Hey guys, my beardie Jenny has been having some unhealthy looking stool lately. It started as foul smelling loose stool about a week ago-not completely liquid, but also not healthy and solid. I went away on spring break two weeks ago and left Jenny with a petsitter so I figured the loose stool was just residual stress from being in a new environment for a week without me. However, over a week later and her stool is still not solid...plus i just spotted a very small amount of blood in todays stool.
I feel her a salad every morning (lately it's been kale and either bell peppers or blueberries) topped with mealworms. Yes, I know mealworms are a bad staple live feeder but I'm strapped for cash right now and they are much cheaper than any other feeder I could find. This is what I've been feeding him for about the past month as before that I was feeding him twice a day but as he's approaching one year old and getting kind of chubby I figured it was time to switch to feeding once a day. It might be worth mentioning his behavior and everything else about him is completely normal. He is alert and active, shedding just fine, and has his usual voracious appetite. So basically I really don't know why his stool looks the way it does but seeing that little bit of blood today has got me really worried...any suggestions?
The blood could be from straining a bit and isn't necessarily an issue but I'd keep a close eye on that. If it has been smelly and runny for a few weeks now it probably warrants a vet visit with a fresh sample to test it for parasites.
The blood could be from straining a bit and isn't necessarily an issue but I'd keep a close eye on that. If it has been smelly and runny for a few weeks now it probably warrants a vet visit with a fresh sample to test it for parasites.
I called the only place in my area that will see exotics and their price for a fecal was reasonable but then they told me they wouldn't tell me the actual results of the fecal unless I brought Jenny in for the vet to examine- which would be an ADDITIONAL cost. ugh. Good to know the blood could be a non issue though, that makes me feel a lot better!
That's actually a good sign. A responsible vet will want to have a general exam to take into account any other signs of problems that could relate to the tests. It's good to have an annual exam done to set a baseline which helps if there are problems down the road. It's also helpful to establish a relationship with a vet so you are familiar with eachother and it's good to have a vet you trust.
I agree, it is probably just some issues with straining or maybe a little bit of constipation
due to the mealworms.
That is actually good the vet wanted to see her though after doing a fecal. It's always a
great thing to have a decent vet around, too!
You could try giving some probiotics to help settle her system if needed, such as a non
dairy acidophiliz powder or a non dairy soy yogurt.
Let us know how she is doing.