URI Infection? Useless vet!

[sukichey7]

okay so im not quite sure how to feel about what this new vet did but im going to be optimistic about it, and hope she does get better. (I chose to take her to a different exotic vet across town instead of the one we werent getting anywhere with)
the vet was very nice and respectful, i told her i wanted a culture to check and see exactly what it is before throwing her on antibiotics.
to make it short, suki is now on antibiotics, no culture was taken. the vet explained a culture would be like $100+, and that since her nostril did not have any discharge at the office, she didnt want to waste my money. which is ok and i understand but a part of me is worried still, i have NOT heard good things about beardies and antibiotics.

treatment:
one dose of the antibiotics we were given once a day, for three weeks. vet told me she should improve within 7-10 days and if she doesnt then she insists on bringing her in when she does have stuff oozing out her nostril, so she can be confident shes not sending air for tests.
suki was very angry at the assistant who demonstrated how to give her these oral meds, i just had to laugh.

please let me know below if youve ever experienced health issues or have had your bearded dragons on antibiotics before, is there anything i can do to help her get through this???

 

[CooperDragon]

I would offer plenty of water during antibiotic treatment. It will help protect her kidneys which can be harshly affected by antibiotics in the long term. I've had my guys on antibiotics for stints and generally it didn't have a negative effect except when on them for long term (longer than 7-14 days which is typical).

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh they were going to charge that much for a culture??
I really think that they should have tried to get some type of culture though.
Which medication is being given?
I agree, probiotics should be administered while she is on them, they really do help a lot
during this time, to keep their tummy settled.
How is she doing tonight?

Tracie

 

[sukichey7]

Hello,

Oh they were going to charge that much for a culture??
I really think that they should have tried to get some type of culture though.
Which medication is being given?
I agree, probiotics should be administered while she is on them, they really do help a lot
during this time, to keep their tummy settled.
How is she doing tonight?

Tracie

hello, i havent been home most of the day but when i woke up i gave her the meds like they said to, and read about probiotics and lots of water- is what lots of people are saying so i went upstairs and got her a medium squeeze bottle. i put equal ammounts bee pollen and probiotic powder both sold at @beardeddragon.co , mixed it with water and made sure she had all of it before i left. shes throwing a fit now lol and now associates people touching her mouth as a bad thing bc its usually forced lol, but we'll see if she takes it personally after the treatment.
the medication is enrofloxacin suspension treatment, she told me to give her 0.2cc of the medicine once daily.
i read the market for probiotics are usually all the same, no large differences in the products but i just have to make sure theres no dairy products hiding in there. (i checked and there werent any)
today i will be home (friday) all day and ill be watching her, how often should i be offering water? how often the probiotic powder & water??

 

[EllenD]

Bad news, again another vet that put the Dragon on Baytril without doing a culture. I'm not blaming you at all, $100 for a culture is ridiculous, but the problem is that if this doesn't work then you'll actually end up paying more money for this vet visit, the Baytril, then a culture and the correct medication, plus your Dragon will have taken a round of Baytril for no reason at all, which often causes appetite issues. I agree totally with Tracie, this is happening so often anymore that I don't even ask what antibiotic they prescribed or if they took a culture, I already know the answer to both questions. And in more than 50% of the cases (probably what, at least 5 times a week?) the dragon gets sick from the Baytril and the problem doesn't get better, and they have to go back for more meds.

Okay, I'm done with my temper tantrum now, it's not helping your Dragon any so I'm going to try to be positive, it's just so frustrating because it happens at every single Bearded Dragon vet visit. Every single one. So I needed to vent. LOL.

Do make sure to give her the Probiotics prior to giving her the Baytril, it's rough on their GI Tracts, and the Probiotics will not only ease her tummy, they will also help to prevent a secondary fungal infection. And as Cooper said, plenty of water, you may want to buy a bottle of unflavored Pedialyte to give her for the electrolytes. That can help quite a bit.

I really do hope that the Baytril is the correct medication to treat this sinus infection, because I don't want to see you have to take her back again and pay yet more money and have to put her on another antibiotic. She's been sick for over a year, that's the reason I'm just not understanding randomly giving her Baytril on a whim and a guess.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Poor girl, the baytril doesn't taste good. So, now it will be hard getting other fluids into her.
So just give a pinch of the probiotics powder, daily, mixed with water & or juice like apple or
grape. Maybe that will help out the flavor some. Be sure to give the probiotics 2-3 hours
apart from the meds to allow them to absorb better.
Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie