respitory infection?

[dawnki]

I think my dragon is sick.

His appetite has been lacking for awhile now and his color is dull-------I gave him his weekly bath yesterday and he did this forced coughing--------? He also hasn't defecated in some time.....

 

[zebraflavencs]

I would highly recommend a visit to your exotic/herp vet.
Also pm Drache13 (Tracy) she is extremely well versed on dragon health issues !
Janie.

 

[Lennifer]

I honestly don't know to much about the repitory infections. How long has it been since he pooped? I would def continue the warm soaks to see if this will help him go. I have also heard u can use Olive Oil as a laxative to help them go. Can u tell us what your set up is like? I believe that respitory infections are caused from too high of humidity. Do u spray him while he is in the enclosure?

How old is your bearded dragon?
What size enclosure do u have?
Substrate?
What kind of UVB lighting are u using?
Basking spot temp?
What do u feed him?
What suppliments do u use & how often?
Do u provide a water dish?

Sry to ask so many questions, just trying to help


~Sandy

 

[Pleaides]

I think my dragon is sick.

His appetite has been lacking for awhile now and his color is dull-------I gave him his weekly bath yesterday and he did this forced coughing--------? He also hasn't defecated in some time.....

hello
if you can answer sandi's questions that would help us an awful lot on what it may be.

how often have you noticed the coughing type sounds? how long do you think this has been going on?
im thinking if it was just the one time in the bath he may have inhaled some water into his lungs in which case he should be fine, the water level is no higher than just above her elbows, right? also lukewarm water.

he hasnt pooped in a while and has lack of appetite? how long exactly since his last bowel movement?
im also thinking he may be impacted in which case continue the baths daily and put a couple of drops of olive oil on his nose to see if he will lick it off, if not maybe his greens? you could also try gettiing him to lick some unsweetened apple sauce from your finger or off his nose as that should help him poop also.

what did his last poop look like? yes i know i want all the specific details, sorry. what colour? was it solid or runny? smelly at all?

 

[dawnki]

I honestly don't know to much about the repitory infections. How long has it been since he pooped? I would def continue the warm soaks to see if this will help him go. I have also heard u can use Olive Oil as a laxative to help them go. Can u tell us what your set up is like? I believe that respitory infections are caused from too high of humidity. Do u spray him while he is in the enclosure?

How old is your bearded dragon?
a year---he's mildly deformed----i rescued him from a reptile 'factory'

What size enclosure do u have?
50 gallon aquarum

Substrate?
newspaper

What kind of UVB lighting are u using?
reptisun 10

Basking spot temp?
95-110
What do u feed him?
dubia, supers, silks in the summer

mostly mustard greens, bok choy, kale, banana, dandelion

What suppliments do u use & how often?
multi-vitamin +calcium

Do u provide a water dish?

Sry to ask so many questions, just trying to help

One day he will be up and active-----eat well and then for stretch he will just hangout/sleepy and won't eat.
H


~Sandy

 

[dawnki]

I will try the olive oil---thanks. He seems to have difficulty after he eats too-----poor guy has got a humpback so I really don't know how all of his organs are sitting inside of him. This may or may not interfere with his digestion.

No, i don't have a water bowl in his enclosure----

his last bowel movement was quite awhile ago------and it was smaller than usual.

 

[Pleaides]

hes got a hump in his back?
did you rescue him this way?
do you know if he was born with it or whether it came up because of MBD or something?
does he have MBD do you know?
has he ever seen the vet for a check up?
in what way does he have difficulty after eating? like he cant move? he seems bloated? details please?

i know, i know sorry a lot of questions being fired at you at the mo but we need loads of info to help.
as i said before continue the baths, olive oil and perhaps the apple sauce, unsweetened.

your set up sounds fine, i would cut out all solid insects, stick to soft bodied worms for now and even then cut down on them just a bit so he eats more greens as this will offer a lot more water, spray his greens if you dont already do but i wouldnt recommend spraying himself or his home as this can then raise humidity too high. cut out the kale also as this can bind them a bit. plenty of greens with some olive oil should be fine.
how long has all this gone on for? im thinking if its been a while then maybe a vet visit to be safe, if you havent already had a check up on him, especially with the hump i think maybe you should anyway.

 

[dawnki]

I used to work for a reptile factory and took care of over 2000 beardies. When i caught on to how they were taking care of their animals---I quit. I found 'bruno' in a tub of hatchlings and he was going to be put down because of his hump/crooked spine---plus, one deformed eye. He's always been a little stubby, has never eaten quite as much as a normal beardie should and has always been a little bloaty. I think all his afflictions are due to inbreeding and really haven't expected him to survive this long.

I always spray his greens

i have not taken him to the vet.

he kind of gets choked up after he swallows-------and his body spasms----by this i mean he tenses up for a split second is ok and then will do it again.

I am worried about him----he has been especially spoiled and is very much loved.

 

[Pleaides]

aww bless him how very kind of you to take in poor bruno.
i think id recommend a vet visit just for him to have a thorough check up, you never know maybe the vet can do something for him.
wow so his deformity is definitely affecting his day to day life, he cant eat well because of it.
well id keep a very close eye on him for any mucous, popping, wheezing type sounds, but i wouldnt have said this was an RI if his problems affecting his eating it may be affecting his breathing also and possibly making it hard for him to go poopy, id get him checked personally.
keep us posted on how bruno is doing!

 

[dawnki]

well, i gave bruno another bath yesterday and he perked up quite a bit. ----much more alert------- I have been feeding him dubia nymphs and he ate like 5 after his bath. the nymphs are softer in texture and bru likes to munch them. I'm thinking the coughing was from inhaling a bit of his bath water----still no poop though

yes, i'm thinking a visit to the vet is a good idea.

thanks for all of you input~ GREATLY appreciated.

 

[Pleaides]

ok thats great you may take him to a vet.
so at least hes eating a bit still thats good.
but no poop.. can you feel any lumps at all in his tummy? continue with the baths, apple sauce and olive oil until you can get him to a vet.

yes he may have inhaled a bit of water in his bath, think i said that in my first or second post, my boy did this once, frightened the living daylights outta me, he put his head under the water, come up and like gasped and shook his head like mad then coughed a couple of times, i freaked out, dragged him out and dried him put him on his basking rock slightly declined and he was fine after that, he actually no longer puts his head under water, lol, bless him, think hes learned his lesson!

keep us posted!

 

[dawnki]

nope no lumps in his belly-gut-intestines-----

i also dabbed some olive oil on his 'lips' ---like beardies have lips----lol--- during his bath .

he hasn't gone through a shed in a long time either-------his color is dull looks like he is getting ready to shed but hasn't for months......

 

[Lennifer]

Aww, thats great that u saved him! I agree w/ everything Venus's mommy is saying! lol
Def take him in for a check up because their may be something the vet can do to help him. Your set up sounds great!! I would love to see some pics of your lil guy if u can! lol

~Sandy

 

[Pleaides]

lol sandy - i was wondering where you got venus from but then noticed on my sig! im going to have to start putting my name at the end of my posts as my username isnt easy to spell.

yep pictures would be great if you can?
love seeing pictures
let us know about the vets ok!
good luck!

edited - Anny

 

[dawnki]

i've got tons of pics.----how do i post them here?