Please help impaction :(

[jkeeney1]

We just realized today that stitch is impacted. It was a stupid idea to use walnut shell but nothing we can do about that now. Its been about 7 hours since it has happened. We are really short on money so are not sure if we can bring him to a specialist. We gave him some olive oil about three hours ago but nothing has happened yet. We need help and we really dont want to lose him so any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Irwinshealth]

Warm baths and soft belly rubs may help. Also some people give a small amount of mineral oil. Please keep us posted

 

[doe222]

walnut shell is going to be hard for him to pass. i dont see how you have diagnosed his impaction down to 7 hours, sometimes beardies will skip a day in thier poop schedule. you only need to start freaking after about 4 days + but after 2 you should start taking precautions. I had a scare a few months back with impaction, pretty mild one. as long as his legs arent like immobile than its not super severe(at least thats one sign of a bad case). put him in a nice warm bath nothing hotter than what you would bathe a child in. i wouldnt rub his underbelly because walnut shells are quite hard and you may cause it to cut his intestines. let him soak for 30min and repeat around every 4-6 hours. try to get some water in him if you can with an eye dropper. and just wait it out. if its been 4+ days i would really seriously think about taking him to the vet because at that point id consider it a serious impaction and if not properly taken care of you will lose your beardie.. as suggested by alot of people on this site thinking of getting dragons, one of the first things you do is set asidge money for emergencies like this. make sure his basking temp is 100-110 and hes getting the propper amount of UVB. do not feed him live food while dealing with this stick with just simple greens. when it comes to impaction you do not need a reptile specialist, local vets can perform enemas just call ahead to double check.

 

[jkeeney1]

walnut shell is going to be hard for him to pass. i dont see how you have diagnosed his impaction down to 7 hours, sometimes beardies will skip a day in thier poop schedule. you only need to start freaking after about 4 days + but after 2 you should start taking precautions. I had a scare a few months back with impaction, pretty mild one. as long as his legs arent like immobile than its not super severe(at least thats one sign of a bad case). put him in a nice warm bath nothing hotter than what you would bathe a child in. i wouldnt rub his underbelly because walnut shells are quite hard and you may cause it to cut his intestines. let him soak for 30min and repeat around every 4-6 hours. try to get some water in him if you can with an eye dropper. and just wait it out. if its been 4+ days i would really seriously think about taking him to the vet because at that point id consider it a serious impaction and if not properly taken care of you will lose your beardie.. as suggested by alot of people on this site thinking of getting dragons, one of the first things you do is set asidge money for emergencies like this. make sure his basking temp is 100-110 and hes getting the propper amount of UVB. do not feed him live food while dealing with this stick with just simple greens. when it comes to impaction you do not need a reptile specialist, local vets can perform enemas just call ahead to double check.

I said seven hours meaning thats when we noticed it. Its a very large impaction and can be seen and felt. He still has the use of his legs so i assume its still in the early stages. He has been refusing to eat anything at all including greens. What should i do to get him to eat?

 

[doe222]

dont force him to eat anything, your focus should be getting that to pass. start soaking him in warm baths and hope to wait it out. mineral oil like irwinshealth said may help. try not to rub his belly. if it can be seen and is large than its not just a simple impaction. all you can do now is hope. if he starts showing severe symptoms like loss of back leg movment than you need to take him in. definetly shouldnt have used walnut shells...stay away from mealworms as well.

 

[ShannyBeard]

A good beardie laxative is non-sugar applesauce with olive oil mixed in. I've given it with a plastic spoon when I haven't had a syringe. Depending on the size of your beardie, I would give a few spoon' worth. Also as advised earlier, give frequent warm soaks. How many days do you think he has been having a problem? Do you know when he last poo'd?

And food isn't a good idea - just the laxative mixture.

 

[dragonlover3]

Hi,
How long has his appetite been poor or non-existent
When did he poo last? Did you note any blood?
What are the temps in his enclosure?....basking....hot end....warm end?
What do you use to measure temps? Temps are extremely important to digestion and GI motility.
You can give him a warm bath, warm for a human baby sometimes that will stimulate them to poo.
I personally wouldn't rub the tummy especially since you suspect sharp edged walnut shells to be the impaction but see what other members are advising about that.
I believe it's good you gave him some oil but if he has a tummy bump large enough to feel and see, in my opinion he needs to be checked by a vet.
Amanda

 

[jkeeney1]

yesterday when he was out you couldn't see or feel anything. We have been giving him warm baths on and off since we noticed it at around three this afternoon. He has pooped a few times, in little bits, and has been trying on and off all day. The temps, enclosure, and all are good. He definitely ate the shells because you can see them in his poo. Just got some water into him. Thank you for the applesauce advice! Any advice, ideas, or reassurance is greatly appreciated! I just want him to be ok

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

So he has poo'd since you felt the bump?

-Brandon

 

[jkeeney1]

Yeah in little bits, but the bump is still there and a decent size

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi,

You can see the bump right?
Can you get a picture of it?

If he is pooing he shouldn't really be impacted. Although there could be left over shell in his system. even if thats so it should be coming out with the poo's.

-Brandon

 

[jkeeney1]

I can't get a good picture. I know he's pooing a little bit...but the bump is hard and still really big. Since he is able to go to the bathroom even a little bit (seriously, only a tiny bit at a time), is it safe to assume that the entire thing should pass?

 

[dragonlover3]

Hi,
Here is a bit of reassurance and encouragement for you. This forum has some very experienced members who give excellent advice and have helped so many....including myself, either directly with advice or by reading their advice to others. Brandon is one of them and a very trusted member here, as are many others, you are in good hands! I hope your beardie will be OK!
Amanda

 

[jkeeney1]

Thank you! He just had a warm bath and is ready for bed, so I'll update tomorrow. Fingers crossed

 

[Esther19]

Toes crossed, too. :mrgreen: