Vet Visit

[emberNchester]

I took Chester to the vet today because it seemed like he was showing signs of an early URI and I was concerned. He's been bloating his tummy, resting his head upwards when he sleeps, making a strange popping noise and opening his mouth, and this morning he yawned and made a wheezing noise. This has all been sometimes and the yawning was just once so far. I didn't want to take chances and I rushed him to the vet. When I called I specifically asked to make sure they had a Reptile Specialist which they said they did. So I took Chester in and met the vet and he checked Chester's mouth and listened to his breathing and everything. He was impressed that Chester was calm for the most part ? Except for when the vet forced him to open his mouth but I wouldn't be that calm either. Anyways, ultimately the vet said that he didn't hear any abnormal breathing or anything else to be concerned about. He said that mainly he thinks Chester may just be adapting to his new substrate (paper towels bc I mistakenly used Sand earlier). Told me that Sand holds a lot of bacteria in that isn't good for him and it could cause a URI possibly. But he said that Chester doesn't seem like he has a URI but that his throat may be too dry which is causing him to make those noises. He told me I should UP the humidity a little bit. Or "steam" Chester a little by keeping him in the bathroom when someone is showering. I didn't understand at first and I still kind of don't but since he was the vet I was going to blindly trust. Until the food subject came up and he told me that bearded dragons could eat any veggies and fruits that humans can eat. Then I got really skeptical. I told him the veggies I've been feeding him and I said that I know grapes are poisonous. The vet said: "eehhhh but a grape here and there isn't gonna do anything. Just don't feed it to him regularly" and proceeded to say: "oh and dragons are omnivorous so you can even feed him a bit of boiled chicken here and there if you want. They can eat practically anything really, within reason."
And I've never heard that they can eat chicken or grapes or that they could eat" practically anything". So I need to know, do you think that "steaming" Chester is the proper "cure"? Do you think his diagnostic is plausible? I don't really know if I should trust him.
Here's Chester's current setup:

Idk why it sometimes makes the picture sideways.
I think he said Chester was either 58 or 68 grams. I forgot after our conversation but he said it was healthy. Chester is 8" with a nipped tail. He seems really stressed too and I think it's because he still has leftover shed on his hands and tail. I asked about that too and the vet said it's because there's not enough moisture to shed it. I'm inclined to believe that statement though.

I keep his temps between 80-105 on the hot side and never below 70 on the cooler side. I feed him Dubia Roaches and Silkworms. I try to mix in some mustard greens in with his food so he can't avoid it.

 

[SpacialCoogs]

Here's a good nutrition list for beardies. I've never heard that grapes are poisonous for beardies. They're a feed rarely but not a feed never.
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

You can feed them chicken, some people will use chicken baby food for beardies who aren't eating and need protein or to help them take medication.

What is the current humidity in your tank? If it's too low then that could be what the doctor is referencing, the steaming wouldn't hurt him, just give him a bit of moisture. I've showered with my dragon in the room before. It might help too with the stuck shed. I would recommend a nice warm bath to help him shed that skin.

 

[emberNchester]

Here's a good nutrition list for beardies. I've never heard that grapes are poisonous for beardies. They're a feed rarely but not a feed never.
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

You can feed them chicken, some people will use chicken baby food for beardies who aren't eating and need protein or to help them take medication.

What is the current humidity in your tank? If it's too low then that could be what the doctor is referencing, the steaming wouldn't hurt him, just give him a bit of moisture. I've showered with my dragon in the room before. It might help too with the stuck shed. I would recommend a nice warm bath to help him shed that skin.

Yeah, I know grapes are poisonous which was the main reason I started to distrust the doctor. He told me that grapes were ok in "moderate" amounts. I'm just thinking ok well then I guess Anthrax is also ok in "moderate" amounts too.
Anyways, I give Chester a bath at least one or two times a week and when he was shedding I didn't have time to bathe him all the time so I would mist him. I tried not to overmist because I didn't want him to get an URI but I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I was leaving for work today and right before I was leaving, Chester was still waking up a bit but he puffed his beard and bloated his tummy out. like a balloon. I'm going to give him another bath today and hope that gets better.
The vet did say he didn't hear anything in his lungs so I'm hoping so hard that he's right about his diagnostic at least.

 

[Gail]

Grapes aren't poisonous to dragons, where did you here that? Many people, myself included feed grapes and have for years.

No fruit is good to feed regularly, I only give it 1-2 times a week at most.

I think your vets advice sounds fine, nothing he said screams idi0t to me.

 

[emberNchester]

Hey guys,
So I ended up taking the vets advice and it was the worst mistake. I was right about it being a respiratory infection. His popping noises are becoming more frequent and he's now gaping when he sleeps and keeping his head up. He still bloats his tummy and beard out. I have no doubt in my mind that this is a respiratory infection.
My poor baby is having so much trouble now. I wish I trusted my gut with this. Anyways, thanks for trying to help. In the end, I should've just went to another vet like I was planning to. Now I have to figure out how to raise money for another exam and medicine.

 

[AHBD]

Yeah, the steaming part was not good advice at all, although grapes are O.K. I did reply on your thread in the E.R.