Help - Boyd's has given up on life
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ingie
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Thanks guys. The big leafy plant under the light blocks out 80% of the light so he is actually sitting in a shadow - it just doesn't appear that way in the photo.
I did those fluids over 2 hours before work so hopefully that wasn't too much. I am an early riser! I must say though I give him several ml of water every time I feed him, with the needleless syringe, so it isn't like he never gets water. None the less the symptoms speak for themselves he must be dehydrated, unless I was giving him too much water with each feed and he is suffering from kidney problems as you say. I feel like such an idiot that all this time that hydration may have been the main factor. Hopefully he will look brighter when I get home. I bought an air stone.
***%($(*#&@&!&*@(()_)*&^%$#@!~(*&^%$#@!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@!^&*(*&^%$#@!@#$%^&*(&^%$#@#$%^&*()*&^%$#@#$%^&*()*&^%
Crap! I just got home and he is not doing so well. He has prolapsed, and his arms look really swollen. One in particular looks like a bit of old shed is strangling it but I can't seem to get it off it is glued on. I am just about to add photos.
Prolapse
Underneath swollen stangled arm
Above swollen strangled arm
I peeled off all the bits I could as he was shedding this week.It did NOT look like this this morning. The bathing hasn't seemed to help and he struggles and stresses so much when I put him in the water so I can't leave him there for long. I did just giving him another warm bath to wash his prolapse and moisten the arm.
I did those fluids over 2 hours before work so hopefully that wasn't too much. I am an early riser! I must say though I give him several ml of water every time I feed him, with the needleless syringe, so it isn't like he never gets water. None the less the symptoms speak for themselves he must be dehydrated, unless I was giving him too much water with each feed and he is suffering from kidney problems as you say. I feel like such an idiot that all this time that hydration may have been the main factor. Hopefully he will look brighter when I get home. I bought an air stone.
***%($(*#&@&!&*@(()_)*&^%$#@!~(*&^%$#@!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@!^&*(*&^%$#@!@#$%^&*(&^%$#@#$%^&*()*&^%$#@#$%^&*()*&^%
Crap! I just got home and he is not doing so well. He has prolapsed, and his arms look really swollen. One in particular looks like a bit of old shed is strangling it but I can't seem to get it off it is glued on. I am just about to add photos.
Prolapse
Underneath swollen stangled arm
Above swollen strangled arm
I peeled off all the bits I could as he was shedding this week.It did NOT look like this this morning. The bathing hasn't seemed to help and he struggles and stresses so much when I put him in the water so I can't leave him there for long. I did just giving him another warm bath to wash his prolapse and moisten the arm.
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B
beckyreptilegirl
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Sorry i cant help, but i hope he pulls through for you.
Rocket
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I'm sorry to hear about the Boyd's however, sugar water tends to aid in lessening the swelling of prolapse. I can't remember the water:sugar ratio but if you soak it in some cold sugar water, it may relieve the pressure and swelling.
Hopefully another member knows the sugar:water ratio and I hope the dragon experiences a turn around.
Hopefully another member knows the sugar:water ratio and I hope the dragon experiences a turn around.
Mr.James
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Place him in a click clack container with airholes, 2cms of warm water and a tablespoon of sugar. Leave him in the container for an hour, you can place it in the enclosure on the floor. This will aid the prolapse and help soften the retained shed. BUT before you put him in there give him a drink, so he doesnt drink the sugar water.
If in doubt just use plain warm water.
If in doubt just use plain warm water.
ingie
Well-Known Member
Prolapse just fixed itself in sugar water I have him in a storage container with warm sugar water as you said, and I am sitting next to him to make sure he doesn't drink the water. I will leave him in it for the full hour though to make sure the swelling really goes down and help with the hand. THANKS! Will keep you updated.
I have him in a storage container with warm sugar water as you said, and I am sitting next to him to make sure he doesn't drink the water. I will leave him in it for the full hour though to make sure the swelling really goes down and help with the hand. THANKS! Will keep you updated.
P
Pythoninfinite
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Ingie, that isn't actually a prolapse, it's just immensely swollen tissue from the huge amount of water you gave him this morning - and this would cause the other swelling too. It's possible I guess that sugar water might remove some of the water in his system by osmosis via the vent, so it won't do any harm. The poor thing is so pumped up with water judging from the photos... DON'T GIVE IT ANY MORE FLUIDS UNTIL (OR IF) IT RETURNS TO SOMETHING OF A NORMAL SHAPE!!! It may be that the kidneys are now very damaged, hence the escape of all that fluid into the tissues...
