Very bloated and struggling to move, generally not well!

[jsj]

Hello,

I`m worried about my bearded dragon, I`m going to make a vet appointment asap but would love to know what could be wrong?

She is a female, I have had her for 2 years and she was around a year old when I got her. She has never been a big eater but will have a couple locusts everyday. She is going to the toilet regularly, but its always very small.

Since the beginning of the year I noticed her central body has been getting quite large in comparison to the rest of her, I thought she was just putting weight on. But recently she looks so bloated! And her legs and tail are on the thin side. I have tried gently feeling for blockages etc but it just feels soft to me, no sign of eggs? And she has been like this for a while now.

She doesn`t look great in herself. Hard to put my finger on, just a bit gaunt? Also very lethargic.

Normally I just let her sit on my lap when I take her out, but earlier I placed her on the floor and watched her move. She is very stiff and clearly struggling to move, plus she looks so bloated,It has really scared me!

She has a megaray bulb in her viv but NEVER sits under it, so I`ve just got a arcadia 12% bulb I`m going to put in instead. Also my local pet shop got in some liquid calcium last week so I have been giving her that.

Setup & Care:

4 foot viv
Housed alone
110 - 80 with digital thermometer
Paper substrate
Food dusted
Greens offered but never touched
Bathed once a week/fortnight


After seeing her struggle to move It was very upsetting.
If anyone can help I would really appreciate it.

 

[jsj]

This is a pic of her I took 2 or 3 weeks ago:

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh my, she does appear swollen & bloated yes. Do you have a vet that see reptiles?
You did not mention any lighting that you are using currently?
What type & brand of UVB light are you using right now, is it a flourescent tube bulb or a compact or coil light? How old is it?
What type of basking bulb do you use?
What type of thermometer are you using, a round analogue stick on type, a digital probe or a temp gun?

Please answer the questions so I can help you further, thanks.

Tracie

 

[jsj]

I have found a zoo-vet that sees reptiles, it`s a bit of a journey but I`m going to make an appointment on Monday.

She had a reptisun 10.00 for around a year, then I replaced it with a megaray 100w a few months ago. But she wont bask under the megaray , so I`m going to put an aracdia 12% tube in tomorrow. I use a digital probe thermometer.

Thanks for replying

 

[jsj]

Sorry that`s a mistake. She hasn`t had the megaray for a few months, I meant a few weeks.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Ok, super.
Well, your lighting seems to be fine then.
So, during that year, did you replace the Reptisun 10 flourescent tube bulb, or not? That could have caused some problems, though, I do not think it would be this much of a problem, especially since you have been using a Megaray recently. Sorry I missed that in your earlier post, I just noticed the setup & care & had missed the previous sentence speaking of the lights.
What type of basking light will you use with the Arcadia D3 12% tube light? A halogen works really well & they are nice & bright too.
She has never laid eggs that you know of? That still could be a possibility, that she has retained some from a previous time.
I recommend getting a blood test done, & an x-ray as well.
Also, other possibilites are renal problems, liver problems, which are somewhat common.
Please let me know how she is doing.
The fatpads on top of her head are dented in so she is dehydrated somewhat. Can you get some oral fluids into her? Just use a plastic dropper or a plastic syringe to drip water onto her nose to see if she will take fluids that way.
Perhaps the liquid calcium will help her out a little bit. If she is not eating, try getting some chicken or turkey babyfood & mix it in with squash babyfood to give to her for some nourishment.
Keep me posted with what goes on at the vets. I hope we can get her on track.

Tracie

 

[jsj]

I had the same reptisun 10 bulb in for 1 year, then replaced it with the megaray.
I put the arcadia 12% in with her today (and reflector made from aluminum foil), along with a normal household bulb. Hot spot now 105. She definitly seems to prefer basking under the tube.

Gave her a bath earlier and she had a little drink, but whenever I try giving her water from a dropper she refuses. Very stubbornly! Will try her on the babyfood you recommended tomorrow, as she is not really eating.

She has never had eggs before.

Very worried about her and am going to phone the vet first thing Monday, she really is struggling to move (so stiff). Barley moved from one spot all day.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

So she seems to like the new Arcadia tube bulb then? Is the basking light place beside the Arcadia on one end of the tank?
She definitely needs to see the vet for some blood work.
It is a possibility that she could have retained eggs, but hard to know without an x-ray. Not all females lay infertile eggs. She sure is bloated though, poor girl.
While the Reptisun 10 should be replaced every 6 months, I don't feel that she has metabolic bone disease as she did have a Megaray & if she was low in calcium that should have zapped her out of it. The Arcadia D3 12% is a great light.
Please let me know how she is doing. I am worried about her, also.

Tracie

 

[jsj]

Hi,

I visited the vet on Wednesday, he checked her over and gave her an x-ray.
Turns out that it is fluid making her so bloated, possibly caused by a heart or liver disease?
He also said that this is putting some pressure on her lungs.

He gave me a diuretic to give her twice a day, to try and flush out some of the fluid.
Then to let him know if it has worked in two weeks.

He told me it would take effect quickly and to expect lots of runny stools.
But it has been 3 days now and there has been no increase in her bowel movements or their wetness.
I have tried to keep her as hydrated as I can with baths, and a large water bowl in her vivarium. But she still refuses to lick water droplets off her nose. I have forced her to take water a couple of times (using a cotton bud to pry open her mouth and squirting water in with a dropper) because I`m concerned that with the diuretics she`ll get dehydrated. He also told me that she would have to take diuretics forever, would this be right?

If anything she is looking worse since seeing the vet, and has stopped eating completely.

The vet said if this doesn`t work the only other option is to drain the fluid out of her, but he wouldn`t want to do that because there would be too high a risk of her getting an infection in her gut from the bacteria on her skin.

Not sure what to do next?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Did they not do any bloodwork on her? That is the next step to make, we need to see what is going on inside of her. I am surprised he did not do any blood work, that is important. The bloating is a symptom not the problem. Something is causing the bloating, & we need to figure out what is causing the bloating & water retention.

Did the x-ray show anything else other than fluid around her heart? Or was it specifically around her heart? Any eggs, or not?
Which diuretic was given & what was the dosage? You have not seen any changes at all?

Well, depending on the condition, it could be possible that she would have to stay on a diuretic off & on to control water retention.
It may take a little longer than projected to rid excess water as reptiles respond to things a little more slowly than mammals do.

How do her eyes look, are they sunk in or are they elevated? Is her beard darkened at all?

Was he a reptile vet?

I will do some more research for you. It is most likely going to be renal, liver, or heart related, which at this point, is an emergency.


Tracie