Rest on peace my sweet Ruby

As you can mo doubt surmise from the title, we had to day goodbye to our precious little girl last night. We are both pretty much in a state of shock right now. So far we have no answers, but the test results from the blood work should be back today. I'm hoping they can provide answers.
We have had Ruby to the vet multiple time lately. She had started having trouble pooping, and her vent had swollen up. We were told she had a slightly elevated pin worm count but nothing very serious. I jad dropped off a fecal sample a coulpe days before her first visit, that was before the swelling started. He looked at her and told me it was inflammation from the pinworms and would clear up with the antibiotic and a little time. Over the course of several visits he kept insisting the same thing. I called another vet a bit later but it was 5 or 6 weeks out to get her in. She had started bleeding from her vent when she would poop, but I was told that would clear up with the treatment and time also. At this point I was really becoming very agitated.
I started treating her vent with raw honey a few weeks ago. Almost over night the swelling started going down, in 4 or 5 days the bleeding had nearly completely stopped. Ruby was eating better than she had since she laid the last clutch a gew months ago, she was more energetic, brighter, and seemed to like her new habitat better. She was so much more active than she had been in the larger habitat. Everytime she saw us she was at the glass begging to get out. All in all I thought she was well on her way to neing healthy again. (As healthy as a disabled beardie with mbd can be at least). Two night ago at bed time she was perfectly normal. She was digging my chest to make her nest, had birh little front legs thrown back. Then decided to snuggle Zsa Zsa so she started pestering her till she got comfy. Then she decided to get under my chin, so she worked her way there and dug my neck till she made her nest. Just another night of Ruby being Ruby. Yesterday morning at lights on she pooped. Within minutes she started black bearding (slightly, not full on black) but for Ruby even slightly is very off, she never black beards. She seemed very sleepy still. I got her out and she was really low energy. I started calling every vet that would answer. There is a couple emergency animal hospitals here, but i was told that they just wing itcwith reptiles so that's not happening.
One of those gave me the number for another that has reptile vets and will handle emergencies. We took her straight in. At mid day we call an update that she eas doing better, had eaten for them, had perked up and was generally ok. The plan haf been from the stary for them to keep her a few days for monitoring and testing so we were to get updates along the way. In the afternoon we got a 2nd update that all was well, and they thought she was going to be just fine. In the evening they called and said she crashed and we needed to come say goodbye to her. For the life of me I cannot wrap my head around loosingvher like this. It make no sense to me. The vet at Park animal hospital pretty much refused to do blood work, I asked repeatedly, he kept saying they had to sedate her to do it and he wasn't willing to do that. I can't shake the feeling that he let her down. It's been a couple months or more since I took her in originally. I'm so hurt but so much more angry I just can't get my head right. All I know for sure is nothing here is going to be the same without her. Ruby brought so much joy to our home, and now she is gone.
I feel lost, and Christina is a basket case. She is ocd and she greaves harder than people who aren't. I guess anyone that is ocd probably does. It makes the situation here much more traumatic, I'm hurting for her almost as much as for Ruby.
These were taken over the last week or so. The last one was 2 days ago. Right till the very end she was always so happy. The world is a little less good now I think.
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NickAVD

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Foxy
I can't find the words to express how shocked I am...
It's hard for me to imagine that she is no longer with us. You have always been associated in my mind as an inseparable couple - you and Ruby.
My heart aches as well as yours, I really liked this life-loving girl and she will be missed so much.😔
I can't even imagine what you are going through now. I want to support you, so accept my remote hugs.
May little Ruby rest in peace.
She was very happy with you and you did everything to make her enjoy every minute spent with you.
 

ChileanTaco

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Taco
So sad... I'm really shocked.
I had never thought that - and makes once more the time with Taco so precious.
You cared so well for her!
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
I can't find the words to express how shocked I am...
It's hard for me to imagine that she is no longer with us. You have always been associated in my mind as an inseparable couple - you and Ruby.
My heart aches as well as yours, I really liked this life-loving girl and she will be missed so much.😔
I can't even imagine what you are going through now. I want to support you, so accept my remote hugs.
May little Ruby rest in peace.
She was very happy with you and you did everything to make her enjoy every minute spent with you.
Thank you. Words don't help much but sentiment help more that you know and I/we truely appreciate it.
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
So sad... I'm really shocked.
I had never thought that - and makes once more the time with Taco so precious.
You cared so well for her!
Thank you. Spend all the time you can with him. It's finite and we just can't know how much we have with them.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Oh no, when I saw this thread I did a double take.....another tragedy in your beardie family. I can feel your angst, grief, disbelief and pain. I'm so, so sorry this happened. My deepest condolences to your family. :cry:
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
Oh no, when I saw this thread I did a double take.....another tragedy in your beardie family. I can feel your angst, grief, disbelief and pain. I'm so, so sorry this happened. My deepest condolences to your family. :cry:
Thank you, like I said above, the sentiment here, knowing others understand and care means so much.
This year has been devastating for sure. It's really hard to not start believing I'm horrible at taking care of them, I've done a lot of second guessing for sure. I know my temps are correct, I know my uvb is correct, I know I'm on top of calcium and supplements, but this keeps happening, it just makes no sense to me. I can't seem to figure out what I'm missing.
I feel like I've failed as a keeper and they are the ones that pays the price for it. I can't imagine not having beardies but honestly I'm not sure I can keep doing this.
 

