Truly Reaching Out For Help...

[pyffersnpaws]

I was just thinking the same thing... the pic of the poop looks like it is full of blended greens and such ... so maybe getting him some solid food (dubias) into will help it firm up some... fingers crossed... safe travels, and you'll be home soon for him.

 

[Drache613]

Hello Megan,

I had a quick question for you...
Did they ever run a check for giardia? That can cause diarrhea & other digestive issues if not treated.
How are his stools now?

Tracie

 

[nordica]

So Leo seems to be doing slightly better today. I'm wondering if the meds are finally starting to turn things around... *cautious optimism*

I woke up and checked on him, and was surprised to see that there was no pile of diarrhea waiting for me. I was thrilled... until I realized that my Fiance had already picked it up and changed out his basking towel. The whole underside of Leo's tail was still covered in smeared poo, but hey, at least I got a little help this morning. :lol: So I drew a bath to clean him off, drew another fresh one for him to soak in, and gave him all three of his meds. He took them really well, all things considered, and even managed to leap out of the sink at one point, in one big jump. :shock: He scrambled all over the towel that I had his meds laid out on, knocking most everything over, and even though I was a little exasperated, it was nice to see him have so much strength still. :roll: I fed him about 4ml of slurry, as I wanted something easy to digest to mix with the meds in his tummy, and then brought him out on the couch, all swaddled on top of the heat pad. Next I tried feeding him some medium dubia nymphs (oh, and when I say medium, they're about the size of a large man's thumbnail), and I'm happy to say he ate five of them! I'm equally happy to say that he didn't leave any half-eaten twitching carcasses on me this time either.

Anyway, I loved on him for being such a good boy, and then returned him to his tank. He basked for a bit, and then propped himself up on one of his fake plants, with his full belly just hanging out. It was so cute I just have to share:

He's kept everything down so far, though as he moved off to the side of his basking spot, I noticed that his beard is slightly darker, and he's breathing a little hard, though that's not anything new, or something that he hasn't done before, so I'm not *too* worried, but am keeping my normal close watch on him. I took a short video of his breathing, so show what I mean:

http://youtu.be/JBw-qXJx-wE

He hasn't had diarrhea since this morning, which I'm assuming is because of the dubia nymphs I've gotten into him over the past few days; he would normally have gone three times by now. I plan on ordering some wax worms this afternoon, so I can start getting those into him as well. Like many of you have suggested, I'm sure that it has been the slurries-only diet that's kept his stools so soft. I've just been so worried about his weight loss, that I tend to try to keep as much food in him as I can, no matter what it is. Everything has just been going right through him though, it just seems like his body isn't ABSORBING what I'm putting into it. Hopefully the whole food will help with this.

@Tracie - I don't know if he was tested for Giardia specifically. If it's something that simply shows up in a normal fecal float, then he's never had it, as it has never come up (and the Vets pretty much run a free fecal for me on every visit, as I'm always bringing in a poop sample). However, if he DOES happen to have it, the Flagyl that he's currently on will take care of it. :wink:

 

[ShannyBeard]

I can't believe the improvement! He looks so much better, too - more relaxed. That picture is worth 1,000 words.

And your fiance helped you....awwww..... :love5:

 

[warnisha]

He looks so much better!!!! I think you may have even got a dirty look there in that video!!! Lol and good news on the no more diarhea today!

 

[Valerie]

I am so glad he seems to be doing better. He does look good and satisfied in the picture.

 

[nordica]

So Leo had a nice big pile of runny poop waiting for me when I got up, which I kind of expected seeing as how he only went once yesterday. I drew him his standard bath to scrub him off, and then another one for him to soak in. He ended up drinking from his fresh bath again, same as yesterday. I gave him only a little bit of slurry, about 2ml, as I wanted to push the dubia nymphs into him today. Afterward, I swaddled him up on top of the heat pad, a nice bowl of the buggies by my side. With the exception of one that he chomped on and spit out on my lap... :bleick: ... I got him to eat SEVEN of them this time. :shock: I loved on him and praised him profusely, and then returned him to his tank.

Look at that full belly!!! :lol:

I've got to leave for work tonight, another of my short 30-hour trips, and while I always dislike leaving him, I'm not quite as stressed about it as I have been in the past. It just seems like he's finally turning a corner. I've got FIVE WHOLE DAYS off after this trip, and I simply can not wait!!

 

[Valerie]

Things are looking up now. I am so glad you are able to get some dubias into him!!

You had better rest/enjoy your days off! You deserve it. I am thrilled for you that you will be able to spend more time with him.

 

[ShannyBeard]

5 days off is a vacation for sure. How EPIC. It really sounds like the vets may have finally figured it out. I sure hope so.

 

[mistygirl]

He is looking good. I am hopeful that he turned the corner as well. and 5 days off!!! that is wonderful. Try to catch some rest in between loving him and hopefully he won't spit too many dubias into your lap You need time to refresh too. You have been working so hard and stressing over your beautiful boy.

 

[Menolly07]

I could cry stupid happy tears for you two. Between the five days to rest for you, lots of time with Leo AND time with Spaz and Helen (and Fiance?), it will do you such good. It seems like it's doing him such good, the meds, the nymphs *shudder*, even the reduction in slurry. Something magic! Yay!

 

[PonchoandDaddy]

I absolutely love his precious face and his big belly. Enjoy the time off with him! We are still praying for you both!

 

[Drache613]

Hello Megan,

Leo has a nice beardie belly indeed!
It sounds like he is slowly improving now. It takes so long for them to recover from something like this when their system gets messed up. At least he is eating some whole foods now though, that should help out.
Wow, 5 days off! That is great, he wont know what to do with mommy home so much. LOL

Tracie

 

[warnisha]

ahhhhh 5 days off!!!!! Enjoy enjoy enjoy!!!!!! and do some spoiling there too! Glad to see he is slowly improving! It will take time for him to bounce back I am sure but its at least an improvement!

 

[nordica]

So for the first time since Leo's entire tummy distress, I didn't wake up to find a pile of runny poop waiting for me. Granted, he left me one later in his tank, after we went through our morning routine, but still... I'm hoping that it means his body is starting to hold into some of what I'm putting into it.

I drew him his morning bath, which a drank a little from (that makes three times this week!). I'm wondering if he's drinking so much water on his own because I've cut back on the amount of slurries I'm feeding him, which is where he was previously getting all of his fluids from. I'm glad to see it though because he's on so many meds; I don't want him to get dehydrated. Anyway, I gave him his meds, which he took GREAT, and then I fed him about 4ml of slurry, as it's the easiest way for me to get his probiotics and bee pollen into him. Then I brought him to our usual spot on the couch, swaddled on the heat pad, with a nice bowl of dubia nymphs. I got him to eat EIGHT of them this time!!! And, of course, he simply had to spit out another half-masticated one onto my lap. :bleick: I tell you what though, if that's the price I have to pay for getting him to eat, I'll take it. :wink:

I loved on him for being such a good boy, and then placed him back into his tank so he could go back to basking... which is then when he took his morning poop, as mentioned above. Why he couldn't have gone in his bath which would have been easier to clean is beyond me. :roll: Like a good little (slightly twisted) beardie mommy, I examined his poop, and found a bit of undigested dubia shell, but not enough to worry me. I figure it's to be expected, what with all of the meds he's on; I know it's not the lights or an inadequate level of heat.

I'm so happy to now have five days off, as I can devote a little bit more time to him (and everyone else!), and really watch him and his improvement. He's now happily flopped out under his lights, with a nice full belly, looking content.