my baby bearded dragon was attacked by my cat

[nala1213]

I don't know how to further help my bearded dragon who was attacked by my cat. when I found her my cat had chewed the end of her tail and ripped open part of her head. she wouldn't stop bleeding and it looked like her brains were falling out. my girlfriend cauterized the wound and poured wax over it so she would stop bleeding and we gave her crushed up Tylenol in small amounts for the pain. we watched her every day and made sure she had what she needed. also one of her ear drums was punctured. she didn't move or eat much for a week but by the end of two weeks I could hand feed her baby food and mushed up crickets. she drinks and looks around. its been almost a month. she can hardly walk, cant help herself or hunt food, cant climb and she is just getting the hang of holding on to things again. she is still very small, will she continue to grow now that she has brain damage? will she ever be able to walk again?

 

[Esther19]

I'm sorry to hear that your dragon is suffering. She needs a vet.

 

[Jchaspel]

Same thing just happened to my Pablo last night. At the vet now, they want to keep him for a few days so they can inject him with fluids and feed him. His jaw is punctured and fractured but otherwise no external damage. But he's very weak and basically doesn't move unless you really poke at him.

I hope both our guys get better!

 

[TipsyTraveler]

You guys... im sorry to say this, but this is just so sad. and it makes me feel sad. you should know that these things can happen having a feline and a reptile in the same house, and should really have latches/locks of some sort for these reasons. Your bearded dragon may or may not continue to grow from stress levels, the one i rescued from the previous owner has a stunted growth from simply being neglected. I have latches on the door to my BD's cage, and i dont even own a cat or a dog. i just have it to be there just in case. its too high for my little brother to reach but i STILL have them. Im sorry for what happened and i dont mean to sound mean. I truly hope your dragons get better guys.

 

[Jchaspel]

You are completely right. I think I was complacent because my cat has always been gentle and friendly (though very interested) my adult beardie. And I don't think my cat even meant to hurt Pablo, there was very little external damage. Pablo is spending a few days at the vet where they are pumping food directly into his belly and keeping a close eye on him. Believe me, if and when he comes home he's getting a much more secure living situation.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

You are completely right. I think I was complacent because my cat has always been gentle and friendly (though very interested) my adult beardie. And I don't think my cat even meant to hurt Pablo, there was very little external damage. Pablo is spending a few days at the vet where they are pumping food directly into his belly and keeping a close eye on him. Believe me, if and when he comes home he's getting a much more secure living situation.

That's good and I would invest in declawing the cat, just in general, not even because of the dragon.

 

[Tonja]

I know you said you gave Tylenol in small doses but be very careful with Tylenol for any animal. Tylenol is dosed for humans and not animals even in small amounts. Tylenol can be toxic to reptiles, dogs and cats and can cause severe stomach ulceration and kidney failure and even death. Your dragon really needs a vet for a thorough exam especially if as you say her brain was exposed, which also could have been fat under the dermal layer of skin depending on the depth of the puncture. I don't know how you cauterized her but if brain matter was exposed that in itself is very dangerous and could cause more irreparable harm. You can get a styptic pencil or powder to keep on hand to stop bleeding in both animals and yourself and would be better than candle wax which is not sterile and could have caused her an infection. I hate to say this but she may never recover from her injuries fully. I would lower her basking lamp and uvb if possible and remove anything high that she could fall from and injure herself further. Use rolled up towels to bask on and things that are soft so if she does fall she will not further harm herself. I would up the temp in her tank by 5 degrees to keep her extra warm also. You can make a slurry of her veggies and crickets by adding water and blending it all up with her calcium and vitamins and syringe feed her, may be easier on her tummy right now. Most importantly she really needs to be seen by a vet. Cauterization and candle wax scares me in that you did not say how she was cauterized and if you are qualified to use such methods. She can still get a secondary infection so please seek a vets help with this.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I know you said you gave Tylenol in small doses but be very careful with Tylenol for any animal. Tylenol is dosed for humans and not animals even in small amounts. Tylenol can be toxic to reptiles, dogs and cats and can cause severe stomach ulceration and kidney failure and even death. Your dragon really needs a vet for a thorough exam especially if as you say her brain was exposed, which also could have been fat under the dermal layer of skin depending on the depth of the puncture. I don't know how you cauterized her but if brain matter was exposed that in itself is very dangerous and could cause more irreparable harm. You can get a styptic pencil or powder to keep on hand to stop bleeding in both animals and yourself and would be better than candle wax which is not sterile and could have caused her an infection. I hate to say this but she may never recover from her injuries fully. I would lower her basking lamp and uvb if possible and remove anything high that she could fall from and injure herself further. Use rolled up towels to bask on and things that are soft so if she does fall she will not further harm herself. I would up the temp in her tank by 5 degrees to keep her extra warm also. You can make a slurry of her veggies and crickets by adding water and blending it all up with her calcium and vitamins and syringe feed her, may be easier on her tummy right now. Most importantly she really needs to be seen by a vet. Cauterization and candle wax scares me in that you did not say how she was cauterized and if you are qualified to use such methods. She can still get a secondary infection so please seek a vets help with this.

