Rankins dragon wont eat

[Gemjar82]

Hi there

My 5 month old rankins dragon had an impaction and had it removed with an enema on Monday. He has pooped on his own since but he is refusing to eat. I am having into feed him baby food with calcium and crushed worms through a pipette and he then is eating a little but not much.
Is there anything else I can try? Hes been checked by the vet 3 times and has a health ok.
All temperature parameters and humidity levels are fine.
Please help, he hasn't eaten properly for 3 weeks now!

 

[Gemjar82]

We had to as tried everything else! He was on loose but not anymore. A pipette that you can suck up stuff with. Found it very hard to mix greens etc without massive lumps that its refusing to eat. He isnt weak, he seems ok but is just refusing to eat. Poo was wet but with urate but the first since enema and he only been eating the baby food. 100% organic, just veg, nothing else, no worries there. I have blended veg etc too and he will drink the water but not take the lumps.
Basking temp 41, hot end 35 and cool end 25. I have 2 digital probes plus an infrared too.

 

[Gemjar82]

Theres a UVB strip bulb with reflector at the top of the tank. It's a repti sun t5 I think, the highest UVB which off the top of my head was 20%

 

[Gemjar82]

Thank you. He stopped shedding about 2 weeks ago, I think that's the start of the impaction. Baths helped him have a couple of poops that first week but then they completely stopped and he stopped eating. He's certainly not gaining weight, but I was hopeful he would start to eat again once the impaction was cleared and he felt better. He basks but not directly under the light. I put him under the light after I've fed him what little he will take and he will stay there.he is often up the branch closest to the lamp. Or here.....see pic. Though he has his eyes shut right now

 

[Gemjar82]

He's pretty much always under the UVB when he's at the back. He has 2 logs that go up ap he can pick where he sits and a hammock at the cool end so he can get lots of UVB at either end.
He does move all over during the day just when I offer him food he just shuts his eyes and turns his head away

 

[heckhaven]

Is he drinking? If you pull up on his skin does it stay up or go back down immediately?
If he is dehydrated he will not eat, as dehydration will shut down the digestion system (and other body systems). Any living thing, including us, can go a long time without food, but need to be hydrated in order to live.

 

[Gemjar82]

Hi he is actually doing absolutely nothing. He was at the vet again yesterday and had an x-ray and mouth swab. The inside of his mouth is bright yellow and I'm fearing the worst! He has medication to poop as backed up again and some antifungal until we get the lab results. I am waking him to syringe feed twice a day.

 

[Gemjar82]

Sadly yes. He cant really get up near he bulb. What would too much UVB exposure do to him?
The vet thinks it may be some kind of fungal infection. The x-ray showed he was backed up again but he has had 2 poops since last night.

 

[heckhaven]

Hi he is actually doing absolutely nothing. He was at the vet again yesterday and had an x-ray and mouth swab. The inside of his mouth is bright yellow and I'm fearing the worst! He has medication to poop as backed up again and some antifungal until we get the lab results. I am waking him to syringe feed twice a day.

What are you feeding Him?

 

[Gemjar82]

I don't think its that far from him, I would have to measure. Its mounted to the roof of the wooden viv, so I cant get the lamp any further from him.
It's where it is to keep his basking temp 41-43.
He had critical care formula from the vet, he was getting baby food with vitamins and squashed worms but has refused that now.
We are in contact with the vet and if he wont take food I'm going to take him there for them to look after until we get his fungal swap results.
He has dropped another 6g since Tuesday.

 

[Gemjar82]

I will do, thank you for all your help and advice so far, all of you. Its not a good first experience. I'm doing everything I can to give him every chance. I can only hope the anti-fungal meds help but they aren't so far.
He was only 52g this morning and was 67g when I first messaged here.
He drank a lot from his bath last night and o put his critic care and reptiboost in the water. He is still refusing anything solid. He just closes his eyes and turns away!

 

[Gemjar82]

I'm pretty sure the vet said it wasnt curable if it is what she thinks it is. Then when I spoke to them via the receptionist yesterday they said hang in there because they were hopeful! I'll have to ring them back. The entire inside of his mouth is bright yellow and ulcered

 

[Gemjar82]

He sadly passed away this morning.

 

[Gemjar82]

We've still not heard anything. Apmejne from the bearded dragon.org forum thought the enema has perhaps been too much for him. I guess we're supposed to be able to trust vets.
Totally heartbroken.