Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It's been a while since I have been on here so let me put out a refresher: My wife rescued a MHD quite a while ago and after getting her more healthy she seemed to be doing better but never really got to the point that she would eat on her own and ended up staying stricktly handfeed. Everything checked out health wise so we just equated it to her getting stuck in the habit of it and were going to try breaking her away from it soon. In the past mouth or so her eating cut way down and since our other reptiles do this also during the winter we were not too concerned. In the past few days though she has taken a drastic change for the worst and looks like little more than just bones. We had her tested when this first began for parasites and nothing was found. Now I am really concerned and add to it that she started gapping this morning. Needless to say she is on her way to the vet shortly but in all honesty with her never getting fully back to health I pretty much know what we need to prepare for. With her taking a turn that badly is humanely ending it for her the best course here?
-----
Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Rescued Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Rescued Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-1-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-0-1 Rescued Dieting Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
0-1-0 Rescued Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

Bryan,

I know you have worked very hard to keep this little girl alive. It seems sometimes that they just don't respond. I don't know if she was ever checked for bacterial infection but I do know that they are prone to respiratory infection. If this is the case it is possible that there has been an underlying systemic infection for some time and that it has now attacked the upper respiratory system. With force feeding there is also the risk of food entering the lungs and causing respiratory infection. Too many unknowns. It is just all very difficult. Just as with any animal, there does come a time where it is best to let go. This is something that you may want to discuss with your vet when you take her in. Of course you have to weigh many things to make this decision. What is the cost of trying to continue treatment. What are treatment options if any. Can he find any organic causes for her distress? If she hasn't responded yet, is there much chance that she ever will? Maybe she is past that point.

I am so sorry that she has had such a struggle. It is very possible that she was very ill or old when she was captured in her native land. Again, it is so hard to say. Just too many unknowns with these animals. I admire your perseverance.
-----
Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html