Beautiful healthy beardy died after laying unfertilised first batch of eggs.

[Anezrenrut]

Please help, my whole family is absolutely devastated. Our gorgeous bearded dragon Hagrid passed away. We thought Hagrid was a boy but Friday evening she laid eggs, Saturday she was fine but not eating, she did have a drink, I assumed she was worn out after all the laying. Sunday she was still not eating and looked a little unwell. Her eyes were sunken. On Monday she looked weak, we immediately called the vet. Just before we left for the vet she was flinging her head back with her mouth wide open. It was extremely upsetting. We got her to the vet but she passed away just after we got there. The vet said she had an enlarged liver but couldn’t feel any eggs left inside her. She was totally fit and healthy on the Friday! How did she go down hill so quickly and die. I have searched all over for some sort of explanation. Could she have had liver issues we weren’t aware of. She was one year old, very well looked after and really so well prior to laying the eggs. We were told she was a boy, so all of my constant research was regarding boys not girls. We are just so heartbroken. Here is a picture of Hagrid and her enclosure.

 

[Sadie]

Please help, my whole family is absolutely devastated. Our gorgeous bearded dragon Hagrid passed away. We thought Hagrid was a boy but Friday evening she laid eggs, Saturday she was fine but not eating, she did have a drink, I assumed she was worn out after all the laying. Sunday she was still not eating and looked a little unwell. Her eyes were sunken. On Monday she looked weak, we immediately called the vet. Just before we left for the vet she was flinging her head back with her mouth wide open. It was extremely upsetting. We got her to the vet but she passed away just after we got there. The vet said she had an enlarged liver but couldn’t feel any eggs left inside her. She was totally fit and healthy on the Friday! How did she go down hill so quickly and die. I have searched all over for some sort of explanation. Could she have had liver issues we weren’t aware of. She was one year old, very well looked after and really so well prior to laying the eggs. We were told she was a boy, so all of my constant research was regarding boys not girls. We are just so heartbroken. Here is a picture of Hagrid and her enclosure.View attachment 34235View attachment 34236

I am so sorry to hear this -- it is heartbreaking as well and to not know exactly what happened is even more frustrating--- we have a vet tech on here that can maybe help w/ some answers -- she was a beautiful dragon and my heart goes out to you--- was she doing any digging in her tank before laying the eggs and who said she was a male? Females will dig frantically and surf the tank to find a place to lay -- how was the enlarged liver diagnosed? I recently just was medicating my one dragon for a liver infection which was diagnosed by blood work etc -- for her to just up and die like that is frustrating -- I am going to flag your post to Tracie see if she can possibly shed some light on this -- again I am sorry and and I am sorry I cant help you any more
@Drache613

 

[Anezrenrut]

I am so sorry to hear this -- it is heartbreaking as well and to not know exactly what happened is even more frustrating--- we have a vet tech on here that can maybe help w/ some answers -- she was a beautiful dragon and my heart goes out to you--- was she doing any digging in her tank before laying the eggs and who said she was a male? Females will dig frantically and surf the tank to find a place to lay -- how was the enlarged liver diagnosed? I recently just was medicating my one dragon for a liver infection which was diagnosed by blood work etc -- for her to just up and die like that is frustrating -- I am going to flag your post to Tracie see if she can possibly shed some light on this -- again I am sorry and and I am sorry I cant help you any more
@Drache613

Thank you do much for your reply. We were told she was a male when we bought her at 3 months old. She was making a real mess in her enclosure for a week or so prior but I didn’t link this to laying eggs as we thought she was male. She laid her eggs ok, we had 20 eggs in total. It was the vet who examined her after she passed that said that her liver was enlarged. He said he couldn’t feel any eggs still inside her. I’m so heartbroken, I haven’t stopped crying. She was the most amazing and beautiful beardie.

 

[Sadie]

Thank you do much for your reply. We were told she was a male when we bought her at 3 months old. She was making a real mess in her enclosure for a week or so prior but I didn’t link this to laying eggs as we thought she was male. She laid her eggs ok, we had 20 eggs in total. It was the vet who examined her after she passed that said that her liver was enlarged. He said he couldn’t feel any eggs still inside her. I’m so heartbroken, I haven’t stopped crying. She was the most amazing and beautiful beardie.

I feel for you ---- was this the same vet that told you she was a male? If so next dragon if you get one down the road look for a new vet -- I can post a website for you to start there --- again it is heartbreaking --- most dragons cannot be sexed till they are around 6 months old unless you got someone really experienced -- a breeder should be able to do that and especially a vet ----- I will flag Tracie again
@Drache613

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I am so so sorry you lost your girl like that, it seems to happen fairly often. It is hard to lose them to issues
like this. It is likely that she had egg issues that might have led to an enlarged liver. Peritonitis comes to
mind also which causes infection & or inflammation in the coelomic cavity. Do they think an egg might have
ruptured in her, or not?
I am terribly sorry, I understand the sorry & heartbreak of losing a precious dragon. It is something you really
never get over.

Tracie

 

[Anezrenrut]

Hello,

I am so so sorry you lost your girl like that, it seems to happen fairly often. It is hard to lose them to issues
like this. It is likely that she had egg issues that might have led to an enlarged liver. Peritonitis comes to
mind also which causes infection & or inflammation in the coelomic cavity. Do they think an egg might have
ruptured in her, or not?
I am terribly sorry, I understand the sorry & heartbreak of losing a precious dragon. It is something you really
never get over.

Tracie

Thank you for the information and for taking the time to reply