At vet!

[Momofadragon]

Currently at the vet. Doing an ultrasound on my beardie. She hasn’t pooped in like 2 weeks. Dr thinks could either be impacted or follicular stasis. Anyone have any experience with this?? He said if it’s the follicular thing they might have to spay her. Single parent here with low budgets so I’m hoping I don’t have to dry out my wallet

 

[Momofadragon]

UPDATE: So little miss had a build up of poo. After the ultrasound, she passed a big amount of poo. So that is the cause…but they also ran a parasite test and it showed an alarming amount of Protozoa…he said likely from the fresh greens…the tech didn’t have much advice on a preventative measure so I was curious if anyone has advice on that. I do wash her veggies. Maybe more aggressively washing??

 

[Sadie]

UPDATE: So little miss had a build up of poo. After the ultrasound, she passed a big amount of poo. So that is the cause…but they also ran a parasite test and it showed an alarming amount of Protozoa…he said likely from the fresh greens…the tech didn’t have much advice on a preventative measure so I was curious if anyone has advice on that. I do wash her veggies. Maybe more aggressively washing??

Going to have a vet tech look at your post - will get back w/ you

 

[Momofadragon]

Going to have a vet tech look at your post - will get back w/ you

Thank you. She is home and seems to be better.

 

[Skybug]

Thank goodness it wasn’t her lady bits!!! Surgery for a dragon , especially to spay her would of not gone good…….. what kinds of veggies are u feeding? If the veggies have lots of texture bugs hide in them better.

 

[Momofadragon]

Thank goodness it wasn’t her lady bits!!! Surgery for a dragon , especially to spay her would of not gone good…….. what kinds of veggies are u feeding? If the veggies have lots of texture bugs hide in them better.

Thank you! Same here. I usually feed her collard greens and mustard greens. Some cucumbers, blackberry’s, blueberries…I guess maybe I’ll need to start washing better.

 

[StellaG]

I would wonder about other things myself. If greens were an issue wouldn’t we all have parasites? She would be more susceptible if she doesn’t have a healthy digestive tract to begin with which could be related to temps, lighting and diet. Parasites can also be from insects/feeders. Are you feeling only captive bred or does she have access to wild insects? I’d also suspect higher counts with constipation as that is slowing the digestive tract and everything is sitting there longer growing and fermenting. That all said, I am a newer beardie owner and not a vet.

 

[Skybug]

Its probably the black berries, those are hard to clean.

 

[Momofadragon]

I would wonder about other things myself. If greens were an issue wouldn’t we all have parasites? She would be more susceptible if she doesn’t have a healthy digestive tract to begin with which could be related to temps, lighting and diet. Parasites can also be from insects/feeders. Are you feeling only captive bred or does she have access to wild insects? I’d also suspect higher counts with constipation as that is slowing the digestive tract and everything is sitting there longer growing and fermenting. That all said, I am a newer beardie owner and not a vet.

Yea I thought the same thing about that. Like I even asked if there was a wormer like we use for dogs and horses as a preventative and he said no…so I’m like ok then what do I do as she gets greens every day. He said just make sure you wash them.

no she doesn’t get any outdoor bugs. I go to the same shop for her roaches. The only thing I can think of is maybe the wild dandelion greens I was picking.

 

[Momofadragon]

Its probably the black berries, those are hard to clean.

Well she didn’t even eat those. She’s super picky. I’ve tried lots of different fruits and veggies that are on the ‘safe’ list and she doesn’t eat them…that I notice. I was feeding her wild dandelion greens too so I’m thinking maybe from that??

 

[Skybug]

Well she didn’t even eat those. She’s super picky. I’ve tried lots of different fruits and veggies that are on the ‘safe’ list and she doesn’t eat them…that I notice. I was feeding her wild dandelion greens too so I’m thinking maybe from that??

Definitely the wild greens, idk if veggies can be sprayed with a mild baby soap?? And rinsed real good?? Im not as educated on veggies as i should be (my girl bearly eats them) hows ur beardy looking today?

 

[Sadie]

Going to have a vet tech look at your post - will get back w/ you

This is what the vet tech is asking--- if you got blood work done please post so she can read it

After looking at the thread, what happened at the vets? Is the dragon
back home now?
So the dragon did not prolapse, right?
It is likely having some calcium issues I assume. Did they do any type of
tests on her, like blood test or x-rays?

 

[StellaG]

Well she didn’t even eat those. She’s super picky. I’ve tried lots of different fruits and veggies that are on the ‘safe’ list and she doesn’t eat them…that I notice. I was feeding her wild dandelion greens too so I’m thinking maybe from that??

Possibly the wild greens as they are more likely to have bird droppings, cat or dog feces on them. Washing may not get rid of all of it. I would not recommend washing any produce in soap. I know it’s not recommended for humans so I wouldn’t do it for my pets either. Not sure if it’s an option for you but you could get dandelion seeds and grow them in a window in your home if she likes those greens in particular. Would you be willing to share your husbandry so we could see if there’s anything to adjust there that may help with her digestion?

