Truly Reaching Out For Help...

[Valerie]

That is wonderful! Wouldn't it be nice to have 5 days off with less stress??? :roll:

 

[mistygirl]

It sounds like he is really making a comeback. He looks great (from the last pic with his full belly). Sounds like he is starting to hold things inside a little longer so perhaps he is absorbing some nutrients before he poops it out. I am glad he is turning around. I will continue to hold you & Leo in my thoughts and prayers. I also hope your fiancee's back is feeling a little better. Back pain is just so awful.

 

[Menolly07]

Maybe he's dropping the nymphs in your lap as a present, a sort of "Thanks for taking care of me Mom! I'm feeling all sorts of more improved!" Perhaps you should just say thank you and pretend to eat it. Sharing is caring.

 

[Valerie]

menolly,
Thanks for the chuckle and gross out of the day!

 

[Drache613]

Hello Megan,

It sounds like Leo is starting to turn around now! I sure hope so, he deserves a break as do you also!
He sounds very happy & content now though so hopefully he is feeling good. If his loose stools are less frequent then he definitely should be getting more nutrition now.
Great job & enjoy your extra time with him now.


Tracie

 

[nordica]

Okay, so first off @Menolly07 - BWAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! And also... :bleick: Good one. :lol: :lol: :lol: My Dad had a cat years ago, named "Bill". Bill used to bring "presents" to the back door for my Dad; mice, rats, birds, etc. He'd meow and cry and throw a hissy fit to be let in (which was normal), and when my Dad would open the door for him, Bill wouldn't enter until my Dad reached down and loved on him, and praised him for his "contribution" to the family. Then Bill would saunter in, extremely pleased with himself... and my Dad would wait until Bill was around the corner and out of eye sight before throwing away said "contribution", because he didn't want to hurt Bill's feelings. :wink: They had the most awesome relationship between a man and his cat that I've ever seen. :love5:

So sorry for not posting any Leo update yesterday, but we were throwing a Super Bowl party, and things just got crazy busy. Between my whirling dervish impression of house-cleaning while my Fiance prepared all of the food (he does the cooking, I do the cleaning) and having a house full of friends, I just didn't have the time to post. Other than the party though, not much happened yesterday. I gave Leo his customary scrub-and-soak (which he drank from again, out of the second fresh bath), and then fed him a little bit of slurry, about 4ml. He still looked so full from the previous day's dubia nymphs though, that I didn't try to feed him anything else. For much of the day, he just looked a little "off" to me, like he does when his tummy is upset. I worried throughout the day about having so many people wandering in-and-out around him (both he and Spaz are housed in our dining room), but there wasn't much to be done about it, and besides, we've had people over before and he's always done fine with it.

(*Side note: When I receive my tax refund and build everyone their new custom, stacking enclosures, I plan on adding black-out curtains or some other thick fabric curtains that can wrap around the front, effectively shielding everyone from any excessive light or visual stimulation, for when needed as they're in a high-traffic area.*)

Anyway, this morning seems to be going better. I gave him his morning scrub-and-soak, then his meds, and then about 4ml of slurry. I brought him to our spot on the couch, where he was a good boy and ate eight dubia nymphs for me. Since he's been eating the dubias so well for me, I started dusting them with calcium and multivitamin powders every other one-or-two feedings, as opposed to adding them to his slurries (I've since bumped up his vitamin intake ever since he started becoming truly and seriously ill; when he's well he gets them once a week). He did so well for me, that even when he spat out a now-customary, half-masticated, twitching mess onto my lap, I didn't mind as much. :wink: The biggest difference I've noticed in him ever since finding that I can get him to eat whole food is the lack of excessive diarrhea. For the past few days now, he only has his one big-ol' poop in the morning, and while it's still a little runny, it's the only one he'll have all day**. I'm convinced that it was the slurries-only diet (along with the meds, I'm sure) that was causing the horrible diarrhea, but I had felt like they were my only option with regard to feeding him, as I'd never been able to get him to eat anything else before. I really do believe though that everything him and I have gone through recently, all the notes I've taken, the close watch on his every move and habit... I believe that it's enabled me to work with Leo and find the ways I needed to tailor my tactics in order to suit how he responds.

