Talon, Moya, Dargo and Zhaan

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Hello,
I have a long story to share and not sure where to post it so if I'm in the wrong section please forgive me. Also, there will be pics coming soon!
So, here is our story, a story of 2 sick Beardies. This site has been a God Sent! Anything I did right I learned from here! Some of you may have read about our cl rescues. I posted it in Beardie rescue but don't know how to provide the link. In August my husband and I rescued the 2 sweetest Beardies you could ever know! We named them Talon, {male} and Moya, {female}. They were pretty sick when we got them on the 3rd of August. We took them to a vet, {that mis-sexed our male,} on the 4th of August, They were medicated with 3 different meds, for pin worms, Coccidia and another thing that I can't remember. They took the full course of meds over the month as the vet ordered. The follow up fecal on September 3rd was neg, all "cleared up" per the first vet I took them to.
Thru that month both had appetite issues from being sick and no doubt related to the meds. Talon more than Moya. So, I fed Talon chicken, turkey, squash and applesauce baby food with calcium {and vits added once during that week}. by syringe 3 times a day for a week since he would eat nothing, not one morsel. Moya was eating a bit but also had a very poor appetite so I syringe fed her several times when I didn't believe she had eaten enough. They both were so under weight when we got them. I also gave them both soy yogurt daily since one of the meds was an antibiotic. Slowly he began to eat again, hurray! and her appetite improved. I had always noticed some clicking and popping sounds coming from Moya, and upon listening, also heard it from Talon and in my inexperienced stupidity, I thought it was the sounds they normally made. {Oh, please forgive me my beautiful sick little babies!} Then on Sept. 22 while feeding Talon a small super worm I saw him go to pick one up and clear tan-ish liquid poured from his mouth. It was phlegm. It scared the living daylights out of me! The next day Sept. 23, we took them on an emergency visit to a new vet who was advertised as an experienced exotic/reptile Vet. I hadn't been impressed with the first one. OMG, what a difference! Dr. Keller actually gave them a real physical, going over them both with a fine toothed comb! Unlike the first vet I took them to who held them, pushed on their heads and handed them back, and had a tech check a fecal. Dr Keller checked and moved all of their joints, arms, hands and fingers and legs, feet and toes, and checked their tails too! He checked inside their mouth and looked in their ear holes with a light, he listened to their abdomens and lungs with....are you ready....a stethoscope! He checked their vents. He checked their belly's for constipation and impaction. I told him how we rescued them off of cl and the condition they were in, that they had been seen by another Vet the day after we got them and was medicated for their issues at that time, and had a neg. follow up fecal. I must say that our sweet little babies were excellent at the doctors and tolerated it all without complaint. We hold them several times everyday, play time, snuggle time, treat time, and "don't need a reason to" cuddle time so they both are very comfortable with being handled. Dr. Keller asked all the right questions I would expect a knowledgeable Vet to ask.....enclosure size?......did they have separate enclosures?...... UVB lighting, heat and humidity?....substrate?....diet with greens and live feeders dusted with calcium daily and vits once a week?.....exercise?...... And I told him they get a bath everyday at 9:30 am, and always poo in the bath, and get rinsed in running water of course....lol.....hurray, always clean, spotless enclosure!
OMG! I just can't say enough good about this Doc. As a side note both he and his Vet partner wife had their own Beardies when they were growing up.
Well, both of our beautiful babies had respiratory infections, and probably had had the RI before we got them since I was hearing that clicking in August and the guy that had them before had put them in a damp basement. They both got an injection of Baytril and a script of oral Baytril for 7 days then a recheck on October 3rd. When we went back for the recheck, they still had a few crackles in their lungs so he extended the meds for another week with a recheck in 2 weeks on the Oct.24th. Dr. asked about their bowels due to the antibiotics. I told him I was giving them soy yogurt daily and it was working, no loose or watery stool. I told Dr. Keller Talon was eating very well but Moya was eating nothing at all, that I was syringe feeding her 3 times a day so she wouldn't loose the weight she had gained. He said the Baytril can be very harsh on their GI tract and some Beardies loose their appetite, to continue what I was doing and be sure to offer her feeders and salads daily even though she wasn't eating right now.
We went back for the check up on the 24th. Talon and Moya were both still sick and started to have few fine popping and crackling sounds again. Neither was eating on their own. I had brought a fecal to see if it had anything to do with their poor appetites. They both had tons of pin worms again, and that Coccidia. Dr Keller treated them for it with the meds Albon, Panacur, and continued another 5 days of Baytril. Dr Keller believed their immune systems had been kicked hard by their early non-care and neglect but with all the good and proper care and nutrition they were getting at home now he believed once we could get it all cleared up they would be fine. He doesn't believe at this point it is chronic. So on Nov 7th went back to the vet for check ups. Lungs clear....hurray!.... and fecal neg.....hurray! Talon is eating very well, to well...lol...my fault. He now weighs 540 gms, up from the 120 gm in august, and he is now 17 1/4 inches, but has lost part of his tail, he's my Chubster. Moya weighs 410 gms, up from the 144 gms she weighed in August when we got them, and she is now 16 3/4 inches and also has lost some tail, she is my Little Miss.
Only issue now is Moya's appetite. She still isn't eating anything....nothing! So Dr. Keller checked her all over again and said he felt the bump/lump that tells him she is constipated even though she was passing a tiny amount of stool everyday, I had thought it was tiny because I was feeding her the baby food. So he instructed not to feed her on Tues to see if she could get hungry and stimulate her to eat, warm baths 4 times a day for 20 minutes with very gentle tummy rubs and do it for 48 hours. She had a strange episode in the bath one eve, her 4th bath of the day, she got all dark, almost black all over her whole body and her eyes closed and she started to put her head down, I grabbed her out of the tub, she was limp for about 10 seconds though it seemed like forever, then she perked right back up, put her happy colors on and you'd never know what just happened, What the heck was that? And yes, I'm asking the Vet when we go back Monday. His plan if the warm baths didn't work go to plan B, go back to feeding her baby food like I had been and feed her some baby food applesauce with some olive oil added to it, at least 2 cc's of it and continue the warm baths 4 times a day So I did all that. No BM, so next day I tried one more thing, I gave her about 3 cc's of warm baby prunes, warm baths and tummy rubs. Well, that did it. She cleaned out, so happy she wasn't impacted. But she still is not eating yet. At the last visit Dr. Keller said there is an appetite stimulant he could give her if needed. Well, Monday I'm on my way back to the Vet for her lack of appetite and to see about that stimulant and to ask about that episode she had in the tub, Thank God that hasn't happened again!
Just a note. I am not independently wealthy! The Vet, Dr. Keller, has been so good to us. His office visit for exotics $50 each. He only charged us $50 for the office call for seeing both of them on that first visit and only charged me meds for one but gave me enough for both of them. On all the other visits he has only charged me $25 for the office call, that is seeing and treating both of them. He has only ever charged me meds for one but always given me meds for both of them. He only charged me for 1 fecal though he did both. He's our hero!
So, that is our story. 5 Vet visits in 3 months, and another on Monday. It's been a long 3 months, lots of medications and lots of time and love and finally they are near healthy.
When they crawl up my blouse to my shoulder, wiggling and settling in to snuggle into my neck, when they look up at me and speak with those beautiful eyes, when they always show their happy colors whenever I pick them up, when they don't want to return to their enclosure and hug onto my arm, when they come to the front of their enclosure and sit down patiently waiting for me to pick them up, when they step into my hand to be picked up, when they get a shot at the doctors and run across the exam table and up the front of me to hide under my chin, when they lay sleeping so beautiful and peaceful on my chest, when I look over at my snoozing husbands and one of them is curled up in his neck snoozing too, when they look right at me when I call their name, these and a million other reasons are why I'm in love with them! My husband and I are both retired and we can think of nothing we would rather be doing than being caretakers to these wonderful, sweet, beautiful creatures. We are so very happy we found them, and we are humbled to be able to share their life with them!
I hope you enjoyed our story and it continues.............


