Trichomonas and dehydration issues

[rngrinnell]

I have had my bearded dragon Apollo for about 8-10 months now. I got Apollo at Petsmart against my own better judgement and knowledge. With that being said, I don't need someone to tell me that I shouldn't have purchase from a pet store because I am well aware of this. I think we have all felt pity for the animals in those small overcrowded tanks but I would like to add that this was not a spare of the moment pet purchase...

I had been doing research for a month prior to getting Apollo and I have owned several reptiles in the past (crested and leopard geckos) so I felt like I was ready to move on to a Beardie because I had been wanting one for years. However, the amount of information online can be overwhelming and very contradicting from one post to another. I would like to say that I have done all of the things you're supposed to do... I took Apollo to the vet less than a week or two after I got him for a wellness check and he did end up having pin works, trichomonas, coccidia, and one other parasite that I can't remember without looking at his paperwork. He was able to kick all of the parasites except trichomonas and he has been struggling with traces of that parasite since that first vet visit since 9 months ago.

He has been to the vet about ten times and at this point we have spent about $2500 on vet expenses for Apollo and he isn't even a year old. In fact, he just got done with two vet visits this month. This time we were told he still hasn't kicked the trichomonas because the parasite seems to be resistant to all of the antibiotics that he has been given (I will update the meds he has been on when I get home to the paperwork). To add to this issue, his stool hasn't been formed in moths and our vet is aware of this. His favorite green is kale and we have now stopped feeding it to him per vet instruction because we fear it may be the cause of his runny stool. In addition to all of that, the runny stools have caused him to dehydrate quickly and Apollo is stubborn when it comes to drinking water... he refuses to drink in the bath and does not lick when he is misted and its only occasionally that we can get him to drink by putting droplets of water on the end of his nose. We just got through the process of having to administer fluids with an needle and syringe and it broke my heart to have to cause him pain but I had no choice.

Apollo seemed to act very normal for several days after he got the fluids and now he is going back in his hide during the day and hasn't pooped for several days... he also hasn't shed in a long time either. At this point, I'm not sure what to do. I am doing everything the vet tells me and Apollo is still not feeling well for more than a few days at a time without another issue arising. I feel helpless and I feel even worse for Apollo. Has anyone else had this much trouble with a Beardie? Is this normal for a beardie to always seem to have a health issue? I'm at my wits end and I am considering re-homing him but I have a hard time trusting that a stranger (or even someone I know) will be able to afford to take care of him or take him to the vet when he is ill. Most people don't seem to put the importance on other pets the way they do a cat or dog and I want Apollo to have the best life he can... and while I financially was ready to own him, I don't think anyone would expect to have $2500 in vet bills within a year in addition to all of the other costs that come with owning a reptile.

I need advice from anyone who has owned multiple dragons or owned beardies for several years but any advice is welcome. Please let me know if any of you have had this many issues.

Thanks in advance for any help on this.

 

[AHBD]

Something very important....how was he acting before the vet visit + all the meds ? I belive that he has been WAY over medicated. The trichomonas + other parasites/bacteria are something that most reptiles live with , they almost all carry salmonella as well. They don't have to be purged of every bacteria/parasite, and the long term use of antibiotics can do more harm in the long run. Let him have kale, water it down and let him get hydrated. I'd stay away from a vet that took 2,200 $ with no results for your dragon. Give him some probiotics [ even fruit flavored, non dairy from Walmart ] a bit of bee pollen and keep offering his fave insects.

But the question is, how was he acting before all the meds. were given ?

 

[rngrinnell]

Something very important....how was he acting before the vet visit + all the meds ? I belive that he has been WAY over medicated. The trichomonas + other parasites/bacteria are something that most reptiles live with , they almost all carry salmonella as well. They don't have to be purged of every bacteria/parasite, and the long term use of antibiotics can do more harm in the long run. Let him have kale, water it down and let him get hydrated. I'd stay away from a vet that took 2,200 $ with no results for your dragon. Give him some probiotics [ even fruit flavored, non dairy from Walmart ] a bit of bee pollen and keep offering his fave insects.

But the question is, how was he acting before all the meds. were given ?

