What Happened?

[EeveeChan]

I haven't been able to bring myself to post anything about it and I didn't get much of a good look the day he died because we buried him right away.

Pogi, as said by my Fiance who helped me the day he died, looked bloated, and there were strange markings on his belly around his butt. I'm sorry to say that this was all we could find that night. My brother, when I was on the way home from a Christmas Eve gathering, said he had put himself in a corner like he usually did.
EX:

Before all of this happened, Pogi ate normally and he showed serious signs of Brumating for the first time. He ate and defecated (usually a big one as I read) just before I thought he would. I cleaned his cage practically every time his carpet got bad. I did sanitize it and rinsed his terrain so that he wouldn't get harmed. I gave him calcium powder which his crickets on occasions. He ate vegetables ( I couldn't get him to eat greens ). I can't think of what I could have possibly done wrong.

I truly have no clue as to what this could have been. We considered a parasite, but I'm not fluent on the diseases a bearded dragon. Any suggestions could help me out some as I'm still healing over him and wish to find another for a friend.

 

[Tonja]

Without a necropsy <animal autopsy> you may never know why he died. I lost my 2 year old on the 28th of December and have wondered and fretted over him thinking I did something wrong. I know I haven't as he had everything he needed to be healthy and had no wants whatsoever. Do not beat yourself up over it. I have my suspicions as to why mine died but wont go into it here. I am so very sorry for your loss. It will take time, but you will have another friend when you are ready. I got a new baby the day mine passed away to help fill the void in my heart from losing mine. That may sound cold and callous but for me it was the right decision. No words can ease the pain of losing a pet but just know hes whole and healthy in beardie heaven and looking over you. Again I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[EeveeChan]

Thank you, Tonja, for giving a reply.

I do agree that I would not have been able to tell what it was without a necropsy and can't help but to beat myself up a little. I was going to get a Uromastyx at the store I bought Pogi from, but I'm now a little uneasy because of how Pogi ended up. Eventually, I'll be able to find a new friend when I'm ready. And thank you again. This did make me shed a few tears, but no harm in this.

 

[EeveeChan]

So, today when I went to the pet-store I got my beloved Pogi at, I finally had a discussion with the man that sold Pogi to me a year and a half ago and my fiancé mentioned something he didn't tell me because he thought I would get upset. (I did, but I can't help it...)

The night we came to find Pogi the way he was, Nathan, who cleaned out the cage for me since I was emotionally unstable, said that on the belly was a little hole and as he turned Pogi over, it came open and he said he saw little black things on the inside. Now I'm on to thinking that he might have actually had a parasite, but unless he would have looked inside further, he might have known. All I can say is that he said that it looked like something had ate at him, either that or he popped from being bloated?

 

[Tonja]

Its hard to tell from what you have said but its possible he had an abcess that opened up. I am not saying that is what it was mind you but, if he was that bloated its possible a tiny tear in the gastrointestinal tract happened from the material gathered in his gastrointestinal tract got into the peritoneal or abdominal space and caused an infection. Again I am not saying this is what happened but he may have had a touch of peritonitis causing an abcess that broke open. From what you are saying, the black stuff could have been either necrotic tissue or fecal material from his gastrointestinal tract. This is pure speculation on my part from what you are saying. They can pooh but there is always some left in the intestines still being digested. Again hun I am sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how you felt on hearing what you did. I don't know if parasites can actually eat through the skin and scales but may be able to create an abcess if he was so full of them that his little intestines split open but that would have to be a very heavy load and personally I have not heard of that happening. Not to say it cant. Again its speculation on my part. I still say you did nothing wrong and should not beat yourself up over this. Beardies are so good at hiding pain or illness many times you don't know something is wrong till its to late to really do anything about it. So please know you are not alone, sometimes things happen that are out of our control. HUGS

 

[EeveeChan]

Thank you, Tonja.
It was just a weird thing, if not sad, to hear. I think I recall that he said the black specs were moving even? This lead me to think "internal mites?" But there's no such thing. The absess sounded like something he could have had. Pogi, before this happened, I think didn't digest his food very well? The poops he had weren't very... Normal. They were runny and smelly for a day or two because I treated him to carrots, but they never were very digested the last week I had him. (I guess I'll be googling what bearded dragon feces looks like. )

Again, I thank you. I'm not struggling as badly. Just piling up some money to build a cage for my next companion.

 

[parodyofagirl]

I am so very sorry for the loss of your Pogi.


Most younger bearded dragons that die suddenly without showing any symptoms were almost always born with a defect (like an aneurism) in their cardiovascular system.


I saw the sad picture of your Pogi on your blog back in December. While I am not an expert, I do believe that whatever caused his death was sudden and painless. He looks like he fell asleep in his corner like he did most nights and he simply didn't wake up.


You have my heartfelt and sincere condolences.

 

[EeveeChan]

...I do believe that whatever caused his death was sudden and painless. He looks like he fell asleep in his corner like he did most nights and he simply didn't wake up.

I thank you for your speculation. I hadn't considered whether he wasn't in pain when he went. Assuming this is how he did die, it makes it a little easier that he was probably not in any pain. He is now one with the Earth and free of any pain he may have had. <3