my beardy has been diagnosed with kidney disease/failure.

[hooper13]

need a little help here. my male beardy is 8 yrs old. started getting swollen eyes. did some tests at the vet. first vet said possible blood clot issues that could be an aneurysm. next step was an ultra sound. got a second opinion. other vet took x rays, blood tests, and drained some fluid from the build up from around his eyes. tests came back as disease of sorts, traced to the kidney. vet wants to do a biopsy on the kidney before any treatment is given. my beardy is to weak and sick to go through the surgery. is their any advice anyone can give me on past experiences. i have him on a low protein force fed diet. giving him water daily from a dripper. keeping him under a new reptisun 10.0 uvb lamp. well heated in a 100 degree basking area.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh that is too bad. A biopsy of the kidney or liver is very hard on them, being a small animal. If his health is not good, a biopsy probably is not a good idea at the moment.
Do you have a copy of the blood tests that I could see, if that is alright? I just want to see what the levels are.
Right now, what exactly are you feeding?
I would make sure he gets 4ml's of fluids, per day. Does he have gout conditions?
What type of treatment did the vet want to do?

Tracie

 

[hooper13]

do not have the blood tests in hand. will get them. vet wants to do the biopsy first before starting a treatment. feeding him a zoo med canned adult formula thats low in proteins with the use of a syringe. the fluid she drained from his eyes was inconclusive. giving him plenty of water daily. eyes are weeping and swollen, with fluid build up in the top of his head. the only foods he would freely eat through out his life were crickets or meal worms. dusted them regularily. always offered greens and fruits. wouldn't take them in.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Thanks I will look forward to seeing the blood tests then. Well, that is not really right, he needs to start some type of treatment.
Does he think it is gout or just disease, in general?
You could get some concentrated cherry juice, that helps with gout symptoms. Also, if you feed him any greens, make sure that they are very low in oxalates to keep stress low on the kidneys, also.
How many feeders weekly did he get? Only 40-50 is recommended for adults along with greens & veggies being offered. The hand/syringe feeding is fine, that should help alot.
What type of lighting are you using, do you use UVB lighting? If so, what type & brand do you use? A Flourescent tube bulb or a compact/coil light? How old is the light?
What are the temperatures in the tank, & what type of thermometer are you using? A stick on type, a digital probe or a temp gun?
What type of basking lights are you using, a bright white light or a colored light?
Can you post a picture of him please?
I appreciate you getting a copy of the blood tests for me.

Tracie

 

[zebraflavencs]

I just wanted to add to Tracie's post, Black cherry is the one to use.. It has the most active enzyme to reduce Gout.
Janie.

 

[hooper13]

he would only eat thirty or less feeders in a week. he's never been the big eater. his weight is fine none the less. for heat i use a ceramic zoo med style lamp. temperature is registered via probe with digital read out. uv lights are repti sun 10.0 uvb. changed out every three months. their are two uv hood lights as well as two ceramic bulbs in his cage. temp in basking area is 100 degrees. temp in lower hiding areas are 80 degrees. the cage is big. 6' long 2' deep and 2' high. water is changed out daily. i do use water conditioner with his water. the vet had no mention of gout. substrate is log rocks on top of towel bottom. always kept clean. i have tried to do everything in my power to give him the best living conditions.

 

[hooper13]

how do i get the blood test results to you tracie? thanks for your help. ryan

 

[Drache613]

Hello Ryan,

Thanks Janie, I forgot to specify that it is Black Cherry juice.
I will PM you my email address so you can email me the results if that is ok.
Your setup sounds fine, no problems to me. Perhaps he just needs some help, due to his age. At 8, you have done great to get him to that age, so based on your husbandry it doesn't appear to be anything that you have done.
Oh the tank is great sized, good job with that! Did you build it then? Maybe you could post a picture of his setup for me, too? Thanks.
Water conditioner? Exactly what is that, a water softener with added sodium, is that correct?

Tracie

 

[hooper13]

the water conditioner removes chlorines. its another zoomed product. pm'ing me would be fine. i now have blood tests in hand.

 

[Drache613]

Hello Ryan,

Oh ok, that is good, it removes chlorine. Great, I got your dragon's blood test results, thanks! I appreciate it.

Tracie

 

[athenae]

he would only eat thirty or less feeders in a week. he's never been the big eater. his weight is fine none the less. .

That's a reasonable amount for an older dragon -- in fact, it's more likely that overfeeding will shorten a dragon's lifespan. [I'm asusming that your vet indicated no problems with muscle tone or bones.] The not eating any fruit or veggies does, however, sound like it could have led to a vitamin/mineral deficiency.
As was already said, there aren't a lot of people posting who have dragons that have reached the age of yours, so you've done a good job!
But, there's very little data available on what the "normal" aging problems are and how to minimize them. Someone else with a 9 year old [who's still healthy] posted a couple of months ago to ask about what changes they should be aware of. There were only a couple of us who replied with experience with a dragon older than theirs.
That said, here's what i can add based on my 13 year old dragon -- he doesn't climb anymore [so i have an underviv heating pad under the outside of the center of the viv for him to get more warmth when he wants it] and he sheds less frequently -- the consensus is that both are normal. However, he's still capable of activity, when he wants, so i take him outside [on his harness and leash] for stimulation and exercise -- and perhaps most important: natural sunlight. The healthy 9 yr. old is also one that gets taken outside quite a bit -- so, i'd recommend taking yours out and sitting in the sun with him. If he can still use his eyes and he's not in pain, i'd agree with avoiding the stress of more vet tests and procedures -- and try the juice suggestion.
athena

 

[mpinsky]

Going to agree with Athenae, here.

As an owner who has a dragon that is almost nine, I can vouch for the fact that when they get older, they will eat less feeders than when they are babies. Shenron eats only about 40 crickets a week, but practically gulps down greens. Shedding definietly does occur less frequently. Mine developed "lazy beardie" syndrome, and the way I counteract this is by also taking him out in the sun every day it is warm enough and sunny and giving him "free roam" in the house if that is not avaliable. I also use an undercage heater, which helps keep the the substrate warm (since he likes to dig).

I think it is great that you have gotten him up to this age. Old beardies are awesome.

 

[Drache613]

Hello Ryan,

Keep us posted on your boy, & how his appetite is doing. How are his eyes doing now?
I agree, there just is not much of any research & data on older dragons, for sure. Experience is valuable from people that have older dragons. They tend not to shed as much because their body is not going through many changes as it was when they were younger.
They definitely need less feeders when they get older, too. If they do not eat their greens then you have to figure something out such as babyfood greens or fresh greens slurry, etc for nutrition.

Tracie