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dragonlover3

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
Hi Everyone,
Just updating my thread. Moya isn't happy about not being allowed back into brumation. I know she wants to go back to sleep but am afraid to let her because of the fungus on her beard. I am doing treatments on it twice a day and I want her warm and under UVB hoping that will also help. It seems in my mind that letting her brumate in a cool dark viv is asking for more fungus. Plus I do a wipe down of her viv everyday and change the paper towels on her floor. My initial scrub/cleaning/disinfection of it was when I found the fungus. She has been turning dark and black bearding a few to several times a day since I haven't let her back to sleep. I'm wondering if it is to do with not letting her brumate. Also She's not eating.....so started to feed her again, she will lick off the end of her snout, so that's a plus. I offer her roach nymphs, super worms and salads, her fav has always been mustard greens, but she won't touch them right now.
She jumped out of her viv and fell about 4 feet to my hard wood floor on Wednesday 1-4-12. When we open the doors to her viv she is excited and has the unfortunate habit of jumping onto me or my husband landing on our chest/shirt. She jumped to my husband and missed. She fell the approx 4 feet with a thud. It stunned her for about 5 minutes. I dropped to the floor crying and trying to check her over. She was laying flat, her arms and legs splayed out, her head down but looking at me, well, she had her eyes open! Just HOLY...um....COW! I checked her over inch by inch, spine,neck, arms, legs, hips and shoulders. Everything felt and appeared intact. No wounds, no bleeding, belly soft, not rigid or guarded, no, flinching anywhere. I picked her up gently and put her on my desk on her blankie. She just laid there for a couple of minutes while she started to get dark and blacker, then her beard got black. It's the first time I'd ever seen her beard get black. I was really twisted up scared, my husband was looking for the Vets card. Moya got up walked over to me and crawled up the front of my shirt and laid her head at the side of my neck like she always does. She didn't limp, or have any difficulty at all. She laid there for a while. My hubby called the Vet and told him about the fall and how she was acting, that she was stunned but now alert and had crawled up the front of me and that everything seemed to be ok at the moment. The Vet said to watch her. He said if she starts acting unusual or we notice anything thing else, bloating, blood, or anything we were worried about, to bring her immediately. My Vet lives next door to his offices/hospital and is always available 24/7 to all of his patients.
She has been OK regarding the fall, Thank God Beardies are tougher than we think. She continues to get very dark all over her body a few time a day, but she was doing that before she fell. I'm watching her close. Most times she is bright, basking and perky. For safety there is now a thick plush rug in front of her house. I hope if, God Forbid, she ever falls again that rug will help pad her fall.
Talon is doing great. I believe he is full grown at this point though we don't really know how old he is. We got him and Moya as juvie rescues but no birthday. He's such a lover, loves to be held. He has decreased his eating, and is lounging but it's that time of year. He isn't in a full brumation but snoozes during the day and gets up later than usual, he's usually up shortly after the lights come on at 7am, but he's been just lounging til about 9am before he gets up to bask. He still love to come sit at his door and stare at the cat Jack. Jack stares back. Neither of them move for a longtime, just staring at each other. Then Jack wonders off and Talon goes back to basking. It's funny to see. We are trying to get Jack to not be afraid of the dragons since they live in the same house. When we let Talon down to run around and explore a bit Jack will run into another room. Then he will sit in the doorway and watch Talon. If Talon starts to approach him, Jack will jump up and zoom away. We are always close to Talon just in case but Jack is afraid of him.
Zhaan who came from Nicole at HowlinGaleDragons when she rescues all of those dragons in December, has finished her course of Baytril for her respiratory infection and Albon and Panacur and is doing great. Her appetite is back and she's eating well, loves her roach nymphs and nibbles at collar and mustard greens. I'm still giving her the probiotics and will for a while yet. She is just finished shedding her head and legs. Her color is so much more intense. Her back is in shed right now, I call her my Crispie Critter. Can't wait to see her color develop. She loves to be held, will crawl up the front of me and hang at me neck. She steps into my hand to be picked up and clings to stay out. Glass dancing when I walk into the room is her favorite thing to get my attention. And of course it works. She's not sure about her baths. She will rest in the water but not move at all except to run up my hand and forearm when I reach for her.I don't really need to reach any more, just lower my hand toward the water and up she comes. She waves and does very slow lady like head bobs with her waves. She's such a sweetie!
Dargo who also came from Nicole, is doing amazing as well. He was a bit skiddish when we first got him, but much better now. He still will hesitate to come onto my hand so I just put my finger under his little hand and leave it there while talking to him and he relaxes and will let me pick him up. He will sit in my hand but hasn't crawled up the front of me yet. He eats like a teenage boy....a lot! My sons would inhale food like that too when they were growing so fast. He loves roach nymphs and collard and mustard greens with shreaded squash in it. He eats salad well. He's not sure about his bath but he will move around in it a bit. He just finished a shed on his legs and 1 arm, now his head and tail is next. He and Zhaan are always shedding something. His colors are also getting more intense. He will come to the front of his tank and sit to watch but doesn't glass dance at the front, he will dance at the ends. He's such a cutie.
Well that's the update from Amanda and Kim's Beardie Funhouse. More later as their stories continue.
 

ShannyBeard

Extreme Poster
:shock: So scary about Moya's fall! My gosh you are lucky she is okay! I have a hard time trusting my beardies to just be on my shoulder as I walk around. I trust my leo, and Otto trusts Maya, but that's about it. We don't have any vivs stacked, but we will some day. Good idea about having some carpet or something soft in front of them.

I had to laugh at 'Crispy Critter!' We have some funny names for our guys, too. :lol: Glad to hear we are not the only ones with beardies that are unsure about their baths. I try so hard to make it easy on them and we get the range of emotions from boredom to terror. *sigh*
 

dragonlover3

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
This I posted in ER but adding it here to keep continuity and thread updated.


Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by dragonlover3 » Tue Jan 10, 2012 1:46 am

2 days ago I found what I thought was a fungus on the top side of my Talons tail on the end closest to his body about 2 inches down from where it connects to his behind. It was a small black dot on one scale that was starting to look cratered and a bit silvery and a hardly noticeable darkening in the area about the size of a quarter. I noticed it because he is such a bright yellow/orange. Now in 2 days, it has gotten larger even with treatment. It involves a lightly darkened area {?make sense} about the size of a 50 cent piece. You can still see his color and pattern thru it, but it's darkened. It's not a shed. It looks like the pics on here of the darker fungus. I've been treating it with Betadine Tea baths, witch hazel dab, and then applying a bit of Monistat and Lamisil mixed together. Today when I was doing the treatment he flinched like it was tender. He hadn't done that before when I did the treatments. I held him up and checked the underside of his tail near his body, right under that darkened area on the top. The scales are still the creamy white of his underside but over a good sized area the space between the scales is pinkish/reddish and very sore to touch. It isn't very close to his vent but is on the body end of his tail.He has slowed down on his appetite for the past week till he ate only 2 super worms yesterday and no salad, nothing today. He still basks well but has been getting up later than usual and napping more but I had thought it might be the time of year. He's been a bit darker at times for a short period time but no black beard and lightens right back up. Now I'm concerned it might not be like a semi brumation. I'm concerned it might be this ...what ever it is...making him feel sick.
Can the fungus in combination with the Betadine bath anti-fungal treatment and anti-fungal cream cause irritation, causing the pinkish reddish coloring between the scales on the underside of his tail and cause the soreness he's feeling, like a side effect? I know pics help a lot, I'll try to get one now and post it

Amanda
 

ShannyBeard

Extreme Poster
I hope it's not infection. On a human, a reddened sore area like that can be a sign on infection in the tissue. That combined with his seeming tired - it's a possibility. :( If there are any soft tissue changes under the dark spot, would that show up on a beardie x-ray?

I'm sorry to hear he isn't feeling well. It sounds like you are doing so many treatments to try and help him, poor guy!!
 

dragonlover3

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
Thanks Shannon,
I've got a Vet appointment for 3pm today for him, so I'm hoping what ever it is was caught early. I'll post in the ER thread when I get back from the vets.
Amanda
 

dragonlover3

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
[Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by Gail » Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:32 am

I would be concerned that its infection and not a fungus. He really needs a vet, soon as possible.

Gail
Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by dragonlover3 » Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:53 am

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I know they are blurry, darned phone, but you can see the pink and red
Amanda

Gail, it looks like an infection to you? OK Vet's tomorrow. Thanks!
Amanda

Re: Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by dragonlover3 » Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:56 am

I was so hoping it was just irritation from the treatments and others might have seen it before.....but you are right Vet is the only option at this point. Hope he will be ok til the morning. I got him out of bed for the pics, he's back to sleep now
Amanda


Re: Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by Gail » Tue Jan 10, 2012 3:13 am
Yeah, it looks infected to me. I've never heard of betadine or lamisil causing something like, makes me wonder if the original spot wasn't some kind of tiny wound. Hopefully a round of antibiotic will clear it up, please let us know what happens.

Gail

Re: Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by dragonlover3 » Tue Jan 10, 2012 3:16 am

Thanks Gail. I'm taking my little guy first thing in the morning. Our Vet is great and will have us come right in when I call him.
Amanda




Re: Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by Drache613 » Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:35 am

Hello Amanda,

That looks like an infection to me also. I don't think that the betadine & lamisil would be affecting the area that way either.
At least you can get him in to see him in the morning. Let us know how things go at the vets.

Tracie




Re: Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by dragonlover3 » Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:38 am

Thank you Tracie and Gail. I'll post when we get back from the Vet.
Amanda


Re: Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by Drache613 » Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:17 pm

Hello Amanda,

Great, I hope things will go well for you at the vets.

Tracie

Re: Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by dragonlover3 » Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:53 pm

Got in to see my vet at 3pm, he was in emergency surgery today so couldn't see Talon any earlier. We got back from the Vets about 4:15. Talon does have a bit of fungus on that top side of his tail, but very little, and the pinkish/reddish area in the sides and bottom is possibly a bacterial infection but more probably my stupidly! He said the Betadine Tea soaks followed by the witch hazel dab and monistat or lamisil I had been doing was great and to continue, {YEAH BeardedDragon.org members for the spot on advice}, except to replace the witch hazel with Chlorhexidine scrub solution to use after after the Betadine Tea soak on the entire affected tail then to let the Chlorhexidine dry on the whole area, then apply the anti fungal to the fungus only and to stop rubbing against the scales! At this point he believes the redness is very possibly a BAD irritation because I rubbed against the direction of the scales while I had him in the Betadine Tea soaks for the past 3 days. I wiped what I thought was very gently against the lay of the scales thinking if I could gently raise the scales the solution would penetrate and work better. I'm to follow the treatment plan as above especially the part about not bathing against the lay of the scales and I should start to notice an improvement by tomorrow, but if their isn't a noticeable improvement in 2 days or is any worsening to come back for re-evaluation. I did the treatment as prescribed, and he is in his house napping. So there you have it, I'm a total jack-ass and hurt my buddy's tail. I don't even deserve to be keeper of my sweet beautiful Talon, I'm such a piece of work! And just trying to help.
We also took one of our other dragons in, Moya. I woke her out of brumation last week and found a tiny start of fungus on her beard and figured I'd get her check too. He prescribed the same Chlorhexidine scrub solution daily. He also found a bit of fungus on her right side so I'll be treating her with that solution too. She is not happy and has been staying a bit darker than usual as I'm keeping her awake basking in the UVB to help with the fungus. He said I could let her be in semi brumation, wake her daily for the treatment, bask for an hour or so to dry and she could return to sleep for the day.
I couldn't feel any more guilty that I do right now, my poor buddy's tail is so sore he doesn't even lay it down. I'm hopin' and prayin' it heals fast so he will feel better.
Amanda