He was acting fine for the first few weeks that we had him but he began to get yellow fungus around his vent area and that was the second vet visit we had and when the meds started. To be honest with you, we didn't have him that long before he was put on meds but he did seem pretty happy and normal as a baby. Now he is a pretty good sized juvenile but not overweight... He started going in his hide and spending the day in there for about two weeks... this started about a month and a half ago and at that time he hadn't been to the vet in 2 or 3 months. I took him to the vet because he never had a "final poo" before he began to do what appeared to be brumating. The vet was able to get most of the semi fermented food out of him and he seemed to feel a lot better but he was then put on antibiotics for a few days and the fluid for 14 days (8 cc's every other day for two weeks). The fluids really seemed to help him and the vet that I take him to is the only one within 3 hours of me... Should I stop the antibiotic he is on now? We only give it once every 14 days for 4 doses and he has only had one dose... Btw, his temps are correct in his cage and his stools still aren't formed. What should I do about that?

 

[AHBD]

Oh no, the poor guy has yellow fungus too ? That itself is very often deadly. Can you post pics of him + his Y.F. areas ? Here's how :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload them.

The meds. given once every 2 weeks seems reasonable , do you know the name ? And has he been on a probiotic at all ?

 

[rngrinnell]

Oh no, the poor guy has yellow fungus too ? That itself is very often deadly. Can you post pics of him + his Y.F. areas ? Here's how :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload them.

The meds. given once every 2 weeks seems reasonable , do you know the name ? And has he been on a probiotic at all ?

No, he does not have yellow fungus. He got it about a month after we got him and we took him to the vet. He got meds for the fungus and the parasites he had at the time. They yellow fungus cleared up very fast and most of the parasites were knocked out back then... Give me a few minutes to find his paper work and I will upload his entire medical history.

 

[rngrinnell]

I will post Apollo's full medical history below. I have all of his records since the first time we took him to the vet. Hopefully this will give you some insight on what might be going on with him. Also, I wanted to add that we got Apollo early August 2017 and he seemed lively. I think it is also important to mention that I took him back to the vet at the end of March was because he seemed to be brumating and I have heard it's a good idea to have a vet check them out before they brumate since the symptoms can mimic a more serious issue. That being said, Apollo also WOULD NOT poop and I feared that the food on his stomach would rot and cause even more problems since he was no longer basking. Apollo has been looking great since we went to the vet in late March... he perked back up and we got him well hydrated... and today he has laid in his hide all day and hasn't pooped in almost a week. We have bathed him and massaged his stomach and I don't know what else to do.

DISCLAIMER: I realize I exaggerated about the amount of times Apollo has seen the vet, it has been 5 times and he is due for a re-check in 4 months or so to make sure he is in good health. However, the monetary amount was very close to being accurate.

9-25-2017
DIAGNOSIS: Pinworms (parasite), Trichomonas (parasite), Coccidia (parasite), Dermatitis (yellow fungus).
WHAT WAS DONE: Reptile physical exam, fecal collection, intestinal parasite screening.
MEDICATION PRESCRIBED: Pyrantel Pamoate, Metronidazole, Voriconazole, Ponazuril.

10-16-2017 (30 day re-check for previous visit on 9-25)
DIAGNOSIS: Trichomonas, traces of Coccidia.
WHAT WAS DONE: Radiograph, Intestinal parasite screen.
MEDICATION PRESCRIBED: Voriconazole, Panacur 10%.
WEIGHT: 70 grams

12-01-2017 (60 day re-check for previous visit on 10-16)
DIAGNOSIS: Trichomonas, Coccidia.
WHAT WAS DONE: Reptile recheck exam, Intestinal parasite screen, fecal direct and float.
MEDICATION PRESCRIBED: Ronidazole, Sulfameth.
WEIGHT: 186 grams

3-30-2017
DIAGNOSIS: Trichomonas, Dehydration.
WHAT WAS DONE: Reptile medical problem exam, preanesthetic screen, bile acid test, fecal collection, fecal direct and float, intestinal parasite screen, removal of fermenting food.
MEDICATION PRESCRIBED: Fluids (8cc every other day for 14 days administered by needle and syringe), Metronidazole.
WEIGHT: 391 grams

4-16-2017 (14 day re-check for previous visit on 3-30)
DIAGNOSIS: Traces of Trichomonas.
WHAT WAS DONE: Reptile recheck exam, fecal collection, fecal direct and float, intestinal parasite screen... RECOMMENDED RECHECK IN 120 DAYS.
MEDICATION PRESCRIBED: Panacur 10% (15 units every 14 days for 4 doses).
WEIGHT: 380 grams


Please take a moment to reply if you have and advice since my vet clearly doesn't have all of the answers to get him feeling better.