Worrisome "marbles" in belly

[emilybortz]

Hi all! I haven't posted here in quite awhile (school has taken over my life) but I wanted to share an issue that I'm having with Bean, and see if anyone has any insight into what my be the problem.

He was eating well up until the past week, when his appetite stopped completely. He's not interested in phoenix worms, salad, or baby food(usually a smash hit) and only seems to like drinking and hanging out in the bath. He has become slightly lethargic as well, but continues to poo every day, so I don't think it is an impaction issue.

I took him to the vet this morning, and the vet felt lumps in his stomach, which then led us to believe that Bean is a she instead of a he. The issue was that the lumps were like small, hard marbles, and though the vet suspects they're follicles, he was concerned that they were so hard. We felt his/her tummy, and it feels like he/she swallowed 6-7 miniature marbles. The vet did an X-ray, and the masses didn't come up as mineralised(which I guess means that its not anything that he swallowed), so he took some of Bean's blood and sent out bloodwork so we can hopefully know more tomorrow. He said he hadn't felt anything like this in a dragon before, so I'm still pretty in the dark as to what it could be.He did go without UV for a day last week when the power was out, but I doubt it could have caused this.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you so much, and I'll keep this post updated as I know more.

Emily

 

[emilybortz]

Some additional info: Bean has never been in contact with another dragon, so if they are eggs, they definitely aren't fertile. He/she also hasn't been digging at all, but can lethargy/no appetite be a sign of eggs?

 

[Cammy]

Loss of appetite can definitely be a sign of the presence of eggs, but usually females become restless rather than lethargic. They will run all about the cage and dig everywhere looking for a place to nest. However, if there was a problem with the eggs (dystocia maybe) then I would think it's possible for the beardie to become lethargic from stress. Do you have a nesting site just in case Bean does turn out to be a female?

I'm sorry I can't be of much help here. I'm curious to know what's going on with your baby. Let us know when you have an update. Hope everything's okay.

 

[emilybortz]

I don't have a nesting site, but if I know something more conclusive tomorrow I'll try to get one set up ASAP. Beany has been sleeping all day under the basking lamps. He/she wakes up every few minutes or so and looks around, but mostly just seems really sleepy. I'm trying not to get too worried before I know anything, but it's pretty hard. So many of our beardie related troubles would all be resolved if they could only talk and let us know what's wrong...

 

[NEROtheMONSTER]

Aww,I hope Bean is gonna be okay.Bean is such a cute name :love5: .

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Interesting!
Stress did not cause this nor going without UVB either.
Bean is not impacted on anything right?
It would be a good idea to confirm the sex of Bean, to be sure.
An ultrasound would be helpful as well, to see undeveloped or unshelled eggs/follicles if nothing was showing up mineralized on the x-rays.
Send me the blood test results when you get them & I will take a look at them.

Thanks.
Tracie

 

[emilybortz]

Lara - Thank you! Luckily, it is also a gender neutral name.

Tracie - Thank you so much, I will send you the blood test results as soon as I know something. Does lack of mineralization mean that it can't be eggs? Luckily Bean picked at some baby food and a couple of dusted wax worms today. No interest in the phoenix worms :/
My first hunch was impaction, but I gave him a bit of olive oil mixed with the squash babyfood the other day and a couple of hours later he had squash-colored diarrhea, however when he does poo(less and less now as he's not eating) he seems to be really straining to go, so I wonder what else is going on. I'm hesitant to syringe feed because I figured that if he's not eating, then force-feeding him/her might cause him pain, but I also want to make sure he/she has proper nutrients and loads of calcium should this be an egg-issue.

 

[kcarello]

Have you heard anything back yet?? Very interested to see what is actually going on with Bean. Let us know how he or she..is doing.
Kelly

 

[emilybortz]

Just got an email from the vet. Here it is:

"The bloodwork is further supportive of hormonal/reproductive activity and those are most likely follicles of her reproductive tract. She is having an appropriate physiologic repsonse and likely wont eat much while this is happening and that is normal. There is the small change there is pathology with her but too soon to say."

Luckily she(!!!) is eating more today, so I'm just keeping a close eye on her at the moment.

Emily

 

[kcarello]

Hmmm....so its safe to say that Bean is a girl!! Let us know what is going on,,if she lays or not...
Kelly

 

[jsnsan]

Did they give you a copy of the results? I'd send it to Tracie so she can peek at it as well. (Since she is such a sweetie and offered!!)

 

[emilybortz]

Did they give you a copy of the results? I'd send it to Tracie so she can peek at it as well. (Since she is such a sweetie and offered!!)

Yep, I responded with a request for a copy. Tracie is the best!

 

[kcarello]

Just gotta chime in on that last comment,,,,YES!! Tracie is amazing!!

 

[Drache613]

Hello Emily,

I would think that Bean is female. Since there are no chances of impaction, etc. I am surprised that the x-ray detected the follicles, they must be pretty far in development then. Before long they will show mineralization though.
Her appetite will be pretty large right now with them developing, so there is no need to decrease the calcium intake right now, it should fall as soon as her eggs are developed. She needs the extra calcium to shell them in the final phase of development. She will use all of that up & you will want her stores to be good when she is coming out of that.
You guys are trying to embarrass me.

I hope she is having a good day!
I will also PM you today, too.

Tracie

 

[emilybortz]

Thanks so much Tracie!
Here we are today - much better spirits