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i am assuming this is stew's autopsy report since it made a reference to the previous animal which would have been gracie who died from overmineralization. the only thing i have switched aside from locations was that i was using a calcium with D3 in it and i have now thrown that away and gone back to what i have used the last 2 years. i don't know why this report was sent to me and not the vet, she is always in surgery on fridays or i would try to call her. it doesn't really mention anything about why his eye was swollen and the day he died he was gasping for air. this seems like he died from impaction? he didn't eat alot the last week but i always thought he was a pudgy little guy. they say he was thin so i can't imagine what he should have looked like

accession summary and comments

diagnosis
obstipation--distal intestine
mild dystrophic mineralization--arteries
protozoal cysts--skeletal muscles

comments:
the most significant lesion in this reptile appears to be the obstruction of the intestine caused by the obstipated ingesta. likely, complications of dehydration/anorxia resulting from this condition contributed to the death.

the significance of the mineralization noted in the arteries is uncertain; however in consideration of the lesions noted in the previous animal submitted warrents some concideration of the examination of the diet and nutritional requirements of these animals.

the protozoa observed in the muscles of this reptile are encysted and did not apprear to be causing any systemic disease. they are similar in morphology to encysted protozoa observed in other mammals such as Sarcocystis, but the specific genius/species is unknown for this case.

GROSS NECROPSY EXAM

Description
the reptile was thin and slightly dehydrated. Bones appeared to be well mineralized.

the liver was mottled and slightly pale. lungs were slightly fluid-filled. in the distal intestine was a large obstipated focus of ingesta, approximately 1 cm in diameter

no lesions were observed in the remaining tissues and organs examined

HISTOLOGIC EXAM

histologically, slight mineralization is noted mulitifocally in the tunica muscularis of the large arteries. mineralization is not noted in any other tissue or organ.

incidentally, in the muscle taken from the proximal tail, are numerous intracellular protozoal cysts. these cysts are not associated with myofiber degeneration or inflammation but contain numerous bradyzoites.

Fecal flotation
semiquant parasite--negative
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vonnie
***The first law of dietetics seems to be: if it tastes good, it's bad for you. — Issac Asimov ***

This is the meaning of the one thing they mentioned:

* Obstipation describes a state of chronic constipation leading to blockage. Passing of the bowel movement becomes impossible, because the prolonged retention of feces damages the muscular wall of the colon. Severe damage to the large intestine can result in megacolon, in which portions of the colon become distended permanently and are nonfunctional.

There was no mention of his eye but you said the day you took him he was fighting for air.... They do say they found his lungs filled with fluid. If this happens in humans or animals it is called adema, You litterally can drown in your own fluids, and yes it would have had a severe effect on his breathing. (My mom had this after heart surgery) many years ago.

What exact calcium with D3 were you using and what are you using now? (Just curious) and how often did you use it? And how much?
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

you know, i was using something that came in a short squatty tub and the label was bright pink. it was just calcium and D3. i cannot think of the name of it to save my life and i told my mother to throw it away. it is something that i recognized. anyway i switched back to just plain calcium, i guess honestly the brand i have been using i have only been using for the last year but the brand before that was also just plain calcium. i use the bone aid micro-stick because the calcium really does stay on the crickets better.

i don't give the uros much supplements because they never eat their food when i do. the collareds, well gracie and griffin were getting it almost everytime they ate since they were young. when i moved them over to the cage with their sisters, all of them got calcium almost everytime they ate because the older girls were showing gravid marks. almost everytime is like 5 times a week. the really weird thing is that one time in the spring gracie had twitchy toes and i upped her calcium intake, not alot but i gave her water and calcium for several days. now i have only been giving calcium three times a week, lightly dusted.

i use a repti-sun 10.0 don't know if that would play a factor into it too
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vonnie
***The first law of dietetics seems to be: if it tastes good, it's bad for you. — Issac Asimov ***

The name of that stuff is Rep-Cal, and that's what I've been using since forever. I supplement no more than every other feeding for my adults (and I feed every other day), and I have a 7.0 bulb.

élan
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3.6.0 Collareds
1.2.0 Leopard Lizards
1.0.0 Mali Uromastix
1.2.0 Green Anole
1.0.0 Chinese Dwarf Newt
1.0.0 White's Treefrog
1.0.0 Fire bellied toad
Lotsa Felines
1.3.0 Canines
1.0.0 Equine

As for the part about how he was gasping for air the day he died--having seen my fair share of animals die, I can tell you that this is very common in the last hours of life. It usually has nothing to do with the reason the animal is dying. I believe it is only a symptom of the body shutting down.

I know I said it before, but I sure am sorry, kid.

élan
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3.6.0 Collareds
1.2.0 Leopard Lizards
1.0.0 Mali Uromastix
1.2.0 Green Anole
1.0.0 Chinese Dwarf Newt
1.0.0 White's Treefrog
1.0.0 Fire bellied toad
Lotsa Felines
1.3.0 Canines
1.0.0 Equine