Need Help NOW For a Rescue!

[jacqui778]

Hello,

I just rescued, not 30 minutes ago, a large female dragon. She's definitely not underweight but she looks horrible.

Concerns:

1) She was on sand from OUTSIDE and eating bugs from OUTSIDE. There have to be parasites.

2) She appears to have sores on the inside of her upper lip, two of them, directly across from each other on either side of her head in between her eye and her ear. They are actually making that area of her lip curl upwards. I had to remove a yellowish scab looking thing from them.

3) She appears to have a large, swollen scab looking thing on her back foot. It is white. My father's first words were, "That looks like a parasitic infection."

4) I can tell that she has very bad MBD by the way she moves and the way her arms and legs bend

5) She's refusing to eat anything. There's probably relocation stress, of course, but she also hasn't pooed

6) The tip of her tongue is yellow (is that normal....?)

I got her a bath and scrubbed the caked on sand off of her. She's vicious. If anything moves, she beards it and gapes at it. I call her Gematria, Gem for short. She's beautiful, and has beautiful markings on her back, but she's in bad condition.

Her previous owner never bathed her, never supplemented her, and claimed that 'she only ate shredded carrots'. As stated before, she was on sifted sand from outside, and eating bugs from outside. Her water bowl had algae in it. Her UVB has been out for 3 months. She hates me, so I don't know how in the world I'm going to get anything done with her.

My mind is so clogged at the moment that I can't think of what else to say. I'm going to get some liquid calcium into her next time she gapes (which will be no problem, she gapes at anything and everything.)

PLEASE help me save Gem!

Jacqui

 

[jacqui778]

Pictures of Gem's ailments:

She's a year and half old. About.

C'mon, please help me!

Jacqui

 

[protiemama]

Aw, poor thing. The bath was a great idea. It will help her mood greatly to be clean and hydrated. Think how crabby you would be if you had those sores in your mouth! :shock: She is going to need lots of TLC. And YOU are just the girl for the job!
Now- I know you have cleaned her tank and are dealing with the temps and uvb lights. You don't need instructions there right?

She will need a vet ASAP! Those sores prob will not go away on their own. For feeding I would get her some chicken or turkey baby food. GINA- could you show her your new label? I mix a bit of squash baby food in to thin it a bit and improve the taste. Use a dropper and squirt it on her tonge when she gapes at you. Don't get it in her throut (SP) she will choke. You could try soft feeders like PWs or waxies till her mouth heals.

Give her time and TLC. I know you can change her life! And PM Tracie, she'll help from here.

Sandy H

 

[zebraflavencs]

Okay so she got her first bath. Have you tried secluding her and offering some baby food squash ?
Also, you might want to offer 2 baths a day with 2 drops of betadine iodine in it.

I can't see her tongue, how far down does the yellow go ?
this might indicate a disfunction with her liver, so no solids until that is confirmed.
Janie.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Oh, another thought, liquid calcium ! Also some soy yogurt as I can see she is going to need as protiamomma said, medical assistance. This way you are armed and ready for what ever is prescribed!
Janie.

 

[jacqui778]

She was extremely confused in the bath. She's clean now, though.

Yes, I've dealt with the lights, and I'm off for new bulbs tomorrow since my dad works 4pm-2am. He's a cop....

I have squash babyfood, but she's been so stressed I haven't wanted to try anything yet. She's a bit more calm now, I'll see what I can do. She's stopped gaping and bearding, but she still freaks out when I lay a hand on her. I'm calmed down myself. She's secluded, I'll tell you that! She has a long 55 gallon tank all to herself, in the corner of my temporary room. I cleaned it out and laid down paper towels, and put her food dish and her basking rock in there. The water dish was so covered in algae that I had to sit it out in the sun because it wouldn't scrape off. The food dish was caked with dried carrot slices and poo, but that cleaned out fine. I hate the guy I got Gem from more and more whenever I discover something else wrong with her....

The temps are way too low (high 80s, low 90s), but I can't do anything about that until tomorrow.

The yellow on her tongue is only on the tip, the part that is usually white. I'll see if I can get a look at it again.

I wouldn't be surprised about any organ disfunctions. I'm going to get her to a vet when I can. Is there anything I can put on the sores? They seem to irritate her, she cracks her mouth open a bit to get pressure off of them. The one on her right side (facing away from me) is worse.

What can I do about her foot? She won't let me touch it, so it must hurt. I touch it gently and she jerks away.

I will have to get ahold of Betadine, a probiotic, and soft worms. If she eats..... I'll also make a vet appointment. I was planning on it anyway. I need a fecal done on the poor girl.

Jacqui

 

[zebraflavencs]

Got any tea bags ? Chamomile specifically. Dampen that warmed, and gently press against the sores. Also some aloe plant sap , since that has a natural antibiotic.
Janie.

 

[crickest]

First thing, big deep breath. She's been mistreated and doesn't know you are good and are going to help her . . . all she knows is she's in pain and that the other people in her life didn't take care of her. If you are calm, regardless of how she reacts, then eventually she will become calm. You are going to be a great Beardie Whisperer. . .you know how to love and care for her, so don't take her displays personally. Put one of your old shirts in her viv and leave it there. As she recuperates, the shirt will comfort her when you're not there, and in the meantime, will help her get used to your scent.

Give her lots of kisses and hugs from our house . . . she looks like a real Gem!!

 

[jacqui778]

Got any tea bags ? Chamomile specifically. Dampen that warmed, and gently press against the sores. Also some aloe plant sap , since that has a natural antibiotic.
Janie.

Aloe! Why didn't I think of that?! We have a huge Aloe bush out in the yard!

Off I go. She actually walked over to the other side of the viv towards me! She's walking! Good sign. She also appears to have a smile on her face instead of that grumpy frown she had before. She is calming.

I still can't sit down. Pace, pace, check the forums, check Gem, pace, pace....

Jacqui

 

[nrich]

If her main veggie has been carrots, that might explain the yellow tongue. Carotins can turn the skin orangy-yellow over time.

You're doing a great job! Gem is so lucky to have found you!

 

[zebraflavencs]

Jacqui, you would have eventually. You are a great dragon whisperer!
Janie.

 

[jacqui778]

SHE'S EATING COLLARD GREENS!!!!
And she tried to eat MoMo (who I learned is a boy because he shed and has huge femoral pores) through the glass but that's off topic....

She actually sat in my lap and let me put aloe on her sores.
I'm going to the pet store on Friday (when my dad isn't working) to get stuff that she needs, like supplements and medicine and stuff. What should I look for? What do I need?
I'm also going to have to pick up some unsweetened applesauce to get her to poo. Then again, maybe she has nothing in her tummy. Looks that way from the state her food dish was in. I'll have to get a hornworm in there when they get active. Are they nocturnal? Seems like my batch are.

So far she's going between sides of the tank. She isn't basking, but she's probably stressed. I was talking to her earlier, and she sat there and listened. I don't think anyone has ever talked to her. Poor girl. She's so pretty, she has beautiful reds and oranges and yellows in her beard. I can't wait until the rest of her gets back to normal so I can see the rest of her colors!

I have to go e-mail some herp vets to find the cheapest one (my father is cheap, yet he's loaded) in Austin (any recommedations?). I'm going to get an X-ray to check for impaction (just to be safe) and a diagnosis on her tongue, foot, and sores. She'll also need some calcium injections. You guys have an estimate for that? :laughing6:

My stepmother threw away the squash babyfood. Dang. Now I have to buy more....

Off to the BeautifulDragons store.

Jacqui

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Hi Jacqui.....sorry..I don't know why I didn't see this :shock: I am not very observant sometimes! When you pm'd me about getting a sibling for MoMo...well, I never thought it would be so soon!

So you rescued a girl named Gem(I love that name :wink: ) She certainly does look like a gem. Well, more like a diamond in the rough....which if I know you...will be polished and shining in no time!

Go easy on the worms with her right now. Considering she hasn't been eating well, she is not use to eating high on the hog...if you know what I mean! :lol:

I am so excited for you! When are you taking her to the vet?

P.S. Would you like me to send my ET to Texas to straighten out your evil stepmother? j/k :wink: (not)

 

[jacqui778]

My father wants an estimate of what it'll cost before we take her to the vet.

Yeah, I don't waste time. :laughing6: I guess it's good I didn't this time. :mrgreen:

I'm not feeding bugs until she poos, which I hope will be soon. Actually I don't even know if it's a she. The guy said she was, but seeing as he was a country bumpkin (literally, he lived on a farm with horses and cows and a gerbil and groundhogs everywhere) who didn't have the highest IQ in the book.... I'd better check later.

Gah. My stepmother just doesn't understand the importance of BABYFOOD.


Jacqui

 

[zebraflavencs]

Let's see here... If I move the tv and the pc into the bedroom and living room, there is room for a Jacqui and two dragons, and a bed and dresser. Desk isn't moving, so you'll have room for that. Oh, and you might wanna tell your dad, that you are thinking about moving to Savannah for a year or two . Okay so that isn't feasible, but it is a nice thought !
Keep up the good work ! I want to see a Gem smile !
Janie.