EllenD":2ueqmk98 said:Drache613":2ueqmk98 said:Hello,
OH no! Poor Brick, that is really quite shocking & upsetting. I hear of way too many
incidents of dragons have extended vet stays, only to not make it. A bearded dragon wont
develop a fatty liver in just a few weeks, so if he did have any liver or renal issues it is most
likely due to inbreeding.
I am sorry you have had so much trouble with the couple of dragons you have had. There are
a lot of dragons having health issues these days & it's no fault of the keepers.
I am so sorry you lost him.
Tracie
Seriously, what is going on lately? There have to be at least 10 on here right now that have died either while staying overnight at the vet's office, or at home a day or two after coming back from the vet's office and being put on multiple medications that sent them downhill rapidly. I'm almost afraid to open any more posts...
I'm so sorry this happened to you guys, and twice yet, it's nothing at all you guys have done, you've gone above and beyond what 99% of beardie owners typically do to help their sick dragons. I don't even want to say it's "Luck of the draw", that sounds so cold, but it seems to be true. I've gotten 2 dragons from Petco and 1 from a couple who rescued 3 clutches of fertile eggs from a breeder who bred his dragon and then decided he no longer wanted to be a breeder and was going to freeze the eggs...My first Petco dragon I got at 2 months old, and lived to be a month shy of 13 years old, and my second Petco dragon I got at a month old and is now over 10 months and is in perfect health, never even had parasites...and my younger boy from the rescued eggs I took in at 4 weeks (maybe, more like 3 weeks I thing), I was trying to help this couple who rescued the eggs out early, as they had over 60 babies hatch...he's now 5 months old and perfect...yet I work with someone who got a baby beardie from the very same Petco I got my current 10 month old from, he got his about 4 months ago as a month old baby, and I went with him when buying his lighting, thermometer, etc. and I set up his enclosure for him, and instructed him on everything, the diet, the photoperiod, light replacement, etc. and his baby was diagnosed with Adenovirus and his not doing well...
There needs to be much more responsible breeding to begin with, there need to be laws or at least company protocols about the babies being old enough to sell, and there needs to be mandatory testing for Adenovirus before the babies are sold in the first place...and mandatory wellness exams by an experienced reptile vet, and that include fecal testing for parasites and skin scraping for Yellow Fungus...it's just too out of control and putting people, families, young children, etc. through such stressful, heartbreaking times...
I completely agree with you. When we first got Brick Top (from a reptile shop whom get their reptiles from Hamm or breeding them themselves) the next day we took him in to the vet for a check over. This didn't include fecal or skin scraping (something I didn't even know about until I just read your message) so if we ever do get another beardie, I will request all those and Adenovirus testing too.
About the Zero beardie we were going to be bringing home (which we had been planning for literally months!) I did a lot of searching online and following the breeder via their facebook page. My husband did say I should think about it seriously as to whether I was sure I didn't want to take him on after Brick Top died, and he even said (sounds callous but only way to explain it) third time lucky? I've always been a logical person and I know for sure that just because it feels like it, doesn't mean this baby is going to be sick as well, but...
... outside of having reptiles, I have always loved Sphynx cats, since God knows when, I just always remember loving them. This is a very long story, but I joined the UK Sphynx community, the top breeder, who runs the meet ups, talks, highly regarded etc, I contacted 5 years ago so I could just meet and talk about Sphynx even though I couldn't take one on at the time and she was kind to oblige and answer all of my questions back then. So when we moved in to our first home of our own, I contacted her right away. Months passed, kittens were born, constant updates and visits, my husband (in fairness) was a little freaked out until he met them and the little boy we were going to be bringing home (we named him Norman). But the day we went to pick him up, the breeder said at her front door "right, he has a sniffle, but its fine". Alarm bells rang but the kitten was adorable. We took him home when we shouldn't have done, took him to the vet, and basically the explanation our breeder gave us was a total lie, he had full on feline flu, and it had been going on for weeks untreated. Thus began medicating the poor thing and having to keep him locked in our kitchen for 2 weeks, with regular check ups at the vet. Eye drops 3 times a day, medication 4 times a day. The vet expected an improvement within a week, or suspect life long issues with his health and potential surgeries in the future. Low and behold, Norman didn't get better, his breathing was strained and it was likely, because he was a kitten, it was permanent. The vet suggested we return him to the breeder. We told the breeder all of this as it was going on, and although she denied he had cat flu, she offered to take him back and give us our money. The reason why we decided to do that is because as it was an issue we took him home with, insurance wouldn't cover any surgeries he may need in the future, and we couldn't guarantee that we could pay for it when that happened. I couldn't forgive myself if he needed surgery at age 3 and we couldn't afford it because he wasn't insured for that. We had Norman for 2 weeks and was heart broken to return him to the breeder. I put so much time and effort and thought we were going to a trust worthy breeder... I don't believe she is a back yard breeder, but I do believe she is arrogant and thought she knew better so didn't take him to the vet and was sly by not telling us before we turned up (she had 2 damn weeks to tell us) because she knew we would find it difficult to say no to an adorable kitten.
It was about this time Trevor died. On the same day we brought Norman back to the breeder, which felt like we were saying "sorry, its broke, can we get a refund?" poor thing, we had a phone call from the vet saying Trevor's ashes were ready to pick up, which we did. This year and animals for us has just been relentless. Sorry for being such a downer and sharing all my pet troubles on here. Its just been awful.