Re: Pink/red between scales on underside of tail- sore to touch
by pyffersnpaws » Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:40 pm

aww wittle buddy... I'm sure it's going to start feeling better soon. Glad you took him and found that out now. Let us know how he's doing.
~Lisa
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ShannyBeard

Extreme Poster
Amanda, it breaks my heart to hear you be so hard on yourself! We all have good hearts and you have your heart in the right place and you did what seemed completely logical to you. Even though it wasn't the right way to soak him, just the fact that you were trying to figure it out should merit some credit. We've all been there and done that. Hey, you learned something new, right?

I am glad you got him into the vet. :blob5: Try not to preoccupy your mind with the negative thoughts about what wasn't ideal, and instead fill it with good energy and positive healing for your little guy. :love5:
 

jewl495

Juvie Member
I agree with Shannybeard don't beat yourself up! At least you care enough to help out your little guy! You know first hand how animals suffer because owners just don't care to do anything....you are trying to help your little guy.
 

dragonlover3

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
Thanks ShannyBeard and jewl495.....I appreciate the very nice comments but it's hard not to kick myself several times a day and everytime I see my little Talon moving around holding his tail up like he has to poo.....ya, I'm feeling really bad for hurting his tail. I had only good intentions to help him but.....! He is laying his tail down a bit more this afternoon but it is still so sensitive! All 4 of my beardies have 2 fleece blankies in with them at all times and a piece of plushy acrylic sheep skin to curl up on too. I removed his basking branch day before yesterday eve when I noticed he was favoring his tail and saw the red between the scales on the underside. I re-arranged things a bit using his soft blankies and sheep skin to make a basking area so he didn't have to climb and lowered both of his lights so he can stay low and made him a tail prop out another piece sheep skin. I put it under the distal end of his tail since the red hurt part was near his behind and he was holding his tail up like they do when they are going to poo, poor guy. I think the prop helped as he did relax it a bit so he still has that set-up til his tail is better. I have a morning routine. When I get up I start my coffee dripping and greet each of my beardies and get some "eye time" with each one and yak my head off to them. They usually come to the front of their enclosure and sit there listening and having eye contact time. I just love it. This morning Talon slowly made his way over to the front still favoring his tail of course and then scratches at the door. He wanted to be held. 100% forgiveness for hurting him. I just cried while I carefully held him for a while. I love my Beardies.
Amanda
 

dragonlover3

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
Naw, I'm the lucky one sharing my life with such amazing, wonderful dragons, But thanks Shannon, I appreciate the vote of confidence.
Amanda
 

