like that.

 

[beardie parents]

These people have some good ideas but I would contact drache613 (tracie) she will have some more insight into the potential problems. I do know from my reading that hookworms are very nasty but I'm not sure what drugs are normally used to treat them.

 

[ayiaskepi]

After a scary couple days the shaking has totally ceased suddenly (yesterday morning I noticed). I started both meds (though I did not want to). She still is refusing to eat. This is four days almost now. When should I be concerned? Also, regarding probiotics, I have an idea but do not know if it would work. We take acidophilus in our home. Would it work for me to crush a pill in her warm bath and let her soak that up through her body like they do water to hydrate themselves. I can try to buy some soy yogurt, but I am having a difficult time just getting her to take the medicine (part of the doses end up on the walls of the cage,etc.). Any suggestions?