Jamie
Jamie
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ingie
Well-Known Member
He is looking much better this morning Jamie. The tissue swelling has gone and is completely back to normal. His arm is still a bit puffy but he has movement and looks far more alert. I had only just read your post now unfortunately and I had already given him 1ml water when I woke up, a warm shallow bath for half hour, and 1 ml water just then. He was licking the water out of the syringe as I dripped it onto his lips. Hopefully there is no kidney damage :s
P
Pythoninfinite
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Sounds promising ingie. If things are improving, you should see his appetite return - Boyd's LOVE earthworms, and as they don't have a hard dry outer shell, they're probably an excellent food to tempt him with. I have a dish in the encolsure in which I place them. Just make sure that if you get some, they come from uncontaminated soil (no pesticides etc...) Hold off on any additives (calcium, vitamins etc) and just let things get back to normal for a week or two.
I wouldn't force the hydration any more, just monitor things for a few days and see how you go. One good way to get them to drink substantial amounts is to place the lizard in his waterbowl (I use a shallow, large plastic container) and pour water(with the chill off) into it while he's in the bowl - they are often stimulated to drink by the water movement as you pour it into the bowl...
Keep us posted
Jamie
I wouldn't force the hydration any more, just monitor things for a few days and see how you go. One good way to get them to drink substantial amounts is to place the lizard in his waterbowl (I use a shallow, large plastic container) and pour water(with the chill off) into it while he's in the bowl - they are often stimulated to drink by the water movement as you pour it into the bowl...
Keep us posted
Jamie
ingie
Well-Known Member
Just got home and I found him on the floor in an awkward position. His dulap is swollen right up it looks like there is a marble in there Feels like soft swollen tissue. The vent is still normal.
I spoke to my vet who specialises in small animals and reptiles today over the phone. They said that he probably has underlying medical issues that stem from his undesirable living conditions, diet, stress etc when he was much younger, and will probably never be a normal healthy animal. She said that everything I described sounds like I am doing the best I can for him and there isn't really anything extra I can do at home. The kind of tests they would run at the vet are so expensive and there is no guarantee of anything
Feels like soft swollen tissue. The vent is still normal.
I spoke to my vet who specialises in small animals and reptiles today over the phone. They said that he probably has underlying medical issues that stem from his undesirable living conditions, diet, stress etc when he was much younger, and will probably never be a normal healthy animal. She said that everything I described sounds like I am doing the best I can for him and there isn't really anything extra I can do at home. The kind of tests they would run at the vet are so expensive and there is no guarantee of anything
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Southside Morelia
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Hi ingie,
Just seen your thread and sympathize with you, its always hard to see any animal suffer from a health issue.
I agree with the great advice from Jamie and some others and the prolapse wasn't really a prolapse per-say, he seems definitely over hydrated and in need of expelling that liquid by the looks of it..poor little guy!
I also tend to agree with your VET as I thought the same through reading the history, that there may be some underlying medical issue or medical issue not directly related to husbandry, as you seem to house him in a tolerable environment and not detrimental to his health from what you have advised.
I don't agree with the VET, that his condition maybe caused from neglect as a juvie, as he is well advanced now and the sickness is recent. He should have shown these symtoms more recntly then now!!
As mentioned in my not finished thread on Boydii care, earthworms are unreal for coaxing fussy feeders to feed, as the wiggling action is irresistible "usually" and the nutritional value of earthworms is second to none as a protein source and as a desirable food variation.
Please accept my apologies as it may have been mentioned, but when did he go off his food and water? Is there any correlation to recent environmental/enclosure changes?
He looks like a fairly mature guy, so it seems wierd he is sick now.
Anyway, keep us posted.
Cheers...
Just a Note: Boyds do like moving water and will readily bath in it and drink as well. They also like to crap in it!!
So waterfalls etc need to changed regularly! I personally think, that they will drink more often from moving water than stand still water, from my observations....
Just seen your thread and sympathize with you, its always hard to see any animal suffer from a health issue.
I agree with the great advice from Jamie and some others and the prolapse wasn't really a prolapse per-say, he seems definitely over hydrated and in need of expelling that liquid by the looks of it..poor little guy!
I also tend to agree with your VET as I thought the same through reading the history, that there may be some underlying medical issue or medical issue not directly related to husbandry, as you seem to house him in a tolerable environment and not detrimental to his health from what you have advised.
I don't agree with the VET, that his condition maybe caused from neglect as a juvie, as he is well advanced now and the sickness is recent. He should have shown these symtoms more recntly then now!!
As mentioned in my not finished thread on Boydii care,
earthworms are unreal for coaxing fussy feeders to feed, as the wiggling action is irresistible "usually" and the nutritional value of earthworms is second to none as a protein source and as a desirable food variation.Please accept my apologies as it may have been mentioned, but when did he go off his food and water? Is there any correlation to recent environmental/enclosure changes?
He looks like a fairly mature guy, so it seems wierd he is sick now.