dragonlover3

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
Just an update- more vet visits, my vet loves me, I've paid his vacation fund for the past several months....lol.
Zhaan has a mild respiratory infection with some popping and wheezing. :banghead: I give her Baytril to her in the later morning around 9:30 or 10am after she has eaten some roaches so her tummy isn't empty, {I'm giving all 4 of them acidophilus and bee pollen mixed with baby food squash everyday about 4pm, they love it.} Her poos are good and she still has a good appetite and I make sure to hydrate her so it's going well for her.{ I have ReptiSun 10.0 for all 4 of my dragons.} Her temps are all good, 103* to 105* basking, 88*-90* warm end, 80* on the cool end. She gets a healthy diet, calcium and vitamins, her humidity is low in the low 30's. ..My Little Zhaan was exposed to a couple of adults who had RI when she was rescued in December, but Nicole let everyone know they were exposed to RI. ...I hate respiratory infections! ...She's a real cuddle-bug, loves to just be with me. She takes extra naps, I notice her snoozing on her basking spot with this RI but she will glass dance like crazy when she hears me walk into the room. I reach in to get her and she's up my arm to settle on my shoulder in my neck. She prefers there to anywhere, she will lay on the desk on the heat sock for a bit watching the computer screen but then she is standing in front of me between me and the keyboard, just looks up at me, then climbs up the front of my shirt to my neck again. I don't keep her out long so she can stay toasty warm in her house while she sick. She's so very sweet! She's a doll! I really do love my beardies! :love5: :D
Talon is back on the Baytril as he was starting with respiratory symptoms again!!!... popping, crackles, mucus at the sides of his mouth. :banghead: This is the 6th respiratory infection for him since August when I got him. Or rather I don't think he is completely clearing up on 7 days of Baytril at a time. I think he starts to get better, the symptoms abate but the infection isn't gone, the antibiotic finishes, the respiratory infection is still there and starts all over again, then in a week to a couple of weeks back to the symptoms again. I think his immune system was badly affected by his early gross neglect. I'm thinking this respiratory issue is going to be chronic for him but I hope not! His temps are good, basking 100 to 101, warm 88 to 90, cool end 78 to 80, humidity low in the high 20's to low 30's. He gets a healthy diet, calcium, Vits. I just don't know. And I hate to have him on antibiotics so much. and of course I'm giving him the acidophilus and bee pollen daily. On a good note the spot of fungus on Talons tail has almost disappeared,...hurray!... you can still see where it is but it looks much lighter. I'm going to continue to treat it for at least 2 weeks after I don't see any sign of it at all. The pinkish/reddish color between the scales on the underside of his tail is gone, nice creamy color again, but it's still hurts him some. He isn't constantly holding his tail like he has to poo all the time, he is relaxing it and laying it down so that's an improvement. I know his tail still hurts but he doesn't even try to move away when I'm applying the solution and ointment. I can see it hurts. It's like he knows I'm trying to help him. He is such a sweet beardie guy. I really do love my beardies! :love5: :D
The tiny fungus spots on Moya's beard are almost gone with the chlorhexidine solution followed by the Monistat and Lamisil...hurray!... but what started out as a few yellowed, cratered scales on her right breast area on her underside, that I started to treat immediately when I found it 4 days ago, has gotten bigger and darker, fast! It's still a yellowish but darker yellow with a darkish grey/blackish border and bigger, from a few scales 4 days ago to about quarter size now. From only a few scales 4 days ago to quarter size even with diligent treatments. I'm concerned, especially since her chest/underside area was immersed in the betadine tea baths even before I noticed the few scales starting to turn yellowish. Well, I'm trying to be positive, doing the soaks and treatments religiously, and cleaning her {and Talon's } house everyday, wiping down everyday with the diluted chlorhexidine solution, and changing out blankies every day, fresh paper towels on the floors. If the yellow fungus spreads anymore like that on my Moya, and that fast, I can see ANOTHER vet visit in my near future. Moya is in forced Semi-brumation. She was in full brumation til I had to start waking her daily for treatments on the beard fungus. The lights are all on in her house, temp up to norm, she sleeps til she wakes somewhere around 2:30 or 3pm. Then her very short day starts. Moya is so loving, she just wants to bask or be held when she's not sleeping. I do her soak and treatment last, when she get done and is covered with the monistat and lamisil all she wants to do is cuddle for a while, can't just tell her "no cause ya got fungus" so I put her up on my shoulder where she snuggies down into my neck and goes to sleep for a bit. My neck gets covered in monistat and lamisil but I don't care. That's why I do her soak and treatment last so she can get some cuddle time and then I pop in an afternoon shower when I put her to basking. I'm so glad I'm retired. I really do love my Beardies! :love5: :D
And for Dargo, my amazing cute sweet curious little guy who is so healthy, growing like a weed, active, and just all around adorable. He loves to chase roaches and he's amazingly fast! No roach has a chance when Dargo sees it. He loves to cuddle, burrows into my blouse and settles down doing that wiggle thing to get comfy, buries himself into my hair and just hang there for a bit looking around. My husband said if Dargo could talk the look on his face says "Hey, what you lookin at?" My husband stays close when I have Dargo and I stay close when he has him because his second favorite thing in the whole world to do is JUMP! :shock: into, out of, off of, over, under, around....and we have both caught him, whew! We tend to stay low with him, I have lots of floor pillows I have always said were for our grands to use while playing their play station games here. {YUP I'm a progressive granny :lol: got my own playstation !} Those pillows come in handy with Sir Dargo! Never can walk with Dargo just hanging on ya, you gotta be holding him or he JUMPS to anywhere. I love that he is so little and am enjoying him so much, but I'll be glad when he gets a bit older so he quits giving us a heart attack! :laughhard: I really do love my beardies :love5: :D
Well that's the latest news and update from Amanda and Kim's Beardie Funhouse. More later as their stories continue.....
 

