Recovering (I pray) from Peritonitis?

[waltersgirl]

My Pumpkin is sick and the vet is sure it is Peritonitis. Her white count is through the roof and x-ray showed lots of fluid. Pumpkin laid three clutches of eggs: 17 on 12/31/14, 28 on 1/18/15 and 32 on 2/5/15. When she showed signs of a swelling belly, I just thought we were going to have a fourth. Friday morning I awoke to a black bearded Pumpkin. She had pooed twice in her cage since lights out. I ran her a bath and cleaned her up as she had a little residual around her vent. The black beard continued and her belly was rock hard. She also appeared to have some spasms in her throat. I called the vet and she said to bring her on in. She listened to her heart and lungs (labored breathing) and we decided to take a picture. It showed her full of fluid and no eggs. Initial dx was peritonitis but we decided to run blood work and see what her blood count was like. Her white blood cell and lymph counts were through the roof...higher than she had seen before. Fairly certain she has peritonitis due to ruptured uterus wall. We gave her pain medication, antibiotics, an anti-spasm medication and a diuretic. My vet sent everything off to an expert at Washington State University she consults with...I haven't heard if she got a response from them. Today is Sunday and I see little to no signs of improvement. Pumpkin still has a black beard despite treatment and pain medication. I know the best place for her is in her cage where it is warm and the lights can help her but when I put her in it she climbs in her hammock goes to the wall and scratches. She seems to only really relax laying on my chest. Any ideas for making her comfortable in her cage through this? Helping get her on the road to recovery? Also, any advice on giving her meds (orally) without putting so much stress on her? She is going to be on the antibiotic for 30 days (I have started her on probiotics as well).

 

[AHBD]

Aw, poor girl ! I'm so sorry to read how sick Pumpkin is. It's a very serious situation, I can really feel for you. I think it's fine to have her relax on you as long as she's kept very warm....probably be good to have an old shirt or towel under her in case she has an accident. Then maybe your shirt that you wore can be put in the tank with her and she'll just scratch around on it + fall asleep. I don't have anything else to add....just hope that the vets can help her.

 

[Tonja]

I am so sorry to read about Pumpkin. I am praying she recovers from this and that you and your vet hear very soon. I would get a heating pad and lay it in a towel and put it under her, heat may help also with spasms and pain. You can hold her while shes on it. Let us know when you know something.

 

[waltersgirl]

Thanks to you both. I will put one of my t-shirts in her cage and see if it helps her to relax. I feel so bad giving her medications because they make her look at me like she hates me. I love my girl so much and would hate to lose another beardie. I know I thought she was expecting again and that is why I didn't catch this right away but I feel so guilty that I didn't get her to the vet sooner. That I didn't know she was sick before she puffed out that black beard and told me, "Hey look at me I am in pain can't you see that!" She trusts me to take care of her and I missed that she was in so much trouble. I pray that she recovers quickly and is relieved from all her pain. It is scary how attached one can be to a little lizard and only other beardie owners will understand what she means to me and how terribly at fault I feel, even when I know I couldn't have known she was in this distress because they hide it from us so well. As I type this she is sitting on my shoulder sleeping while I cry silent tears for her. I have not been blessed with children in the usual sense...my beardies are my children. Her children will be my grandchildren. While I look forward to them hatching it is bittersweet in light of watching their mother fight to keep her life for their sake. Thanks again and especially for listening as I know no where else where it will be understood as to how I feel right now. My baby is sick...fighting for her life and I feel like I missed all the signs of her struggle. Feel better soon my sweet girl...momma loves you, Pumpkin.

 

[Esther19]

I am so sorry you and Pumpkin are going through this. I agree with the experienced posters above about holding her, etc. You are the greatest comfort she can have right now. Are you offering her water orally with a plastic dropper or syringe? Some of those meds can be dehydrating. If you had a probiotic to offer her 6 hours apart from the meds, that would probably help with any tummy upset from the meds. I'm supporting you in prayer.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh I am so sorry to hear about Pumpkin!
Please don't blame yourself, they are so good at hiding things from us. You are doing everything you can right now to get her back to normal.
I completely agree, if she is more comfortable on you then you can have her sleep on you. Do you have a warm fleece blankie to wrap her up in also?
Which antibiotics is she on?
I hope you get the test results back tomorrow. Please let us know how she is doing.

Tracie

 

[waltersgirl]

I am giving her fluid and probiotics both. I hate it because I have to force so much else on her right now, but at least she likes the aphidiphiliz and will lick it off her nose once I get her started on it. The rest is just torture. I wish I could take away her pain and discomfort. Thanks for the support.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is good she likes the acidophiliz though, that helps out!
How is she doing today, is she more alert & basking?
Keep us posted on little Pumpkin, we are all pulling for her.

Tracie

 

[waltersgirl]

Her black beard is coming and going today instead of constant so I am hoping she is getting some relief from the pain. We are going to run another round of blood work as the specialist has a few things she wants us to check...so sadly, Pumpkin will need to get drawn again. She is still really bloated and that concerns me as her breathing is labored. I think the antibiotics are helping (Baytril) and I like seeing her beautiful orange beard instead of that black. She is not more active but she is staying under the light and basking which makes me happy too. I will keep you posted as to her progress. Thanks for all the help and support and for listening to my fears, doubts and insecurities.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh poor Pumpkin, she has to get another blood test, poor thing.
At least her beard is not black all of the time now. I hope she is feeling much better now! Hopefully the Baytril is helping out & she isn't in as much pain.
I am glad to hear she is basking regularly even if she isn't real active.
I am sorry she is still bloated & not breathing as well as she should be.
Please keep us posted on your girl.

Tracie

 

[waltersgirl]

Thanks again for the support. I know I have asked this already but no one seems to answer...maybe because there is no better way, but is there a way to help reduce the stress of giving meds orally. I feel like such a mean mom and she looks at me with such hatred after I give them to her...even though she seems to like the babyfood I mix one of them in. As I said before we have to keep this up for a whole month twice a day. It would be nice if it wasn't so hard on her.

 

[AHBD]

I'm glad to hear of just a LITTLE progress for Pumpkin. It's always sad to see a child or pet who doesn't understand what is happening to go through something like this. My only suggestion [ if it helps ] is to mix the meds. with whatever she enjoys at the moment. Does she eat any insects at all , like hornworms or supers that the meds. can be injected into ? I've heard of some people doing that....otherwise, see what baby food she loves + just disguise the meds. in there.

 

[waltersgirl]

Poor pumpkin, her little black beard comes and goes. She seems to relax most on me as usual. I think she is a little less bloated. Still only eating by stringe. I look forward to getting her 2nd run of blood work results today or tomorrow from idex. Love my girl and sure hope we can get her past this. My next question is do I need to consider a hysterectomy or can she recover enough to be okay if she produces infertile eggs? Thanks again for all the support.

 

[waltersgirl]

Poor Pumpkin's blood work has her white blood cell count in the 1700's and they say it should be 700-900. She is on Baytril and an anti inflammatory. On top of that...my poor girl laid 27 infertile eggs tonight. Crazy since they didn't show any eggs on the x ray last week. She is so tiny now. I need to weigh her and see where she is at. She is nothing but skin and bones. I am so afraid I am going to lose her. She did eat 3 dubias tonight which is an improvement over the nothing but syringe feeding the past week and a half. Well I should get some sleep just wanted to post an update.

 

[AHBD]

Wow, poor little Pumpkin ! Well thankfully she laid those eggs successfully, and her eating was actually a good sign, even though she's sick. Is there any way you can put up those X-rays here ? And can you put up a pic of Pumpkin ? Hopefully she'll continue to eat for you. I know that beardies do look very deflated after egg laying. I know you know this, but be sure to keep her well hydrated. I'm not sure that she has peritonitis, at least not from possible burst egg because she seems to be able to expel them properly, but there is always the chance that's the case. It just seems that it would have all come out. I wonder if her wbc has gone down since she laid. Does she seem any better today ?