Urgent help need please...my beardy is semi paralyzed!!

[Dragon_Lover_85]

I really hope that someone here can help, I'm worried sick.:cry::cry:

I went downstairs to feed my dragons yesterday and found my beautiful beardy boy lying flat on the bottom of his enclosure motionless :shock:, needless to say I went into panic mode got him out called a few friends and then the vet. Anyhow at 1st we all assumed dehydration so I treated it as that, I bathed him throughout the day, took him outside in the sun as normally this perks him up all of this with very little results.
He was perfectly fine the day before, this is a sudden onset whatever it may be.:cry:

His symptoms are: Weak/Lethargic, Has little to no sensation or movement in the front legs or toes, cant shake of the flies that land on his face.
He is not black in the beard, impacted or underweight.
His faecal sample is clear-this was done yesterday.

After taking him to the vet we are still unaware of what is wrong as he has never seen anything like this. He administered a vitamin injection and an antibiotic injection incase it is something like menangitis for the time being until we can determine the exact cause.:?
The vet seems to think it is nerve damage but the cause he cant understand.

His enclosure has been the same for over 8 months now, It is 4'x2'x2', he shares his accomodation with 1 female beardy and 1 blue tongue skink. The basking spot is 40deg the cold end is 27deg, it has uvb10 and these are new. He has been brumating for 3 months and just come out last week.

Please help me.

 

[Lollypop]

I can't help sorry, just wanted to know how he's doing now?? Still the same?
Sounds like a bit of a mystery......:? hope all goes well with him.
Is the tip of his tail black at all, & if so how far up?

 

[Cambart1991]

Hey mate I have been told that sometimes if the food is too big for them that that can cause paralysis. But I not sure. Just another opinion. I could be wrong. If it is that I wouldn't know wat to do either. Sorry. Prob was a bit of useless info but it may help narrow down the problem. Good luck with him I hope all goes well. Keep us up to date wen u find anything out. Cheers cam.

 

[JKretzs613]

Hello

Hello,

How is your dragon doing today?
Did the vet do an x-ray or blood work on him to determine bone density or calcium levels?
What type of foods have you been feeding him & how large was the prey?
What type of substrate is he on, sand, carpet, etc?
Are you using any type of UVB lighting right now, & if so, what type & brand is it you are using? A fluorescent tube bulb or a compact/coil light? How close is the light to him & is there anything like screen or plastic that is blocking the UVB from getting to him?
Do you use calcium supplementation for him?

Tracie

 

[Chris1]

fingers crossed the antibiotics do something,...how is he today?

cant imagine it would be impaction, from what ive heard that affects he back legs not the front,...and i doubt a calcium deficiency would show such servere symptoms so suddenly,

how old is he, and was he ok when he came out of brumation?

 

[Dragon_Lover_85]

Hey guys,

Thanks heaps for all your input and well wishes. He is heaps better today maybe say 65%. He is starting to use his legs again and is even trying to head-bob at his girlfriend so fingers crossed the a/b's are working. He is going back to vet for another injection or 2 this afternoon to get him through the weekend.

Chris - He is 17months. I assumed the same thing bout calcium but i was also told from a knowledgeable source that it can onset suddenly so I am also trying liquid calcium to be safe. He came out of brumation really well although still wont eat live food the little bugger so I have been syringe feeding him with dragon pellets, not ideal I know but until he is right I'm not forcing him to go hungry so he eats live and he readily takes the syringe.

Jk - No xray or blood work as yet he thinkin of doing these this afternoon when I take him back for his injections, he has a compact coil and he cant get further than 50cm from it. His substrate is artificial turf. Yes I do suppliment him calcium and multi vit.

Cam - The theory you are talking is true however to my knowledge it generally affects the hind legs not the fore but thank-you the same.

Lolly - Nah no blackness at all mate.

Thank-you so much again guys for your support I will keep you all updated when I know more.

 

[Chris1]

wow, thats a quick bounce back!!

maybe a bacterial infection or something, a friend had a beardy doing circles and falling over about a year ago and it was much better within a day after the first injection of antis,...the vet assumed that was a bacterial infection.
either way id say he's really lucky his mum cared enough to get him to the vet so quickly,...!!

fingers crossed the next update is just as positive!

 

[JKretzs613]

Hello,

Glad to hear that he has improved so much now.
The compact/coil lights however, are not very good. What brand do you use? You can find the Reptisun 10 fluorescent tube bulb over there, or probably even the Arcadia D3 12% tube bulb too. They are both very good. I think also there is a tube bulb called the NEC Blacklight T10 that is an ok bulb. If you have reflective backing on your tube light fixture, that will help to increase overall UVB emissions for him.
The liquid calcium should help him out quite a bit, too. Remember, when they are not exposed to adequate UVB levels, their bodies cannot properly absorb calcium or vitamins so they can develop metabolic bone disease along with other problems, too.
I hope he continues to improve for you.

Tracie

 

[Dragon_Lover_85]

Hi guys,
Latest update..... We went to the vet for a final check up saturday morning. He is almost 100% better! He received another antibacterial injection. We talked about bone density testing and the vet said as much as he'd like to do it he does not have the facility to do it on a reptile however he was going to look into what options there were.
For now he appears to be on the improve and Im over the moon about it. I will be closely monitoring his situation and will never hesitate to take them to the vet if this happens again. I must say a massive thankyou to my vet for staying back overtime last week to see my precious boy I honestly dont know if he'd be ok without such speedy treatment. Also thanks again everyone for the support and helpful advice.

 

[Chris1]

wow, thats fantastic news!!

and what a lovely vet to stay back for ur boy,...im sure that would have made a huge difference to his recovery!!

 

[JKretzs613]

Hello,

That is wonderful to hear he has improved so much. That was very nice of your vet to stay & help out with him. Timing is everything when it comes to getting treatment for reptiles.
Maybe he will find a facility for you to be able to get a blood test for him, sometime.

I am glad that he is feeling much better now. )

Tracie