dragonlover3

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
Hi,
Just an update on the crew.
The 2 small spots of fungus that were on Moya's beard are all but gone! :blob5: It is hardly noticeable at all where it was but I'm continuing to treat it anyways and will for a while. The spot on Moya's right breast area that started out as a few yellowed scales on the 13th, had spread to about quarter size on the 17th has been slowly creeping over her underside, even with diligent treatment daily. :banghead: Now, today, on the 21st it has spread so it now looks like the state of Florida...across the top and down the right underside. It was at the vet visit on the 10th he found a dime size spot on her right side behind her right arm in amongst and above her right side spike row. I have been diligently treating her everyday with the betadine soaks, chlorhexidine scrub wipes and monostat and lamisil applications..... and yet it's spreading. I just don't know how to get a handle on it and I'm a freak about not touching my other dragons or anything else while caring for Moya hoping it doesn't spread to them! :banghead:
I'm happy we are retired! :D Our morning and early afternoons are busy. We feed, medicate, supplement and bathe Dargo and Zhaan first, They LOVE dubia roaches and inhale them! :laughing6: I do a quick clean on their vivs, fresh paper towels and switch out to 2 clean blankies each. {all of our dragons get 2 fresh, clean blankies everyday}. Zhaan is still on the Baytril for her respiratory infection so I medicate her after she eats something. {I give both her and Dargo bee pollen and acidophulis in squash baby food every day with the afternoon feeding.} We hold them for a bit of snuggy and playtime. They love to be at the desk...big executive desk, lots of safe roaming area We don't let them down for floor time yet, they would bolt so fast! They are still too young and my husband and I are to old :laughhard: {Talon and Moya will both come trotting when their name is called and fingers snapped.} It's a welcome fun time with the little ones. They both are so high energy and curious. Dargo is just a trip! He's a jumper. He'll settle down like he's all chill and the second your guard is down he knows it and leaps. Happily we know this and are prepared. We make sure we have lots of padding and floor pillows around. He will leap, do a 10 point olympic landing and then look up to say..."see, I can do it, you worry too much"... :lol: Whew! Zhaan is doing better, no wheezes or mucus, so I'm hoping this course of Baytril finally kicks her respiratory infection out. She's halarious. She likes me...alot...she likes my husband too but prefers to hang on me just as Dargo likes me too, but prefers to use my husband as his jumping board. When I put her to resting on one of the heat socks on the desk for a bit while I type something she will watch and if Dargo, who's on the other heat sock starts walking over toward me she will bolt up my shirt and stare him down like ..."Nope! find the other human, this one is mine" :lol: They really are so funny and wonderful! Well, after their morning routine then we settled them to basking.
Then we do Talon. He's not eating much, a nibble here and there, a worm here, a roach there, but his weight is stable so I think part of it is the time of year slow down, that and he's back on Baytril AGAIN! He has another respiratory infection with mucus around his lips, respiration's popping and crackling like rice crispies and occasional gaping out of his basking area. I'm so frustrated that it won't go away and stay gone. I think it's going to be a life long chronic issue with him because of his early gross neglect. I think it did damage his immune system. After several courses of antibiotics, and having good health care in the form of many vet visits and counting, healthy food, supplements, perfect consistently warm temps, clean viv, UVB, etc., the respiratory infections just keep coming back! While my husband feeds and watches him so he can get a little run around time on the floor and does some snuggies, I do a quick wipe down of his viv and basking rock with hibiclens, put clean paper towel flooring down and change out and give him his 2 clean blankies for the day. I'm still treating the spot on his tail that is all but gone so he still gets a betadine soak and chlorihexidine scrub wipes and lamisil/monistat applied. Talon is so laid back and such a mellow dragon. He will let ya do anything to him and just lay or hang there looking at ya and he's a snuggler too, but he definitely rules the roost! We let him down for a short bit of floor time, not long as I don't let him get cooled down. He loves to run around and he makes his way around to sit in front of each the vivs for a few moments to black beard and bob at everyone and let them know who's in charge, he even black beards and bobs at Moya's house though she is sleeping under her blankies and he can't see her :roll: :D .... After he's eaten, meds, bath and treatment he gets settled basking. Then it'd time to bleach and disinfect everything. We have clear, flat sweater boxes we use for their baths, they are put in our tub and sprayed down with bleach and washed with antibacterial soap, rinsed and sprayed down with bleach again and left to drain