I've ordered about 250 wax worms, which should be shipped out today; if I can feed him dubia nymphs, then I KNOW I can feed him those. I don't plan on switching entirely to wax worms, as they're not all that nutritious, but using them as an addition to the dubia nymphs. He just so needs to put back on some of the weight he's lost.

I can not thank every one of you enough, for your help, your suggestions, and your kind words. I really don't think Leo would have made it had I not come here. I have faith in my Vets, but sometimes professionals gets stumped and hit a wall too, and it's because of your suggestions (specifically MissT's and Tracie's!!) that we ran alternate tests based on my bringing in new information. There's a part of me that feels like I let Leo down, by not posting here with my situation sooner; perhaps it might not have gotten as bad as it did had I not waited so long. I can only hope that he's truly turned a corner now. After his meds are done (in about a week and a half), I plan on taking him back to the Vet, to run another full blood panel, have x-rays and an ultra sound done that specifically focus on his GI tract and lungs, and, finances willing, have follow-up cultures ran. That's a tall order though, so I may have to split the cost into two separate Vet visits. :wink: I just don't want to make the mistake of thinking he's healthy without having the tests to back it up.

Well, Leo is contentedly basking under his lights now, with a nice round belly, and I'm still in my bathrobe on the couch, watching "Tank Girl". I'd say it's a nice morning all around. :wink:

(**EDIT: I just checked on Leo, and he's pooped again in his tank. Oh well, two times is better than the four he was doing a week ago. :wink: )

 

[mistygirl]

Thanks for updating all of us. It really does sound hopeful that he is on his way back. My baby girl loves waxworms but she doesn't get them all the time. They are small, but from what I understand kind of fatty. My reptile supply store said they are good when you are trying to put weight on them and they are easy to dust with calcium because they are a little bit "ridged". She would eat them until she exploded if I let her. I guess that is why she likes butterworms too. Hornworms too but only smaller ones. and silkies but kind of small ones there too...hope he likes them because they will put some weight back on him. Good luck with the vet. I know tests are costly but worth every penny

 

[Menolly07]

Oh wow!! What amazing news to get to read!! I could absolutely cry, I'm that happy for you. I had a barely there case of pinworms with my guy and was beside myself. That is incomparable to poor little Leo!! You deserve a beardie momma of the year award!!! When he is all the way thru I think Leo will have joined some amazing dragons on the "skin of their toenails with love" list.

 

[ShannyBeard]

Finally it sounds like you have his quality of life back for him. What a gift. Keep up the amazing, caring, incredible and compassionate work. You are so dedicated to your big guy.

 

[Drache613]

Hello Megan,

Wow that is great Leo is doing so much better now! That has to be a huge relief seeing him doing better now & not having the diarrhea he had. I agree, the slurries & meds probably did contribute to all of that, poor guy.
I hope that he puts on weight for you. The waxies are fine for treats & to help put some weight on now! Once he is totally off of the slurries & eating solid food he should be back to normal.

That is a good idea to get a final blood test on him soon. It sure does add up though, all of the vet bills!
I am glad I could help a little bit, but you did all of the work! You have done a phenomenal job with him so don't feel like you let Leo down at all.
Keep us posted on him!

Tracie

 

[ladyjustice33]

I read this entire thread and am so glad your little man is doing better. I can't imagine going through what you and Leo have been enduring. It's truely inspirational all the love and dedication you have shown for your beardie. After reading all this, I'm taking both my newly aquired beardies for a vet check up and fecal on Friday morning just to make sure everything is as it should be. I've had reptiles for years, but am new to beardies and don't want to take any chances. It's amazing how quickly they steal your heart. I lost my Mom to cancer this past August and my beardies make me smile and laugh all the time with their little antics at times when I would most likely sit there crying and feeling sorry for myself at how unfair life can be. When I'm at home with my puppy dog cuddling on my lap and I look over at my beardies in a funny position or doing something silly, I can't imagine how I ever got along without them! Thank you for sharing your story and I hope Leo continues to thrive and stay well!