This person is right in so many ways. you should see a vet first rather than trying to take matters into your own hands.

 

[Tonja]

I wasn't trying to be mean or anything but, injuries of that severity need a vet and prolonging it as you have ,not accusing, can be dangerous for her in that she can still get a secondary infection that could go systemic <throughout her body and blood stream> and that alone is enough to possibly kill your baby. I was a paramedic for 25 years and yes I know that is for people but many of the things we learn as paramedics can also apply to animals..so please please seek a vet to make sure shes not got an infection or something worse.

 

[Sheena]

Yeah I wouldn't de-claw the cat that's just unneeded stress to remove its claws. Cats climb they use claws for that. Its not that cats fault, its yours. : /

Just because an animal would "never hurt another animal" ( or so you think ) doesn't mean that it wont just get so curious that it might cause damage. Also, cats usually play with smaller animals until they are dead. That's just how cats are.

Just don't let your dogs OR cats near any reptile no matter how tolerant the animal might be. Your beardie relies on you for safety, allowing a cat in the room is just a bad time for all. I hope he recovers and theirs no lasting damage.

 

[Jaskotch]

That's good and I would invest in declawing the cat, just in general, not even because of the dragon.

declawing is a horrible option!

from Veterinarian Dr. Christianne Schelling:

..."you should know that declawing is pretty much an American thing, it's something people do for their own convenience without realizing what actually happens to their beloved cat. In England declawing is termed "inhumane" and "unnecessary mutilation." I agree. In many European countries it is illegal. I applaud their attitude.

Before you make the decision to declaw your cat, there are some important facts you should know. Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. Your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your the cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes". When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing. Wheelchairs and bedpans are not an option for a cat.

No cat lover would doubt that cats--whose senses are much keener than ours--suffer pain. They may, however, hide it better. Not only are they proud, they instinctively know that they are at risk when in a weakened position, and by nature will attempt to hide it. But make no mistake. This is not a surgery to be taken lightly.

Your cat's body is perfectly designed to give it the grace, agility and beauty that is unique to felines. Its claws are an important part of this design. Amputating the important part of their anatomy that contains the claws drastically alters the conformation of their feet. The cat is also deprived of its primary means of defense, leaving it prey to predators if it ever escapes to the outdoors.

I have also had people tell me that their cat's personality changed after being declawed. Although, the medical community does not recognize this as potential side effect."...

 

[Baldwin]

I have also had people tell me that their cat's personality changed after being declawed. Although, the medical community does not recognize this as potential side effect."...

I can attest to this. I declawed a cat that was destroying the rent house I was living in before I realized how bad this is for the cat. That cat was never the same after that. She acted depressed and became reclusive. I would never do this to a cat. Having said that, I have 2 cats in my house and 2 dragons. My vivariums are secured anytime that I am not going to be in the room to watch over the cats/lizards. My cats are curious about the lizards, but don't seem to be interested enough to attack them. But, why risk it.

Sorry to the OP for what happened. Hope your dragon will recover, but it doesn't sound good.

 

[Momomo]

I don't know how to further help my bearded dragon who was attacked by my cat. when I found her my cat had chewed the end of her tail and ripped open part of her head. she wouldn't stop bleeding and it looked like her brains were falling out. my girlfriend cauterized the wound and poured wax over it so she would stop bleeding and we gave her crushed up Tylenol in small amounts for the pain. we watched her every day and made sure she had what she needed. also one of her ear drums was punctured. she didn't move or eat much for a week but by the end of two weeks I could hand feed her baby food and mushed up crickets. she drinks and looks around. its been almost a month. she can hardly walk, cant help herself or hunt food, cant climb and she is just getting the hang of holding on to things again. she is still very small, will she continue to grow now that she has brain damage? will she ever be able to walk again?

Why would you not take her to the emergency vet as soon as she was attacked is beyond me... But I really hope you listen to the posters above and do take her to the vet and hope that its not too late Poor baby I can't imagine how hard it is for her to recover from this without professional help.