Type of lighting used, temps on cool, warm and basking. Lighting timing - how many hours per day. Feeding schedule, frequency and time of day. Supplement schedule and type used and how it is used. How often did she poop prior to this two week constipation? How often do you sanitize the enclosure and what solution do you use? What does her poo and urate look like? Also, how long have you had her? It can also help to share a picture of her enclosure.

We may not know how she got the parasites but reviewing the above may help with prevention in the future as infections are part exposure and part not having a healthy system to fight them off(if the exposure is only a small amount).

 

[Momofadragon]

This is what the vet tech is asking--- if you got blood work done please post so she can read it

After looking at the thread, what happened at the vets? Is the dragon
back home now?
So the dragon did not prolapse, right?
It is likely having some calcium issues I assume. Did they do any type of
tests on her, like blood test or x-rays?

Hi Sadie! I posted an update right after I posted the thread. No bloodwork was done. Said she had an alarming amount of Protozoa. Gave me ‘wormer’ to use once day/7days. Ultrasound is how they identified it was a bad case of constipation due to the Protozoa

 

[StellaG]

@Momofadragon I ran across this post doing some other research today and thought you might find it helpful. It also explains some of the questions/suggestions I had regarding husbandry and how that can contribute to and or prevent parasite infections. Here’s the link: Bearded Dragon Infections

 

[Momofadragon]

Possibly the wild greens as they are more likely to have bird droppings, cat or dog feces on them. Washing may not get rid of all of it. I would not recommend washing any produce in soap. I know it’s not recommended for humans so I wouldn’t do it for my pets either. Not sure if it’s an option for you but you could get dandelion seeds and grow them in a window in your home if she likes those greens in particular. Would you be willing to share your husbandry so we could see if there’s anything to adjust there that may help with her digestion?

Type of lighting used, temps on cool, warm and basking. Lighting timing - how many hours per day. Feeding schedule, frequency and time of day. Supplement schedule and type used and how it is used. How often did she poop prior to this two week constipation? How often do you sanitize the enclosure and what solution do you use? What does her poo and urate look like? Also, how long have you had her? It can also help to share a picture of her enclosure.

We may not know how she got the parasites but reviewing the above may help with prevention in the future as infections are part exposure and part not having a healthy system to fight them off(if the exposure is only a small amount).

Hi! Ok so her basking temp is 97.2. I don’t have a temp for the cool side but it imagine it’s close to the temp of my apartment which is 78. We don’t usually have it that warm, usually my apartment is 75. She has a mvb on for over 12 hours a day. I think it’s 100w but I’m not positive. I feed her roaches about 2x a day. Usually 5 at a time. Always has fresh greens available. Chopped mustard greens and collard greens. I was giving her chopped dandelion that I grabbed from a friends house, she got some unwashed dandelion. My guess is that is what gave her parasites. The enclosure is zoo med terrarium 36x18x18. I’ve never sanitized her terrarium. Should I? Poo has always looked brownish green. Heated always white with some yellow. I’ve had her since April. My boyfriend said the breeder we got her from said at the time, she was 4-5 months.

 

[Sadie]

Hi! Ok so her basking temp is 97.2. I don’t have a temp for the cool side but it imagine it’s close to the temp of my apartment which is 78. We don’t usually have it that warm, usually my apartment is 75. She has a mvb on for over 12 hours a day. I think it’s 100w but I’m not positive. I feed her roaches about 2x a day. Usually 5 at a time. Always has fresh greens available. Chopped mustard greens and collard greens. I was giving her chopped dandelion that I grabbed from a friends house, she got some unwashed dandelion. My guess is that is what gave her parasites. The enclosure is zoo med terrarium 36x18x18. I’ve never sanitized her terrarium. Should I? Poo has always looked brownish green. Heated always white with some yellow. I’ve had her since April. My boyfriend said the breeder we got her from said at the time, she was 4-5 months.

What brand of MVB are you using? Good ones are PowerSun and Mega Ray --- others not so much --- where is the MVB -- placement and distance for these bulbs are crucial - I would recommend getting another UVB as most do not emit enough UVB and then the dragon is not getting what he needs -- a 24" fixture Zoo Med Sunblaster Nano or a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ either a Repstisun 10.0 T 5 or a Arcadia 12% bulb ---- I dont know how old the MVB is but it would need to be changed out here in 6 months from time of install ---- after that I would suggest getting rid of the MVB all together and get a regular bright white basking bulb that keeps temps 95-100 and then you have the UVB as well - they are easier to keep things w/ the lighting - MVB you need to change around to get correct temps and UVB blah blah blah -- daytime cool side of tank should be around 80's or so --- and yes I would get some F 10 from Walmart.com its spendy but a really good disinfectant -- or Rescue or some Zoo Meds Wipe Out --- every time she poops I would clean w/ some F 10 --- follow directions and I would take out most of the decor till its gone only keep a few pieces in the tank that way your not washing stuff constantly only what she needs --- what kind of substrate are you using --- paper towels would be good for now if carpet throw it out --- tile is good easy along w/ textured NON adhesive shelf liner ---

 

[StellaG]

What brand of MVB are you using? Good ones are PowerSun and Mega Ray --- others not so much --- where is the MVB -- placement and distance for these bulbs are crucial - I would recommend getting another UVB as most do not emit enough UVB and then the dragon is not getting what he needs -- a 24" fixture Zoo Med Sunblaster Nano or a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ either a Repstisun 10.0 T 5 or a Arcadia 12% bulb ---- I dont know how old the MVB is but it would need to be changed out here in 6 months from time of install ---- after that I would suggest getting rid of the MVB all together and get a regular bright white basking bulb that keeps temps 95-100 and then you have the UVB as well - they are easier to keep things w/ the lighting - MVB you need to change around to get correct temps and UVB blah blah blah -- daytime cool side of tank should be around 80's or so --- and yes I would get some F 10 from Walmart.com its spendy but a really good disinfectant -- or Rescue or some Zoo Meds Wipe Out --- every time she poops I would clean w/ some F 10 --- follow directions and I would take out most of the decor till its gone only keep a few pieces in the tank that way your not washing stuff constantly only what she needs --- what kind of substrate are you using --- paper towels would be good for now if carpet throw it out --- tile is good easy along w/ textured NON adhesive shelf liner ---

Just to add to the why the above may help reduce risk of future infections ( Sadie, correct me if I’m wrong, you have way more experience than me, I’m mostly going off research and some of what helped turn things around for my beardie).

1. Adequate temps help with digestion and immune system
2. Reptile carpet holds and harbors bacteria. It’s hard to keep clean and dry.
3. I use a bleach solution to disinfect and after it sits, I rinse with water. This is what is recommended by our local reptile breeders and exotic vets and it’s cheap. 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water.
4. Adequate UVB and light are good for the immune system (vitamin D production is good for bones and immune). You are doing good it sounds luring a circadian rhythm which also helps the immune system.

This is one of the better priced T5 fixtures I’ve seen. The ones in pet stores are overpriced. https://reptilighting.com/collections/domes-fixtures/products/t5-light-fixture-no-uvb-bulb-included

 

[Sadie]

Just to add to the why the above may help reduce risk of future infections ( Sadie, correct me if I’m wrong, you have way more experience than me, I’m mostly going off research and some of what helped turn things around for my beardie).

1. Adequate temps help with digestion and immune system
2. Reptile carpet holds and harbors bacteria. It’s hard to keep clean and dry.
3. I use a bleach solution to disinfect and after it sits, I rinse with water. This is what is recommended by our local reptile breeders and exotic vets and it’s cheap. 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water.
4. Adequate UVB and light are good for the immune system (vitamin D production is good for bones and immune). You are doing good it sounds luring a circadian rhythm which also helps the immune system.

This is one of the better priced T5 fixtures I’ve seen. The ones in pet stores are overpriced. https://reptilighting.com/collections/domes-fixtures/products/t5-light-fixture-no-uvb-bulb-included

Vivarium are ok the better fixture would be the Zoo Med or Sunblaster Nano or the Arcadia Pro T 5 -- they are not that much more if you look here www.pangeareptiles.com you want a 12% bulb for the Arcadia and you would need to order the Reptisun 10.0 T 5 for the Zoo Med and the Sunblaster - https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjA0In0= 24" fixture
as far as carpet -- its a pain in the neck to wash all the time - but it is up to the person --- some textured NON adhesive shelf liner from walmart or your local home improvement store cut to the size of the tank clean w/ vinegar/ water 50/50 that is going to cut down alot of infections -- the tank stays cleaner --- the yellow in the poop could be too much calcium how much are you feeding -? or other supplements your giving as well - is the urate dry and chalky looking

 

[StellaG]

Vivarium are ok the better fixture would be the Zoo Med or Sunblaster Nano or the Arcadia Pro T 5 -- they are not that much more if you look here www.pangeareptiles.com you want a 12% bulb for the Arcadia and you would need to order the Reptisun 10.0 T 5 for the Zoo Med and the Sunblaster - https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjA0In0= 24" fixture
as far as carpet -- its a pain in the neck to wash all the time - but it is up to the person --- some textured NON adhesive shelf liner from walmart or your local home improvement store cut to the size of the tank clean w/ vinegar/ water 50/50 that is going to cut down alot of infections -- the tank stays cleaner --- the yellow in the poop could be too much calcium how much are you feeding -? or other supplements your giving as well - is the urate dry and chalky looking

My Zoomed T8 was $100 here in Washington, thank you for sharing the Pangea link. They are much cheaper for a T5. Nice!