Please help! High uric acid levels & infection

[Ripley1015]

Just spoke to the vet, so her uric acid levels:

June- 44.5 when she was really sick and she was getting 0.25ml of allopurinol once a day with 3ML sub Q injections of lactated ringers twice a day

July (2 weeks later) 36.1 - allopurinol dose increased to 0.4ml once a day, occasional sub Q injections but not daily

October today - 36.8 went up by 0.07, they want me to increase the dose of allopurinol to 0.5ml once a day and restart the SubQ injections to twice a day or as much as I can daily or every other day

Vet thinks main problem is her hydration , we are still waiting for the adenovirus test to come back

She's still very alert, eating and walking around with no issues.

 

[Ripley1015]

Adenovirus test came back negative, whew! Even though I didn't really suspect that was the problem, sometimes these vets just want to order everything and make money ugh! They called me today and said they still recommend me give the metronidazole even if fecal comes back negative just in case but I don't feel comfortable doing that

 

[CooperDragon]

The ADV test being negative is a relief. That's one less thing on the plate to deal with. Increasing the Allopurinol is probably good to address the increased uric acid along with a decrease in dietary protein. An anti inflammatory med like Meloxicam might be used to help reduce the swelling. Offering plenty of water is a good idea too. I'd also be cautious about the Metronidazole. I don't like offering meds if it can be avoided and if there hasn't been a specific diagnosis to warrant it.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Well, that is actually good news she is Adeno negative....there are not many who are negative
anymore. I am surprised she wasn't having trouble with eggs, also!
I would definitely at the moment, not give the metronidazole, with the uric acid levels so
high right now. What type of foods do you feed the crickets?
You could also consider silkworms, since they have serrapeptase enzyme in them which could
help with pain relief. I would try for 25-30 insects weekly along with the greens. Have you
added alfalfa powder/meal for her several times a week to help with protein? It is purine free
which is kidney friendly.
Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie

 

[Ripley1015]

The crickets get whatever greens I'm feeding that week, same things as I feed Ripley, the Alfalfa meal is to provide more protein? So right now I'm thinking she has a hard urate she can't get out and that's what is causing the straining .. the last few poos come out soft and semi formed with no urate.. and the stress of follicles developing is my theory. I will be dropping off a fecal tomorrow but I honestly don't think she has anything. I'm hoping she gets that urate out on her own and I will be getting some pumpkin and prune baby food and unsweetened applesauce if i can find it. My husband is really frustrated with the exotics specialist because we don't seem to be getting the info you guys are providing us.. we've spent so much money with no answers, I feel I get much more info and possibilities from this forum and only use the specialist for diagnostics and prescriptions. If everything comes back negative then the only issue is getting that uric acid levels under control

 

[AHBD]

Yeah for now just get plenty of fluids in her + an extra warm bath every couple of days. That , along with the natural laxatives should help to work things out.

 

[EllenD]

I'm so glad the Adenovirus test was negative, I usually agree that most vets do try to rack up the money, but with as common as Adenovirus in bearded dragons is becoming, especially in the US, regardless of whether they come from a big pet store or a reputable breeder, I think it's a good idea for everyone to get their dragons tested. It's unfortunate it has gotten so out of control here because it is not difficult to keep it under control and almost eliminate it as a problem, just look at Australia. So it's good she got tested for it, now you'll know that it's not ever the problem.

I wouldn't give her any medications if her fecal was negative, honestly I wouldn't even if it was positive at this point. If your vet ever tried to prescribe a medication "just in case", just say no thanks. 99% of the time it's totally unnecessary and only causes a huge problem that your dragon didn't have to begin with. It creates a viscous cycle of stress, upset gastrointestinal tract, then their appetite lessens, then they start losing weight, then they finish the medication and still won't eat, then you have to do another fecal test, then you find out they now have a yeast infection secondary to the medication killing off the normal flora, and so on and so on...Dragons in the wild carry parasites of all kinds every day of their lives without issues and without medication. Unless she has obvious signs and symptoms of being made actively sick due to parasites they don't need treated...