NickAVD

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Foxy
I feel like I've failed as a keeper and they are the ones that pays the price for it. I can't imagine not having beardies but honestly I'm not sure I can keep doing this.
I am sure that you are doing everything right. For me, you are the one to look up to when it comes to keeping bearded dragons. And not only them, I am sure that you feel the same way about any other animal. I will say what you say to others in this situation.
You should not blame yourself. And it is true, it is not your fault. Unfortunately, Ruby's previous keepers did not pay her the attention she deserved and her health suffered, it is very sad. But you were able to give her something she never had - your love and a wonderful home.
And how many people receive help and advice from you every day on the forum? So you should not talk about yourself like that.
 
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xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
I am sure that you are doing everything right. For me, you are the one to look up to when it comes to keeping bearded dragons. And not only them, I am sure that you feel the same way about any other animal. I will say what you say to others in this situation.
You should not blame yourself. And it is true, it is not your fault. Unfortunately, Ruby's previous keepers did not pay her the attention she deserved and her health suffered, it is very sad. But you were able to give her something she never had - your love and a wonderful home.
And how many people receive help and advice from you every day on the forum? So you should not talk about yourself like that.
Thank you again for the kind words and the encouragement.
It really does mean a lot.
I know that I know beardies, it's just hard to be self assured when this keeps happening. Hopefully I'll have the test results back at some point today and have an answer. The not understanding what went wrong is the big scary monster under the bed.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
One thing about caring for sick reptiles is that we [ and veterinarians ] don't know yet what meds. can cause reactions that can make things worse. With human medicine we see warnings on the meds. with a long list of possible reactions. Allergic reactions included. With reptiles it would be an unknown if some treatment would hurt more than help. Beardies are tough but yet still fragile. It's compunded by the fact that they can't tell us what's wrong until we see a drastic change. Sometimes even leaving a reptile at a vet they can mysteriously go downhill and IF, and I say if......someone did an ooops they may not reveal that to an owner. Again, I'm not saying that happened but it can , even with humans, also with our pets.
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
One thing about caring for sick reptiles is that we [ and veterinarians ] don't know yet what meds. can cause reactions that can make things worse. With human medicine we see warnings on the meds. with a long list of possible reactions. Allergic reactions included. With reptiles it would be an unknown if some treatment would hurt more than help. Beardies are tough but yet still fragile. It's compunded by the fact that they can't tell us what's wrong until we see a drastic change. Sometimes even leaving a reptile at a vet they can mysteriously go downhill and IF, and I say if......someone did an ooops they may not reveal that to an owner. Again, I'm not saying that happened but it can , even with humans, also with our pets.
I know all about an opps. When I had my gallbladder removed the doctor left a clamp in there and my bile duct ruptured. I ended up very jaundiced and near death. I spent a full year in and out of the hospital before it was all done.
I'm not upset with the vet we took her to yesterday. From everything I've seen they really tried hard to save her. It's my normal vet I'm aggravated with. He absolutely refused to do blood work. If he had done so I might would have had an extra 2 plus months to try to save her. He just seemed to shrug off anything I asked him about.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Wow, you went through the wringer ! It's what many people fear and hope will never happen to them ! And yes, it's very hard to think that if a different action was taken in Ruby's case things might have been different. :(
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Ruby, Sinatra, Zsa Zsa
Wow, you went through the wringer ! It's what many people fear and hope will never happen to them ! And yes, it's very hard to think that if a different action was taken in Ruby's case things might have been different. :(
That's what hurting me the most. I tried getting into other vets but every appointment was 5 to 8 weeks out. I was literally begging for help and couldn't get her in. Now the vet that did see her is gone till next week so we have to wait for answers.
 

Rocky2022

Gray-bearded Member
Beardie name(s)
Rocky, Ruby
Omg I can't read this post. I tried 4 times but I simply can't. I'm so sorry.

Ruby was my bearded dragon too.

I know your heart is broken and I'm so sorry.

You've given Ruby (writing through tears) the best life imaginable!


I'll be back, I can't do this.
 

Rocky2022

Gray-bearded Member
Beardie name(s)
Rocky, Ruby
I'm back trying again. I just read about about Ruby and the infamous cuddling.

I feel like we need to come support you as a community.
If there's anything I can do let me know.

I know that your girlfriend is lost. That's her baby and the reason why I had to get my own Rubt.

Ruby was so loved and cared for that I remembered being shocked to hear her story.

You did an amazing job with Ruby.
My Ruby rest in peace.

Omg
 

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