Worried about URI

[Tinasmom]

Hello! This is my first time posting, and am hoping to get some advice from the experts while my exotics vet is out of town for a few more days.

Tina my 5 year old beardie started showing strange symptoms on 8/31. She was making somewhat of a “hiccup” noise every few minutes then would stop for a while, and pick back up. Today 9/1 I have only heard her “hiccup” once today, but she is breathing heavier than normal. She occasionally will crack her mouth open after a hard breath.
She is going through a rough shed on her back & some spots throughout her body. She is still eating, but seems more lazy than normal. Nothing has changed in diet, or husbandry lately. Temps have always been around 100 basking & 80-75 on the cool side. Substrate is paper towel. Uvb is desert striplight & bulb was changed 3 months ago. The only thing I can think of that is different would be the occasional candle being burned in the same room. Which I will definitely not continue to do.

I am blessed to work @ a vet clinic & was able to get Tina xrayed today. I was told “it seems she is full of stool” but Tina made a large bm the day before this was taken. I really wish I could attach a video of her breathing, but it seems like I cannot. I am looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say. Thank you so much!

 

[Julee1971]

Hello! This is my first time posting, and am hoping to get some advice from the experts while my exotics vet is out of town for a few more days.

Tina my 5 year old beardie started showing strange symptoms on 8/31. She was making somewhat of a “hiccup” noise every few minutes then would stop for a while, and pick back up. Today 9/1 I have only heard her “hiccup” once today, but she is breathing heavier than normal. She occasionally will crack her mouth open after a hard breath.
She is going through a rough shed on her back & some spots throughout her body. She is still eating, but seems more lazy than normal. Nothing has changed in diet, or husbandry lately. Temps have always been around 100 basking & 80-75 on the cool side. Substrate is paper towel. Uvb is desert striplight & bulb was changed 3 months ago. The only thing I can think of that is different would be the occasional candle being burned in the same room. Which I will definitely not continue to do.

I am blessed to work @ a vet clinic & was able to get Tina xrayed today. I was told “it seems she is full of stool” but Tina made a large bm the day before this was taken. I really wish I could attach a video of her breathing, but it seems like I cannot. I am looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say. Thank you so much!View attachment 23399

Hi; she definitely has an URI; I just took mine into the vet for that. It can be deadly take her in ASAp; explain symptoms and Dr will check her with a stethoscope & give 3 doses of antibiotics. Beardies get URI by either getting water in their ears when bathing them or temps/humidity is off. Do u hvs a digital Thrive brand Hygometer? Place it in the Hot side 2inches below the top of the tank; the Humidity should be between 30-40; Never ever higher than 40; if it is open windows or run the AC in the house. Also, no baths rite now till u get her in the vet and NO candle. I hope u are not using colored bulbs or colored heat lamps at nite or during the day? Beardies like it pure dark and quiet. Temp can call as low as 70 at nite and that’s perfect. Rite now get her into a vet ASAP that deals with reptiles and tell them u feel as tho she has a possible URI so hey give her the antibiotics rite away. But also handle there humidity now and forever and temp should be around 100-102 in the Hot side Like u have it and u need a clear ZooMed brand basking heat bulb which is clear and order the Reptisun 10.0 T5 for UVB and it should cover 70 prcnt of the tank. Also; I hope u are giving calcium powder dusted on the crickets or veggies once/day “3-4” times a week for an adult and “5” times/week for a Beardie under 12months old and feeding crickets and dubias only & staple greens and veggies; meaning Dandelions, Mustard/Collard Greens, Endives, yellow squash, snap peas, green beans and Butternut Sqaush; those are the Best everyday safe Greens & Veggies 2-3 of each period day cut up according to their age/size. Never Ever give spinach, lettuce, kale or carrots. Not good for them spinach is a Never cuz it binds to calcium & kale is high in oxalates, carrots have vitamin A which is toxic & lettuce serves as water. Also; as far as worms; Only super and hornworms as treats after age 1.5 u can add them into the diet as treats; they are very high in fat. Never Ever give wax worms or meal worms they impact their tummy & destroy their digestive system. Sugar is bad for them; so in small amounts once per week is ok : mango, papaya, blue & strawberries. Hope this helps; we rescue and rehome so please get that critter into the Vet ASAP Here’s a pic of how the UVB and heat lamp should look; UVb should run along the back and that’s the best one to have; mine covers the entire tank for this Beardie cuz I recovered her from MBD so she needed lots of UVB. Just ordered a bigger tank so now they UVB will cover 70 prcnt of the tank.

 

[Tinasmom]

Hello! This is my first time posting, and am hoping to get some advice from the experts while my exotics vet is out of town for a few more days.

