Hi all! Sorry if this is a bit long.
Never owned a beardie before, but figures my first would be an ill one from work because of damn heart strings. I knew he would have 0 chance at any form of care if he remained there, so I brought him home.
Originally was suspected MBD (which regional pet care manager, at least, has decided is not worth treating at the store or taking in to the vet.), brought Murphy home thinking it was relatively straightforward treatment.
UVB is an Arcadia ProT5
Basking I keep around ~95f
Sand mat substrate
Large water dish changed daily
Large rock in basking spot
Half log hide on opposite end from basking
Proteins are dusted crickets, dubias, wax worms and meal worms
Greens are collard greens, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, kale, mustard greens, snap peas, green beans, asparagus, etc chopped quite fine since he’s quite small.
He was stable for maybe 3-4 days before declining. Not fantastic appetite, but he was eating and drinking and shuffling around. From the store he was knuckling over on the front legs, clumsy with the back legs, was generally lethargic/apathetic about catching his food.
During decline, lost use of back legs, front legs used in a swimmers stroke motion to drag himself forward, entire loss of appetite except for the occasional bit of hand fed greens. Fresh greens offered daily, proteins twice daily, would not eat, would not drink.
Supplemented with syringing reptaboost and daily soaks in a warm bath to keep him hydrated/some form of intake into his gut until I could get him into the vet, and now here we are.
Vet diagnosed neurological issues which I strongly agree with, vet suspected trauma to the head/neck likely during shipping or at the store, but will never know. Got a B12 shot to be safe, and a steroid regimen for the next month. Prognosis is still incredibly poor.
He hates getting his steroid. Doesn’t seem to mind the reptaboost. Has managed to eat 2 crickets with assistance (holding them in front of him), and a few bites from a mash of mixed worms and water, mostly licking.
When placed in his feeding bin for crickets, roaches & worms he doesn’t seem aware of his surroundings at all. He’ll flail, maybe focus on one for a moment, and then his eyes just glaze over. Assisted feedings are more miss than hit, usually the same glassy expression or flailing in reverse away from the food in front of him.
Is there something I can try to help him eat? Or is syringing and hoping my only option at this point? His likelihood of having a normal life is slim to none, but worried he might not make it through treatment to recheck day if his appetite doesn’t pick up.
Never owned a beardie before, but figures my first would be an ill one from work because of damn heart strings. I knew he would have 0 chance at any form of care if he remained there, so I brought him home.
Originally was suspected MBD (which regional pet care manager, at least, has decided is not worth treating at the store or taking in to the vet.), brought Murphy home thinking it was relatively straightforward treatment.
UVB is an Arcadia ProT5
Basking I keep around ~95f
Sand mat substrate
Large water dish changed daily
Large rock in basking spot
Half log hide on opposite end from basking
Proteins are dusted crickets, dubias, wax worms and meal worms
Greens are collard greens, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, kale, mustard greens, snap peas, green beans, asparagus, etc chopped quite fine since he’s quite small.
He was stable for maybe 3-4 days before declining. Not fantastic appetite, but he was eating and drinking and shuffling around. From the store he was knuckling over on the front legs, clumsy with the back legs, was generally lethargic/apathetic about catching his food.
During decline, lost use of back legs, front legs used in a swimmers stroke motion to drag himself forward, entire loss of appetite except for the occasional bit of hand fed greens. Fresh greens offered daily, proteins twice daily, would not eat, would not drink.
Supplemented with syringing reptaboost and daily soaks in a warm bath to keep him hydrated/some form of intake into his gut until I could get him into the vet, and now here we are.
Vet diagnosed neurological issues which I strongly agree with, vet suspected trauma to the head/neck likely during shipping or at the store, but will never know. Got a B12 shot to be safe, and a steroid regimen for the next month. Prognosis is still incredibly poor.
He hates getting his steroid. Doesn’t seem to mind the reptaboost. Has managed to eat 2 crickets with assistance (holding them in front of him), and a few bites from a mash of mixed worms and water, mostly licking.
When placed in his feeding bin for crickets, roaches & worms he doesn’t seem aware of his surroundings at all. He’ll flail, maybe focus on one for a moment, and then his eyes just glaze over. Assisted feedings are more miss than hit, usually the same glassy expression or flailing in reverse away from the food in front of him.
Is there something I can try to help him eat? Or is syringing and hoping my only option at this point? His likelihood of having a normal life is slim to none, but worried he might not make it through treatment to recheck day if his appetite doesn’t pick up.
