Microscope image question

[lauren]

Hi, I am new here but not new to beardies. I have been housing them for about 4+ yrs. I just recently bought a microscope and quite a few parasite etc books on how to diagnose and treat (for the most part) the reptile. Well, I have hit a curve that has thrown me off and not sure if Im freaking out or if its something to be nothing.....I have a vet I "can" go see but I want to see if this is worth my $ for them to tell me oh no, thats just food mater. I can do what they do but the experience is lacking still but Im learning everyday something new. I have pics of these mysterious images in microscope as best an image I can get. I dont want to say what I think I see bc once I had it in my head, I cant take that thought out so I thought fresh minds would help...
If anyone understands what Im talking about and HAS experience with this method of keeping dragons (microscoping), please help.
Thanks, Lauren
P.s, how do I upload pics?

 

[Brett]

If you have a photobucket account you can copy and paste the url or you can insert a image to your reply but there is a size limit i forget what it is.

 

[lauren]

If you have a photobucket account you can copy and paste the url or you can insert a image to your reply but there is a size limit i forget what it is.

Ok....first pic is a far away image of them. They are C shaped u can see a cluster at buttom more so.
Second pic is one up close....
Third pic is this mysterious worm thing. This particular one didnt move from what I saw...but today I examined a fresh sample and I for sure saw a worm thing moving....I went to the end of it, where mouth is, was open and moving side to side. Im not saying names bc there are plenty of worms out there and Im not going to assume one.
4th is, tell me what you see....Im not looking for eggs in this one or worms.....
If it takes me multiple replies to get them up, Ill do it.
Thanks..

 

[lauren]

4th pic...

 

[Brett]

4th pic im not realy seeing anything but particals but the c shape has me concerned check this page out http://vetherppath.hubpages.com/hub/Bearded-Dragon-Parasites

 

[lauren]

Ok the link I will look at now. The 4th pic I think is of Flagellates. Every book and pic Ive puled up looks like it. They are little small black very prominate specs.

 

[Brett]

Keep in mind ive never scoped so im clueless here. Just found these doing some research.

 

[lauren]

Ok, checked it out and yes, I understand all of those. I am already sending out samples for adenovirus. I think Im dealing with amoeba. I saw one actually incase a piece of debre food and it was sort of connected at first but then turned into a blob ball. Idk what Im dealing with. They are also loaded w coccidia. I have 3 juvies 6 month old that live together and these samples are from them. I want to find a medicine first before I seperate bc for some reason they get VERY depressed w/o each other and they stop eating anf go down hill. When they are together, they bask and eat very well. I am VERY anal about hygeine. I steam clean thier cages and when needed bleach also. I bathe them by hand so no stale water is in cages. I bought them though from reputable breeders which honestly....not all of them test dragons. Anyways, Im at a loss here....need to find treatment and soon. Thanks for the help..

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

The c shapes your looking at can be hook worm casings. I could be wrong its been awhile since I did my own scopes. I dont do them anymore because I found everything from worms to atlantis.

 

[Dragonsx6]

Hats off to you Lauren doing the scopes. I personally couldnt do it as I would panic about every little thing This is also the first time I have heard of an owner doing their own tests, and do find it interesting. Hope you dont mind if I keep watch to find out your results

 

[lauren]

Hey, thanks for the replies. Wolfman, u might be right bc I see worms. I did more testing today and will be uploading pics soon. I called my vet, sent pics over. Waiting....I found blood very fresh beside a sample today. Very worried. I am going to seperate them now bc I should hear from my vet soon on this. I think I'm going to get the flagyl for amoeba and flagellates. A different kind of sulfa drug for Coccidia and then see what else. I have panacur to kill worms, but I need to see if these are killed by it first.
Thanks!