Tina my 5 year old beardie started showing strange symptoms on 8/31. She was making somewhat of a “hiccup” noise every few minutes then would stop for a while, and pick back up. Today 9/1 I have only heard her “hiccup” once today, but she is breathing heavier than normal. She occasionally will crack her mouth open after a hard breath.
She is going through a rough shed on her back & some spots throughout her body. She is still eating, but seems more lazy than normal. Nothing has changed in diet, or husbandry lately. Temps have always been around 100 basking & 80-75 on the cool side. Substrate is paper towel. Uvb is desert striplight & bulb was changed 3 months ago. The only thing I can think of that is different would be the occasional candle being burned in the same room. Which I will definitely not continue to do.

I am blessed to work @ a vet clinic & was able to get Tina xrayed today. I was told “it seems she is full of stool” but Tina made a large bm the day before this was taken. I really wish I could attach a video of her breathing, but it seems like I cannot. I am looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say. Thank you so much!View attachment 23399

Just an update on Tina- my exotics vet returned & was able to help me get Tina on some antibiotics. Tina is receiving a .1 ml injection of Ceftazadime every 3 days for a month. Her breathing has improved & she is no longer making that hiccup noise. She has already gotten 3 injections, and the next will be Tuesday.
She definitely hates the injection, but it has helped her immensely. I am no longer worried about my babies breathing, and know the treatment is working!

p.s. I am worried it was a shale tile that caused her to develop an uri. I put a shale tile in her tank about a week before symptoms started, because her usual tile broke(my bad). This exact shale tile had been in her terrarium about 2 years ago. I replaced it back then because of how heavy it was. Once her symptoms started I cleaned her tank(actually because she had a BM) and noticed her shale tile was eroding, and seemed like it retained old moisture. I have since removed that tile, and replaced it with a textured porcelain tile.

 

[Julee1971]

Just an update on Tina- my exotics vet returned & was able to help me get Tina on some antibiotics. Tina is receiving a .1 ml injection of Ceftazadime every 3 days for a month. Her breathing has improved & she is no longer making that hiccup noise. She has already gotten 3 injections, and the next will be Tuesday.
She definitely hates the injection, but it has helped her immensely. I am no longer worried about my babies breathing, and know the treatment is working!

p.s. I am worried it was a shale tile that caused her to develop an uri. I put a shale tile in her tank about a week before symptoms started, because her usual tile broke(my bad). This exact shale tile had been in her terrarium about 2 years ago. I replaced it back then because of how heavy it was. Once her symptoms started I cleaned her tank(actually because she had a BM) and noticed her shale tile was eroding, and seemed like it retained old moisture. I have since removed that tile, and replaced it with a textured porcelain tile.

Antibiotics every 3 days for one month? ! That’s insane!! They need 3 injections of antibiotics and that’s it and it’s very 3 Days.

Just an update on Tina- my exotics vet returned & was able to help me get Tina on some antibiotics. Tina is receiving a .1 ml injection of Ceftazadime every 3 days for a month. Her breathing has improved & she is no longer making that hiccup noise. She has already gotten 3 injections, and the next will be Tuesday.
She definitely hates the injection, but it has helped her immensely. I am no longer worried about my babies breathing, and know the treatment is working!

p.s. I am worried it was a shale tile that caused her to develop an uri. I put a shale tile in her tank about a week before symptoms started, because her usual tile broke(my bad). This exact shale tile had been in her terrarium about 2 years ago. I replaced it back then because of how heavy it was. Once her symptoms started I cleaned her tank(actually because she had a BM) and noticed her shale tile was eroding, and seemed like it retained old moisture. I have since removed that tile, and replaced it with a textured porcelain tile.

Glad u took her to the vet. Antibiotics every 3 Days for a month???! That’s insane; it’s 3 shots spread out every 3 days and that’s it!!! Beardie should be good to go. She must have been almost on her death bed. Please call another vet that is Insane a shot every 3 days for one month??? Yes remove the tile and did u read all I wrote?? Humidity 30-40 never ever over 40; never get water in their ears and never place them out in freezing cold only in the hot sun to have some sun time. Also temp needs to be correct in the enclosure. Get a digital ZooMed thermometer and a Thrive Brand Hygometer ASAP

 

[Tinasmom]

Antibiotics every 3 days for one month? ! That’s insane!! They need 3 injections of antibiotics and that’s it and it’s very 3 Days.

Glad u took her to the vet. Antibiotics every 3 Days for a month???! That’s insane; it’s 3 shots spread out every 3 days and that’s it!!! Beardie should be good to go. She must have been almost on her death bed. Please call another vet that is Insane a shot every 3 days for one month??? Yes remove the tile and did u read all I wrote?? Humidity 30-40 never ever over 40; never get water in their ears and never place them out in freezing cold only in the hot sun to have some sun time. Also temp needs to be correct in the enclosure. Get a digital ZooMed thermometer and a Thrive Brand Hygometer ASAP

Are you an exotic veterinarian?

 

[Julee1971]

Are you an exotic veterinarian?

We rescue and rehome.