in the tub. Sounds like over kill, but I'm a nurse and we're fighting fungus on only 2 of our 4, hoping to keep it just 2 of 4! All the towels and blankies hit the washer and we do a quick wipe down, counter top, the viv door nobs, the top of the desk is wiped down with hand sanitizer though only Dargo and Zhaan are allowed on it right now. The sweater box tubs are rinsed for a final time and dried with some old rag towels that hit the washer too. Tubs are put away, counters wiped and the trash is emptied cause of the used paper towels. Then it's Miller Time...lol....well coffee time since we don't drink alcohol :D Then I get to do up some of my real house work...lol...I have a touch...a lot....of OCD, not kidding, I really do, meds and all :laughhard: so I am compelled to clean, almost constantly cleaning up or organizing something. :roll: It drives my husband nuts but he likes a very clean, very organized house :shock: :laughhard: Moya doesn't wake up til around early afternoon. Then it's her turn. My husband holds her for some snuggle time as she is still very sleepy. She isn't eating anything yet as she is still semi brumating, we offer but she refuses. I weigh and record it every few days. She's holding but IS loosing . She started out at 410 grams in November when she started to brumate, lost a few grams down to 403 grams and stayed there at 403 gms thru 4 weekly weight checks while brumating. Since being awakened out of full brumation for daily fungus treatment she has lost faster than when she was in full out brumation. She is at 389 last weight check a few day ago. We had discused her weight at her last visit to the vet on the 10th. She weighed 394gms at the vets office. I was concerned about the weight and her being awake and not eating. The vet said not to be concerned since she wasn't loosing a large amount of weight, don't force feed her since she is still in brumation even though I'm waking her daily for treatments, and just keep an eye on her weight. He said dragons can loose some weight while brumating and are fine. He knows I belong to this forum and I told him I've seen people come on here and say their dragon hasn't eaten in 4 weeks and has lost 1/2 it's body weight what can they do.. :shock: and they put a pic up of this poor pitiful, underweight, starving looking dragon. I told him OK, I won't force her for NOW, but I am only comfortable letting her get down as far as say 380gms and if she goes below that I'm feeding her! He said OK but to call him first before I start force feeding her and let him know how she was acting, if she had woke up out of the brumation yet and her overall condition. So that's where that is. 389gms a few days ago, no signs of her wanting food and still very sleepy. While my husband holds her I am wiping out/cleaning her viv. I do the same hibiclens wipe down of walls floor and basking rock, clean paper towel flooring and 2 clean blankies a day as I do in Talons house. Then she gets her betadine bath, chlorihexidine scrub wipes, and lamisil/monistat applied all over her beard, even though those 2 tiny spots are almost gone, and I apply the lamisil/monistat to the top right side of her body, all along down the length of her right side spike row and cover her entire underside. I read you are supposed to treat the fungus spot and at least an inch around it, well I treat at least an inch :shock: ...way more hoping to get it to stop spreading. While my hubby cleans and bleached her stuff, wipes down the outsides of all the treatment stuff, bottles and tubes and puts those away and wipes the counters down with bleach solution, I wrap her up in a blankie, she's sleepy anyway and covered in antifungal ointments and hold her for some snuggies and lovin' time since when we put her back she stays in her house til later evening. Then we hit the bathroom for an early afternoon shower and clean clothes.....just to make sure any fungus spores that may have got on us are not spread.
Then it slows down for the rest of the day, just the afternoon/evening feeding, acidlophulis and bee pollen supplement and pushing extra fluids on the 3 that are eating.
So, Dargo is healthy and fine and growing well a quite a pisser :blob5:
Zhaan's respiratory infection is much improved, wheezing all but gone, no mucus noted in her nose or on her lips, her appetite is good and she's growing well and such a sweet girl :blob5:
Talon's respiratory infection is improving, not popping as much, less mucus on his lips and in his mouth and he's got more energy as he's feeling better. I just want him well and happy! :blob5:
Moya's still semi brumating, and the fungus is spreading on her belly even with treatments :cry: I keep her lights on and it warm, if she isn't up herself by 2pm, I wake her for treatments and make sure she basks at least an hour and a half before I let her wonder off to snooze. I'm calling Doc Keller Monday to discuss the oral antifungals since the topical isn't helping, and it' spreading. I know the oral antifungals are horrible and harsh. I'm hoping with the excellent nursing and support care I can give her it will make a difference for her. I just want her well and happy!
Well that's the latest news and update from Amanda and Kim's Beardie Funhouse. More later as their stories continue.....
 

