Pumpkin Still not well

[waltersgirl]

My poor Pumpkin is still not doing well. Her belly is swollen...vet thinks she is producing eggs again because she is in same room as Popeye and she feels it is necessary to reproduce-she has been moved. She has a black beard all the time again. We took another blood sample to test and vet was concerned when spun down there was very little red blood cells present. We got a greenish yellow fluid from her when taking her blood sample. It was weird looking. Anyone have any ideas what is going on? I am waiting for blood results and fecal testing. Very concerned about her. She has a voracious appetite but always wants to be in her hide. Just afraid of loosing her.

 

[AHBD]

Hi there....can you post a link to a previous thread about her health concerns ? Has she laid eggs in the past and had problems ? Please excuse me for not remembering.

 

[waltersgirl]

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=214422

Sorry about that. Thanks for the help.

 

[AHBD]

No, I really apologize ...I don't remember things from 2-3 weeks ago , but as soon as I read the first sentence from the E.R. post it came back. I think you're right that she's going to lay eggs again, but the fact that she's eating like crazy is good !! Feed her all she wants, she needs it. I'm not sure about the r.b. cells or the other fluid, but reptile medicine is still not at all extremely well researched,[ enough to give us clear answers with every symptom ] so just let her develop + lay her eggs without too much fuss. Her black beard + hiding may be because of stress from the vet visit. I had a female that developed a black beard nearly every time she was gravid, it was just her nature but she and the eggs were fine. I don't want to downplay the fact that there may be a health issue here, but try not to think the worst. Tracie [ Drache613 ] can read the blood panel if you post it here, so that can help you some. But at least one thing is going well, it's always a good sign when the appetite is that good.

 

[waltersgirl]

Here are the results we have so far. I don't know how to read any of this. I can look at mine and know what is good and bad but as for a lizard, I can't. Hopefully Tracie, you can give me some insight. Even their comments don't tell me anything because I don't know what they are talking about. The vet just forwarded this to me and said she will have the rest of the results next week and has a call into a specialist to review the results with her and will call me afterwards.
Just wish I had answers for my girl.

> REPTILIAN PROFILE #1 : REPTILIAN PANEL #1
> Test Result Reference Range
> ALK. PHOSPHATASE 136 U/L
> ALT (SGPT) 10 U/L
> AST (SGOT) 5 U/L
> CK 230 U/L
> LDH 28 IU/L
> ALBUMIN 1.9 g/dL
> TOTAL PROTEIN 3.5 g/dL
> GLOBULIN 1.6 g/dL
> CHOLESTEROL 238 mg/dL
> GLUCOSE 270 mg/dL
> CALCIUM 8.9 mg/dL
> PHOSPHORUS 3.3 mg/dL
> POTASSIUM 4.2 mEq/L
> SODIUM 154 mEq/L
> A/G RATIO 1.2
> URIC ACID 9.1 mg/dL
>
>
> REPTILIAN PROFILE #1 : AVIAN/EXOTIC CBC AND PLASMA PROTEIN
> Test Result Reference Range
> WBC-EST 4.0-6.0 THOUS.
> WBC CORRECTED (1) 2.6 THOUS.
> WBC COUNT (2) 5.0 THOUS.
> HCT (3) 12.0 %
> HETEROPHILS 84 %
> LYMPHOCYTES 11 %
> AZUROPHIL 5 %
> ABSOLUTE HETEROPHIL 4200 /uL
> ABSOLUTE LYMPHOCYTE 550 /uL
> ABSOLUTE AZUROPHIL 250 /uL
> THROMBOCYTES ADEQUATE
> POLYCHROMASIA SLIGHT
> ANISOCYTOSIS SLIGHT
> BLOOD PARASITES
> NO PARASITES SEEN
>
> REMARKS
> SLIDE REVIEWED MICROSCOPICALLY.
> THROMBOCYTE ESTIMATE MAY BE INACCURATE DUE TO THROMBOCYTE CLUMPS ON
> SMEAR.
> INCREASED NUMBERS OF LYSED CELLS NOTED MAY CAUSE ERRONEOUS
> DIFFERENTIAL COUNTS.
> HETEROPHILS APPEAR SLIGHTLY TOXIC
> SOME CELLS ARE DEGENERATED. DIFFERENTIAL MAY BE AFFECTED.
> IMMATURE RBC'S PRESENT - FEW
>
> PLASMA PROTEIN 4.8
>
> Comments:
>
> (1) WBC ESTIMATE CORRECTED FOR LOW HEMATOCRIT.
> (2) WBC ESTIMATE
> (3) MANUAL HCT

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

How is Pumpkin doing?
The blood test results do reveal low AST numbers (liver enzymes) which could be from mineral deficiencies due to her developing eggs. You are positive she has eggs right?
The Albumin & Globulin are in normal ranges. Usually with egg development, the albumin is elevated but at the moment it isn't too bad.
The calcium is normal & not elevated as it would be during egg production. The calcium to phosphorus ratio is very good, also.
The potassium & sodium look fine also.
What is high though is the uric acid & actually getting very close to blood saturation levels which may start to cause crystallization & swelling from excess uric acid. Has she been chronically dehydrated? She could be a bit anemic too but I don't see any evidence of an infection yet.
I would start her on some black cherry juice as soon as possible to see if that begins to help break down any of that first. If those levels don't improve, you may want to consider gout medication also. It might just be supplementation or dehydration issues, hopefully.

Let us know how she is doing.
Tracie

 

[waltersgirl]

No I am not certain she has eggs. I feel none but she is big as a house again...like she is when she has eggs. However, her last clutch was infertile on 2/22/15 and I could not feel them like I could the fertile ones. Until she started digging and I put her in the lay box, I just thought it was from being sick. Do I just by black cherries and juice them or is there a special black cherry juice somewhere I can get? I will do whatever I can for my girl. I can't tell you what my vet bill has been over the last 3 months...but I will say it is scary. I would never call Pumpkin dehydrated. She usually has a good healthy amount of fluid with her poo and I was told that is a sign of good hydration. I bathe my babies about 5 days a week. What is the uric acid, what happens if it gets worse, is something I am doing making it high (i.e. foods she eats, vitamin intake, etc.)? The vet did mention anemia as a possibility due to the low amount of red blood cells vs serum when she spun down the blood. If she doesn't have eggs, what else causes low liver enzymes? Sorry for all the questions I just want to find answers and help her the best I can. If the store hadn't closed at 11 (it is 11:30 here) I would have been headed that way to look for black cherry juice. Which I was wondering might be easier found in the coop which sells natural medical supplies (essential oils, homeopathic alternatives, etc.)? I will google it now and see what I get, might help me find where to get it.