 

[richard]

i use ponazuril for cocidia

 

[lauren]

Thanks Richard, did some research on this drug, seems to work well for a bout of coccidia. I have a 3 month old that has wal to wall coccidia and he is still hangin in there. He was sent to me this way, been trying to treat him but its been a fail so far. And now that my juvies have it..again, Im very ill. I will call my vet and see if I can get some today. Thanks!

 

[lauren]

Here are the pics.
These are from 2 different samples. They both are high in coccidia. And these things.....
Last 2 pics are of same thing just the last one is a very close up image of those little C things or something...idk!

 

[lauren]

Update... since I havent really heard from anyone on here, I did more research and found someone that is helping. Also called a reptile vet and he is looking them over too. We believe it is coccidia, flagellates, amoeba, hookworm and pinworms. These pictures were from different samples. I just want to say I am very sadened that I recieved and paid high dollar for these and THIS is what I get. I am currently in the process of getting them tested for adenovirus which I believe EVERY breeder should test your breeder dragons! $15 per swab is not a bad deal when you look down the line of what a positive breeder will do to your colony and babies that are produced.
I will be updating my findings soon.
Thanks,
Lauren

 

[richard]

sorry you're going through so much trouble however, those pesky cocidia pinworms and other protozoa are part of the package. most breeders at minimum do preventative treatments twice a year on their adults. problem is dragons thrive better on live prey and it's that live prey that gives them these parasites. i do panacur preventatives twice per year and test for cocidia and treat if needed with ponazuril once per year. im not a breeder, i just do it because i think its whats best.

 

[lauren]

Yes Richard I understand breeders do minimum, pretty much. If a breeder wants a good name, put it on your website that you test and do parasite treatments. Nothing wrong in that. Shows people you care. That is why people go to breeders b/c we/they are the experts....petstores have ruined themselves for quality reptiles so the people have reached out the pros yet it's no better these days. My goal is to be a good breeder from the start. The adenovirus that is going around that no one really knows about or if they do, dont care. Its a cheap test to find out if your beardie will breed healthy specimen and be a healthy dragon. Breeder or not, people need to know about this test more. They will need a different life and they are finding that a lot of pet store babies are caring the adeno and thats why a lof them are dying and people dont know why. You cant have that test at a vets office. From what Im reading also, the dragons that get the parasite spouts and chronic coccidia, they are the canidates of the adeno testing, being my dragons are sick with all of this and I have treated for this and been treating for this, and all Im seeing is worse things happen. After I get my adeno tests back (+ or -) they are clear of worms parasites etc....I am going to do blood work...slowly b/c that part isnt cheap. I want to make sure that they are still physically healthy AFTER this horrible bout they have been having. To see blood in a poo sample for a while is a problem. Here and there...more so rare, its kinda normal. I know my dragons, they are not happy and are trying to tell me something. My adults are next for the testing and blood work. To sell a dragon for hundreds of dollars and they are the sickest doesnt make since to me? Thats like buying a Ferrari and it being internally messed up. Not acceptable. Im just upset about the price and quality. It's wrong.
Im not saying all breeders are horrible, just the ones that sell the high priced ones without proof of health thats all. No matter what the price is honestly, but the higher the price.....you get it! Lol.
Lauren

 

[lauren]

Update, I went ahead and got a test for ademovirus and he is positive. I am just this week getting the ponazuril bc my vet. didn't have access to it till now. He looks good and eats well. I put him on an herbal aid to help get appetite back. I bought him to breed and he is from bloodbank dragons. I am very upset and hipe we can fund an answer to this one day.

 

[lauren]

Adenovirus*

 

[Jp]

Update, I went ahead and got a test for ademovirus and he is positive. I am just this week getting the ponazuril bc my vet. didn't have access to it till now. He looks good and eats well. I put him on an herbal aid to help get appetite back. I bought him to breed and he is from bloodbank dragons. I am very upset and hipe we can fund an answer to this one day.

Have u tried contacting Bloodbank? They are very good with customer service & go the extra mile 2 make sure customers are satisfied.