What the vet said...

[FJM]

Hey,

Just want your opinions. I took a fecal sample in to the vet yesterday to have tested, which i did last year around the same time, before brumation starts. Except this time they had to see the beardie first. They would not test it without seeing her. I was very annoyed that i would have to take more time off work and spend another $100 that i don't really have to spare. (I know she's healthy, i follow all the advice on this site like it's my Beardie Bible. At least the advice that i see recommended over and over again. I have a lot of trust in the knowledge/experience that long time keepers have shared)

So i grudgingly made the appointment and googled the new vet that's looking after exotics there (there was a very experienced reptile vet there until recently). No mention in her credentials that she looks after reptiles.

Took her in, they asked all the right questions and i had all the right answers. Except where it came to water intake. Malys (2.5yrs) has never lapped water on her own, even in the bath. I make sure her veggies are wet when i give them to her and i do give her regular baths.

Despite hearing "It's nice to see a healthy beardie for a change", she suggested i get a moss hide, soak it in water and put it in her tank, and the vet quickly lost any points she'd gained during the first part of the examination. (i had also told her that i only keep a hide in the tank during the cold months, for brumation). I spoke up and mentioned that i thought beardies needed low humidity and she said, no they need some humidity and this would help. (fyi, I'm in Nova Scotia and it is REALLY humid here this summer)

The intern that was there learning about exotics had come in to the exam room first, introduced himself and said that he was interested in reptiles and was telling me about an "iguana" that him & his wife had. He thought about it for a minute and than said that no, it was a bearded dragon but he stumbled on "bearded dragon" like he still wasn't sure that was the right name either. I pointed at Malys and said "bearded dragon". He said "yeah, i thought it looked similar". Neither of them knew what an MVB was until i clarified the acronym.

So to make a long story longer...just looking for the right answer in case i am wrong on the hide and the water issue. Can any dehydration be solved by adding humidity? Also, just want to mention that i don't think she's dehydrated. She has some folds on her back that you can see when she turns her torso. Her weight is 412g.

Do your vets also prefer to see your dragons every year? Do you take them every year even if your pretty sure they're healthy. Just wondering what the overall consensus is.

Thanks for reading my long post
Florrie

 

[Goonie]

No, adding a moss hide will not help with Malys' dehydration issue. If anything, it'll promote the risk of respiratory problems.

By no means follow what the vet and vet tech suggested. They obviously ARE NOT herp specialists and should never had agreed to see your beardie.
Most vets would perform the fecal without seeing the pet first. If, and only if, the fecal came back positive for parasites would they need to see the pet.

Unfortunately, you need to find a new vet.

 

[isabelleandpaul]

I guess a really good vet is difficult to find. I like the one I have, she's the only one doing exotics in a 500 km radius, but the only thing that bugs me is that she wants me to feed pinkies. I never did, and never will. Otherwise she's great.

But adding a wet moss???? She would probably not drink from that...It would raise humidity, but... How would that make your beardie hydrated, assuming she was dehydrated?

Good luck finding a new vet, if that's even possible for you!

 

[FJM]

Thanks for your replies. I do plan on finding a new vet. I've already called around and there's a vet at the same place i take my cat too that does have reptiles listed under his profile as "special interest" and when i called them they said he even keeps a corn snake in his office. I will not be going back to the place i had her yesterday. And i won't be putting a moss hide in either thanks so much for your input.

I do worry about her hydration because she doesn't drink but i think because i worry about it so much she is getting enough from baths and wet vegetables. She is a very happy healthy beardie thanks to this site

Florrie

 

[Goonie]

Try looking through Herp Vet Connection for a licensed practicing herptologist. In addition, you want to look for keywords such as "experienced in treating" or "worked with/at". Other than that, they're just a regular vet.

As for getting her to drink, you might want to give the eyedropper trick a try. Pookie had never drank out of a bowl or in his bath, ever. I tried everything including dipping my finger in water then touching the tip of his mouth -- nope. Finally, I remembered that I had a children's medicine dropper leftover in the kitchen drawer and gave that a whirl. Voila! Now as soon as he sees the dropper, he'd tilt his head back and wait for the water to come.

 

[FJM]

hmmm! I will try that ! I've tried all the same things as well and i have fed her baby food with one of those eyedroppers. I'll try it tonight, thanks!

Thanks for the link as well, i'll check it out.

 

[Treehorn]

This is a comment and question wrapped all up in one.

If you asked me a few weeks ago I too would have said that my beardie never drinks from her bowl. But I always put one in anyway. Then one day I was walking by her viv (she had not seen me yet) and she was drinking. In over a year I have never seen her do that, but honestly she is shy also wont eat her greens unless I leave her alone also.

So here is my question (sorry if I seem to be hijacking). If given a bowl of water wont most dehydrated animals take to it? Are beardies really going to sit in a viv with a bowl of water and let themselves suffer? I mean nobody is feeding them with a medicne dropper or giving them baths in the wild.

Just something that I have always wondered.

Thanks.

 

[drgnfly2265]

I have a water bowl in my BD viv and I have caught Midna drinking out of it once. But when I did catch her drinking from it she quickly stopped, like when I catch her eating her greens. I always like to give her the option of drinking whenever she wants.

I would definitely find a new vet. Hope your next vet visit is a lot better!

 

[BaskingBaby]

Just want your opinions. I took a fecal sample in to the vet yesterday to have tested, which i did last year around the same time, before brumation starts. Except this time they had to see the beardie first. They would not test it without seeing her. I was very annoyed that i would have to take more time off work and spend another $100 that i don't really have to spare.

I'm a vet tech so I wanted to chime in here....we would probably do the same thing at my hospital and I imagine the others in the area doing that as well. If we haven't seen the pet in over a year, we would need to see it before doing anything like that. Especially if the vet has never seen the animal before, they won't run a fecal or urine without an exam. And of course even if they did have parasites like you said, they wouldn't prescribe medication without seeing the animal. Good for you for taking him to the vet though! That's great he gets checkups.

 

[Looneytoon]

Alright I have 1 of the best BD vet in Charlotte NC, he's the president of something in BD, sorry the wife knows the correct title. But yes he want to see the the dragon for the first time of course (understood). After that the vet will take fecals for $35 great price I think with out seeing either one of my dragons. Will give me a report on what they found and let me know if I should bring them in if things look bad.

Also I do not keep water in my vivs but give daily baths and water on all veggies and (and my male loves grapes water there) Poo is always good soft white part and other part has got some moistness to it.

I think if ur BD looks plump good looking poo and regular poo check ups ur doing a good job.

 

[amylee159]

Frequent baths are all they need A moist hide will definately not help the problem! :roll: