Need urgent advice for my bearded dragon

[Hannah de Graaff]

My beardy, male, 1 year old was recently diagnosed with Yellow Fungus Disease. He's been on a treatment of fungitraxx (itraconazol) and he seemed to be doing much better. He started to poop and pee again. He does eat,but only if I put it directly in his mouth.

Yesterday I even got him to eat a couple of meelworms.

This afternoon however, when I got home from getting him some more food I discovered him with slumped over with his nose and mouth a goodways in the sand. His mouth was full with sand and there was a lot of slime.

He seemed pretty lifeless and at one point after having cleared as much of the sand as possible from his mouth I had to reanimate him. The vets here where I live don't know what to do with him and the nearest hospital is a good 45 minutes drive away. To be honest I don't think he'd survive the journey. He keeps on slipping in and out of consciousness, or so it seems.

I don't know what to do, and I don't want him to suffer unnecessarily, please help me. I'd take any advice right now.

 

[Sadie]

My beardy, male, 1 year old was recently diagnosed with Yellow Fungus Disease. He's been on a treatment of fungitraxx (itraconazol) and he seemed to be doing much better. He started to poop and pee again. He does eat,but only if I put it directly in his mouth.

Yesterday I even got him to eat a couple of meelworms.

This afternoon however, when I got home from getting him some more food I discovered him with slumped over with his nose and mouth a goodways in the sand. His mouth was full with sand and there was a lot of slime.

He seemed pretty lifeless and at one point after having cleared as much of the sand as possible from his mouth I had to reanimate him. The vets here where I live don't know what to do with him and the nearest hospital is a good 45 minutes drive away. To be honest I don't think he'd survive the journey. He keeps on slipping in and out of consciousness, or so it seems.

I don't know what to do, and I don't want him to suffer unnecessarily, please help me. I'd take any advice right now.

Well the sand should of been gotten rid of immediately I am sorry to say-- yellow fungus is a killer and must be caught immediately to get rid of it --- I am so sorry to hear about him it breaks my heart to hear this - at this point I dont know what to tell you - you can try and drive the 45 min to the hospital but I am not sure its going to do any good -- I am going to send your post to a vet tech I know and to another experienced person that can help -- I would ditch the sand and get him on paper towels for now ---

 

[Hannah de Graaff]

Well the sand should of been gotten rid of immediately I am sorry to say-- yellow fungus is a killer and must be caught immediately to get rid of it --- I am so sorry to hear about him it breaks my heart to hear this - at this point I dont know what to tell you - you can try and drive the 45 min to the hospital but I am not sure its going to do any good -- I am going to send your post to a vet tech I know and to another experienced person that can help -- I would ditch the sand and get him on paper towels for now ---

Thanks Sadie for replying so quickly and thanks for your tips. Let me know what the Vet tech says, okay? Fingers crossed that he makes it through the night so that I can get him to the specialist tomorrow.

 

[Sadie]

Thanks Sadie for replying so quickly and thanks for your tips. Let me know what the Vet tech says, okay? Fingers crossed that he makes it through the night so that I can get him to the specialist tomorrow.

Ok in the mean time go over your uvb brand bulb coil or tube basking temps and how your taking them? No stickons please

 

[Hannah de Graaff]

Have a reptech digital thermometer in the terrarium. Readings are 30 in the cool zone and 40 in the basking zone. UVB reading from repthech mercury bulb is medium - so that's all good. Even double checked it with a digital laser thermometer.

 

[Sadie]

Have a reptech digital thermometer in the terrarium. Readings are 30 in the cool zone and 40 in the basking zone. UVB reading from repthech mercury bulb is medium - so that's all good. Even double checked it with a digital laser thermometer.

Ok - the vet tech is on at nite- so won't hear from her till later on - hoping to hear from the other person here today

 

[Sadie]

Ok - the vet tech is on at nite- so won't hear from her till later on - hoping to hear from the other person here today

I heard back from one person here is what she has advised

Aw, so sorry to hear this. Is he still unresponsive ? He might have developed side effects, there are many but dizziness, nausea , being disorientated may have caused him to do what he did. I'm not sure what can be done other than get him to the vet to see if they can get more sand out of his mouth or see what they can do. If he's responsive you can put him in lukewarm shallow water to see if he'll drink which can help flush the sand through . Can you post a current picture of him ?

