Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Heres the update portion...a dragon I have had for about a year now is quite sick and the vet is not exactly sure whats causing all of it...he was being treated for pin worms and when he went back in his coccidia levels were through the roof and he had hook worms...he also has what we thought was an abcess on the base of the top of his tail. It was not an abcess(due to no bacteria) and not a tumor...but it has eaten away one of the internal spikes on the tip of his tail...also he cannot use one of his legs...this all occured in a matter of a few days so please do not think neglect got him there...he is getting antibiotic shots, an anti-inflamatory, and a de-wormer...wish him the best!!!
now here is the question...He has been a constant problem with parasites and other issues since i got him...he was purchased from a breeder. The vet not only said he had recovering mouth rot which i was never told about but estimate his age 3-5 yearsd older than what i had been told...should I inform someone of what this breeder did and how would i go about doing that...sorry i know this is long but thanks for your help

sorry that was the wrong pic

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Wow, First of all I wish I could tell the difference between a 2 year old dragon and a 5 year old dragon but I can't. So I have to believe what the people that give it to me say. I think your vet can't tell the difference either and is just guessing.

I'm not sure there is any forum to complain about your hardship with your dragon to. Like any animal some are healthier and some are sicklier. So I'm not sure this is all the breeders fault.

I feel for your dragon and wish him the best. He is lucky that you adopted him and have gone though all of the trouble you have to help him. Most would not.

I'm not sure I'm comfortable with thinking that your vet is all knowing. If anything, I'd bring him to another reptile vet for a 2nd opinion. I hope that the vet you are currently using is a member on the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veteranarians.

Here, we want to help your dragon. Nature decides a lot. It's not like a faulty manufactured product.

Posting negative feedback on a breeder or individual is not allowed in the Kingsnake forums at all. This is clearly stated in the Terms of Service all agree to when creating an account here.

There are other sites where you can post this sort of information.

As for what is wrong with your dragon, many things can cause increases of parasites and coccidia in dragons. Stress, cross contamination, consumption of food items that have come into contact with the parasites recently etc.

To properly treat parasites, you need to completely clean the dragon's cage daily during treatment. Do everything possible to eliminate stress (make sure cage is large enough, no other dragons in the cage with him, clean any stool as soon as possible etc).

It is also good to give your dragon some probiotics while they are being treated, especially when they are also on anti-biotics as these will kill off beneficial gut flora as well as the bad. Make sure he is well hydrated as well, since many drugs tend to dehydrate dragons and extra fluids help protect his liver and kidneys. The infection on the tail should be biopsied so the vet can determine what sort of infection or other organism is causing it. The link below lists many qualified reptile vets, see if one is in your area and take your dragon to him for a second opinion. If none are in your area, bring the closest one's contact in to your vet to consult. Most vets won't mind seeking advice of other vets in areas they are not expert on.

www.arav.org/
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PHLdyPayne

the vet is the retired houston zoo reptile and avian vet. and the lizard has been to other vets...the concern was for the last year being several problems that yes he did come with and i was suprised by the breeders reaction when notified of several problems discovered by a reptile vet within the first week of purchase...

I know some other forums have places for feedback and i wasn't aware of one for kingsnake but thought i would ask. I appreciate ya'lls concern

also a biopsy was done he had to stay the night at the vet undergoing different tests to check for all angles of where the problems could be coming from...the biopsy revealed that it was not a abcess but appeared to have pre cancerous cells. but wasn't for sure cancer...we are going back in two weeks after he has completed his treatments for further tests and x rays to check the progress of the treatment

Sounds like the vet you are taking him to now is giving him throughout testing. If the injury on the tail is near the end, it may be best to just amputate the tail just above the affected area. However if it is near the base of the tail, may not be a practical option.

Hopefully the current treatment the dragon is on for parasites clears him up and he recovers from that. It is good to know you are doing everything possible for your dragon's wellbeing.
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PHLdyPayne

i had wondered about amputation but it is way to close to the base of the tail on the top...