 

[nordica]

@ladyjustice33 - I am so, so very sorry to hear that you lost your Mother in August, and I applaud you for finding a positive way with which to deal with your grief. Everyone heals themselves differently, and not everyone does so in a healthy way, so find your smiles and laughter, no matter how small, and you will get through this. Remember the good times and fond memories you shared with your Mother, and keep them close to your heart.

So nothing new happened yesterday. Leo had his morning runny poop, followed by his morning "soak-and-scrub". He ate about 4ml of slurry, and six medium dubia nymphs, and then spent the remaining portion of the day basking away under his lights.

Today saw something a little different. Leo still had his morning runny poop and his soak-and-scrub. He ate another 4ml of slurry, and was also given his meds, of which he took with minimal stubbornness. When it came time to assist-feed him his dubia nymphs though, he turned into an absolute brat. In the time it normally takes me to get him to eat about seven or eight of them, he had only eaten two and a half... the other front half being spat onto my lap. I have now come to learn that a dubia head, if left with a few legs attached, can crawl around for an insanely long time, emulating something right out of "The Walking Dead". Anyway, right as I was getting a third dubia nymph into him, there was a knock on the door... MY WAX WORMS HAD ARRIVED!! When I opened up the package, I was pleasantly reminded that I had also ordered some butterworms. So I ditched the dubias, and switched gears. I'm very happy to say that I got him to eat five butterworms and FIFTEEN waxworms.

He is presently basking under his lights, giving me an epic stink-eye for all of the manhandling. :wink:

My Vet also called today, to check in on Leo once again. I gave him the update, saying as how he still seems to be stabilized, though he's continuing to show his symptoms of forced exhalations / regurgitating / swallowing. He asked if Leo had started putting back on any weight, and I told him that while I *have* seen his number slightly rise, I believe that opposed to actual weight gain it's simply a volume of as-yet-digested food. I'm unwilling to stop feeding though and let him clear out his system so as to get an accurate weight though. Hindsight being what it is, I'm now wishing that in addition to regularly weighing him, I had taken regular measurements of the base of his tail, to see if he's storing anything yet. I'm hoping that feeding the waxworms and butterworms will help him bulk up some. Anyway, the Vet and I agreed that once Leo is done with his meds, we'll run the x-rays and ultrasound that focus on his upper GI tract, to see if everything is in proper working order or if there is an obstruction of sorts.

Because he's been such a good boy for me recently, I bought Leo a new little companion to watch over him when I can't. As of yet though, Leo does nothing more than ignore him though. :wink:

 

[mistygirl]

Leo really is adorable. And your devotion to him is beyond compare. My vet said waxworms are like M&M's for beardies that they LOVE them and that is certainly true of my baby girl. Sounds like Leo is loving them too. I have been following this thread for a while now and I am so happy for you and Leo. It sounds like he is doing so much better. I continue to hope and pray for his continued recovery so you can spend your time enjoying him and not getting the old "stink eye" for forcing his slurries and dubias.

 

[nordica]

Apparently Leo is hell-bend on being a brat today. He had his morning poop... which was just about the only thing he's done so far without a fight. He wiggled and fought me during his subsequent soak-and-scrub, fought me during his meds (I gave them a day early; I won't be here tomorrow because of work), he fought me during his slurry (I maybe got 2ml into him), and he fought me during his feeding of waxworms and butterworms. I didn't give up though until I had gotten 5 butterworms and 10 waxworms into him. *satisfied smirk* I didn't even bother with trying for a few dubia nymphs. Honestly, I'm thinking that he wasn't all that hungry because he had eaten so much yesterday, but I wanted to get something substantial into him, because I'll be gone tomorrow for work (I have to leave tonight).

He really does look absolutely miffed at me right now. :roll:

Eh, I figure he'll get over it. :wink:

 

[PonchoandDaddy]

Bless your heart! Way to go on not giving up though! I'm just greatful he has the energy to put up a fight! Keep us updated, I think about him all the time.