All she needs are extra fluids and maybe some baby food, raw, canned pumpkin and some Psyllium Husk...A good poop and she'll be good to go!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

How is your girl Ripley doing?
Yes, the alfalfa has some protein for her, but it's not hard on her kidneys so you can give that
to her several times per week that is if she doesn't mind the taste!
I hope her system gets that cleared out soon, I know it's frustrating when you can't figure out
the answers. Hopefully she has a clean fecal also!
Please keep us updated on her.

Tracie

 

[Ripley1015]

Hey guys, I really have no idea what's going on with Ripley, Over the weekend she only pooped in her bath and it was really liquidity so I couldn't get a sample to the vet, Monday the 23rd when I got back home at 5:30pm from work she had 2 smelly piles of poo in her tank, fishy smelling..but over the weekend she has been getting horn worms for treats and sometimes she has smelly poo when she eats hornworms. Her poo was semi formed but not too loose but also surrounded by lots of liquid.. over hydration from the worms?? Then Monday night after cleaning her tank she got really black beard and stayed with a black beard the rest of the night..she went to sleep early hiding under her log and she NEVER goes under her log. I thought to myself could it be brumation? or is she really sick? Tuesday the 24th morning she was awake as usual ate her hornworm and some salad before I went to work, When I came back she was under her log and with a VERY black beard again.. had a black beard until she went to bed and from Monday -Tuesday she pooped maybe 4-5 times a day .. seems like shes clearing out her bowels. Now this morning she was under her hammock in the corner. unusual place for her did not wake up but she is breathing, I left her alone, my husband just got home and she is still in the same spot sleeping but now with her mouth open and he notices occasional "yawns" any ideas?? Is this her first brumation or is she dying? I'm so worried !!!!!

 

[AHBD]

That doesn't sound good and is not brumation. Something going on there, maybe a really bad upset stomach for some reason or possible eggbinding. Maybe the infection she had initially has come back. Something going on, may need emergency care.

 

[CooperDragon]

I agree. That sounds like something possibly serious is up. It's at least a pretty upset stomach for some reason but another vet visit may be in order for this.

 

[Ripley1015]

just got a call from my husband, he gave her a bath and tried stimulating her to see if she would wake up, her breathing was very shallow with the occasional "yawns" or gasps of air... I'm a nurse and know that symptom is pretty bad and usually indicates her last breaths...he held her and watched her and he said some yellowish thick mucous started leaking out of her mouth.. and she took her last breath =(. I can't believe she's gone... I knew she was sick but didn't know this sick.. maybe she had kidney failure? since her uric acid levels were always so high even on meds. Even the specialist couldn't pin point was exactly was wrong. I'm devastated, she was our first beardie and we loved her so much. I'm heartbroken but glad to know she's not suffering. I want to thank this community for all your help, advice and support over these last few months! We truly appreciate it. RIP my little girl Ripley I hope we gave you the best year and half of your life.

 

[CooperDragon]

I'm saddened to hear that =(. I know how tough it is to lose a dragon. You gave her a good life and the best possible care and I'm sure she appreciated it. It sounds like there wasn't anything further you could do to help.

 

[EllenD]

I'm just so sorry, this is horrible to hear. You did everything you possibly could to help her, there was something going on here besides the Gout, as you said it could have been kidney failure or something of the sort, but the black bearding was an indication that she was in pain and very uncomfortable, so as hard as this must be for you to lose her, I hope you find comfort in knowing she's no longer in any pain at all...I'm so sorry, if there is anything we can help you with please let us know...

 

[Ripley1015]

Thank you guys, my husband and I are still in disbelief that she's really gone, I'm relieved that she's not in pain anymore and that my husband was holding her when she took her last breath, the vet called me back finally but it was too late and they offered a free autopsy to find cause of death but my husband refused and we just buried her in our yard . I kind of want the autopsy just to find out what really happened but I also don't want her to be cut up. So she's resting in our yard. Just can't believe it happened so quick up until 2 days ago she seemed fine and just saw the vet a few weeks ago. I'm going to miss that funny little dragon so much