ShannyBeard

Extreme Poster
What a frustrating fungus on Moya! I can't believe it is spreading in one area and cleared up in the other. At least you have the small victory of the beard, and I hope the underside will get the hint and clear up as well. I feel bad for Talon and his URIs. He is lucky to have you willing to take all that care of him and spend all that money. I know, I know we don't ever mention money and the care of our pets in the same sentence. The financial burden is what it is, and it's non-negotiable. There are just not a whole lot of people willing or able to persist financially and Talon is so lucky you and your husband have such big hearts.

Everything you do for them is overwhelming to read, I can only imagine how it must be as a daily routine. You would have to be retired to do everything you do each day. I love how certain dragons attach themselves to each of you. We have that here, too, but it's more because of our split duties. We each have our own dragons that we take care of, and pitch in to 'help' each other as needed. I've go to say, our respective dragons are a reflection of ourselves. I have a little anxiety and so does my Ginger. Otto's Maya loves to be on his keyboard or is laptop, and he works in the computer field, so it's fitting that she is a 'computer lizard.' :lol:

I was very interested to read your disinfecting routine. I have a similar issue here, not that anyone has anything obvious, but I don't want anything passed from dragon to dragon and all of our dragons haven't had fecals yet, so we are super careful. I also wash my dragons in their own tubs, they have their own syringes and everything I use on them is labeled with their names. We do the hand-sanitizer routine and I'm pretty specific on how we handle everyone and everything. I also work in the healthcare field - in a skilled nursing/assisted living facility - so I am also wired to be careful.

You are a busy lady! :shock: I love reading about your beardie life. :D
 
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