Also I am assuming your not in the states ? I am going to post a website to find a reptile vet for you
see if this helps

https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

Herp Veterinarians

Extensive information on the captive care and behavior of green iguanas, and other reptiles and amphibians, by Melissa Kaplan, author of Iguanas for Dummies.

www.anapsid.org

 

[Hannah de Graaff]

I heard back from one person here is what she has advised

Aw, so sorry to hear this. Is he still unresponsive ? He might have developed side effects, there are many but dizziness, nausea , being disorientated may have caused him to do what he did. I'm not sure what can be done other than get him to the vet to see if they can get more sand out of his mouth or see what they can do. If he's responsive you can put him in lukewarm shallow water to see if he'll drink which can help flush the sand through . Can you post a current picture of him ?

Also I am assuming your not in the states ? I am going to post a website to find a reptile vet for you
see if this helps

https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

Herp Veterinarians

Extensive information on the captive care and behavior of green iguanas, and other reptiles and amphibians, by Melissa Kaplan, author of Iguanas for Dummies.

www.anapsid.org

Great! Thanks for your help, both of you. I read somewhere that if you mix some prune juice with extra virgin olive oil, and give that to them, that it also helps them to pass their waste and/or any potential blokkages.

You're right, I'm not in the States. I'm British but live in the Netherlands.

 

[Sadie]

Great! Thanks for your help, both of you. I read somewhere that if you mix some prune juice with extra virgin olive oil, and give that to them, that it also helps them to pass their waste and/or any potential blokkages.

You're right, I'm not in the States. I'm British but live in the Netherlands.

Ok so try the website I posted for you if you need it- yes prune juice or canned regular pumpkin no spices in it they like pumpkin w/ a little olive oil

 

[Hannah de Graaff]

Ok so try the website I posted for you if you need it- yes prune juice or canned regular pumpkin no spices in it they like pumpkin w/ a little olive oil

Checked out the websites and have a new address I can check out tomorrow that's a lot closer to home.

Just wanted to say that I felt really alone and was really scared tonight. Thanks to you Sadie, I feel a lot calmer now and don't feel so alone in this anymore. Just wanted to say Big Thanks to you.

 

[Sadie]

Checked out the websites and have a new address I can check out tomorrow that's a lot closer to home.

Just wanted to say that I felt really alone and was really scared tonight. Thanks to you Sadie, I feel a lot calmer now and don't feel so alone in this anymore. Just wanted to say Big Thanks to you.

Ok well let's see what the vet tech comes up w/ but at least you have another vet closer- I am sure she will advise you to get the dragon in -- post the pic for them would be good

 

[Hannah de Graaff]

Here's a photo of him this morning. Survived the night, but he still can't use his legs properly....

 

[Hannah de Graaff]

Here's a photo of him this morning. Survived the night, but he still can't use his legs properly....

 

[Badwolfe]

can you post a picture of the lighting set up please. In the pictures you've already posted the light looks green but that may just be a reflection

 

[Hannah de Graaff]

Left is the cooler zone. Right is a RepTech - UV Mercury Vapour lamp 100W. Just checked the UVI level again and it's 5 - 5,5 (which is moderate). Temperatures are from cool zone to basking area 27,5 degrees centigrade to 40,5 degrees centigrade. In the middel where Wilbert is now resting is 36 degrees centigrade. Read temperatures from the digital thermometers in place and checked with a temperature gun.

 

[Badwolfe]

I would get an Arcadia Pro T5 12% UVB tube into that set up. To me it looks like the uv is concentrated into too small of an area and the lighting in general is a bit low level in terms of coverage

Make sure he's not ingesting any of those plastic plants as well because Beardies can be a bit dumb with things like that.