Anyway, keep us posted.
Cheers...
Just a Note: Boyds do like moving water and will readily bath in it and drink as well. They also like to crap in it!!
So waterfalls etc need to changed regularly! I personally think, that they will drink more often from moving water than stand still water, from my observations....
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ingie
Well-Known Member
Hi Scott,
He has always been off his food the entire 6 months I have had him and before I had him. He is 3.5 now. He has shown very little interest in food despite me trying to get him interested many many times. The previous owner had to open his mouth and put food in. I have been doing this also and mainly feed him wood roaches because I breed them (the big ones who haven't developed wings yet), but also give him the occasional pinky and syringe feed him various mixtures I blend up with hills a/d, vitamins, insects, worms, a little bit of vegetables etc (I don't do this often, just to keep his weight up as he has always been a bit skinny). He has shown more interest in water than food, and he likes to drink it from the nozzle and as I spray it onto his branch (not recently though, I have been forcing him to drink by putting it in his mouth like I do the food). I haven't changed his enclosure recently, except after he was really sick a few days ago when I temporarily put him in a more sterile hospital cage.
I knew he was sickly when I bought him and I don't regret it as I really am a sucker for the underdog. I always worry that I will find him dead though because he has never looked 100%. I have put in a lot of time every day to making sure he eats and drinks, and has a nice enclosure to live in. I do think the vet could be on to something though because it is not like he has been a super fit healthy boy and has suddenly become sick. He has always had problems and been depressed and off food despite my best efforts. It is just getting worse at the moment. I wonder if it is him slowly dying
I bought earth worms today but I don't want to feed him while his neck is swollen.
He has always been off his food the entire 6 months I have had him and before I had him. He is 3.5 now. He has shown very little interest in food despite me trying to get him interested many many times. The previous owner had to open his mouth and put food in. I have been doing this also and mainly feed him wood roaches because I breed them (the big ones who haven't developed wings yet), but also give him the occasional pinky and syringe feed him various mixtures I blend up with hills a/d, vitamins, insects, worms, a little bit of vegetables etc (I don't do this often, just to keep his weight up as he has always been a bit skinny). He has shown more interest in water than food, and he likes to drink it from the nozzle and as I spray it onto his branch (not recently though, I have been forcing him to drink by putting it in his mouth like I do the food). I haven't changed his enclosure recently, except after he was really sick a few days ago when I temporarily put him in a more sterile hospital cage.
I knew he was sickly when I bought him and I don't regret it as I really am a sucker for the underdog. I always worry that I will find him dead though because he has never looked 100%. I have put in a lot of time every day to making sure he eats and drinks, and has a nice enclosure to live in. I do think the vet could be on to something though because it is not like he has been a super fit healthy boy and has suddenly become sick. He has always had problems and been depressed and off food despite my best efforts. It is just getting worse at the moment. I wonder if it is him slowly dying
I bought earth worms today but I don't want to feed him while his neck is swollen.
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Fantazmic
Very Well-Known Member
So how is he today....i dont have a boyd but have learned heaps from this thread and am loving it....would love to know how he is going.....
Elizabeth
Elizabeth
ingie
Well-Known Member
Well this morning his throat was twice as swollen as it was in the last photo. However, tonight it has gone back to the photo size and he licked water off his lips when I misted him. I also put the end of an earth worm in his mouth and he ate it and ran under his fake plant. He seems to be getting better but I am not getting my hopes up just yet.
I spoke to the reptile vet again today and she said that 6ml of water over 2 hours is a lot but it seems unlikely to be the sole cause of the neck swelling and to cause his kidneys to fail. It seems more likely that he may have already been having problems, possibly kidney problems, and it is coming to a peak now
I spoke to the reptile vet again today and she said that 6ml of water over 2 hours is a lot but it seems unlikely to be the sole cause of the neck swelling and to cause his kidneys to fail. It seems more likely that he may have already been having problems, possibly kidney problems, and it is coming to a peak now
Fantazmic
Very Well-Known Member
All you can do is wait and hope...you are doing your best and that is all that matters
ingie
Well-Known Member
Thanks Fantazmic.
Just an update for those interested: He is still the same as last time. His Dewlap is a bit swollen at the very base still. I am giving him 1-2% of his body weight of water each day in 1ml sessions (he weighs just under 200g, so 2-4ml). I am also giving him a few small earthworms and woodies without wings. How much food is enough for a sick Boyd's this big per day?
Just an update for those interested: He is still the same as last time. His Dewlap is a bit swollen at the very base still. I am giving him 1-2% of his body weight of water each day in 1ml sessions (he weighs just under 200g, so 2-4ml). I am also giving him a few small earthworms and woodies without wings. How much food is enough for a sick Boyd's this big per day?
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