I would also change out the substrate if its pure sand into a 50 / 50 mix of organic top soil and sand

 

[Sadie]

View attachment 31408

Left is the cooler zone. Right is a RepTech - UV Mercury Vapour lamp 100W. Just checked the UVI level again and it's 5 - 5,5 (which is moderate). Temperatures are from cool zone to basking area 27,5 degrees centigrade to 40,5 degrees centigrade. In the middel where Wilbert is now resting is 36 degrees centigrade. Read temperatures from the digital thermometers in place and checked with a temperature gun.

Here is another response and I have not heard back from the vet tech I am going to send to her again

Ask her to post pics of what the vet thinks is Y.F. Nothing in the picture shows Y.F and the pretty boy looks otherwise healthy, aside from obvious black beard and whatever is going on internally now.

Hannah your tank is beautiful other than the sand how is he doing this morning? Please feed him some canned plain pumpkin w/ some olive oil to get his digestion moving to get the sand out have you found a vet or made an appt yet what ever the case DO NOT have them do an enema that could make things worse you want him to go poop on this own

 

[Sadie]

Here is another response and I have not heard back from the vet tech I am going to send to her again

Ask her to post pics of what the vet thinks is Y.F. Nothing in the picture shows Y.F and the pretty boy looks otherwise healthy, aside from obvious black beard and whatever is going on internally now.

She needs to see where the vet says is YF shes not seeing it

Hannah your tank is beautiful other than the sand how is he doing this morning? Please feed him some canned plain pumpkin w/ some olive oil to get his digestion moving to get the sand out have you found a vet or made an appt yet what ever the case DO NOT have them do an enema that could make things worse you want him to go poop on this own

 

[Badwolfe]

Here is another response and I have not heard back from the vet tech I am going to send to her again

Ask her to post pics of what the vet thinks is Y.F. Nothing in the picture shows Y.F and the pretty boy looks otherwise healthy, aside from obvious black beard and whatever is going on internally now.

Hannah your tank is beautiful other than the sand how is he doing this morning? Please feed him some canned plain pumpkin w/ some olive oil to get his digestion moving to get the sand out have you found a vet or made an appt yet what ever the case DO NOT have them do an enema that could make things worse you want him to go poop on this own

The set up of this tank is nice but the lighting situation can definitely be improved. Whilst its great having a beautiful set up that should not be the primary goal.

Hannah comes across as a very responsible owner and I'm sure she appreciates hearing a variety of opinions in regards to improvements

 

[Hannah de Graaff]

Thanks guys. Good tips and advice and thanks for the compliments too. I built and designed the terrarium myself and am very proud of it. Sometimes good to hear the comments because as one of you said...I am a very responsible owner, but still have a lot to learn.

Wilbert had already been diagnosed with YF by a Reptile vet end of November 2021. They took a sample of his scales and sent it off to the lab. Results came back positive. You could see it really clearly on the upper part of his chest and around his groin, which later spread all over the underside of his tail. We thought we'd caught it quite early but unfortunately it had already spread into his system. It has been a downhill struggle since then.

Unfortunately, this afternoon Wilbert took another turn for the worse. He lost all bowel and bladder control and slipped into a coma. I took him to the vets and they helped him go to sleep forever.

R.I.P. Wilbert. We will miss you dearly.
20 March, 2020 ~ 17 January, 2022.

I now know that my lighting equipment is actually quite basic and when I get a new bearded dragon I will be upgrading it to the best. The terrarium will be professionally sanitized and I will be replacing ALL of the decorations inside before letting another reptile live in it.

Here in the Netherlands we do use a special type of sand in our terrariums and it's never a problem. Impaction was NOT the cause of Wilbert's death. It was the YF and the side effects of having it. His immune system took a nasty battering and he had no puff left in him to fight it, despite all my efforts.

Throughout my research into bearded dragons I have noticed that per country that there are different and sometimes very contrasting opinions and beliefs on what is the right way to keep them. My intention is to make sure that their habitat imitates their natural habitat as closely as possible.

Keep up the Beardy love people! ❤