Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A few weeks ago I posted a message because my beardie had terminal ingestion. Well she's doing better. She's now pooping on her own and big ones at that, but her hind end at the base of her tail is still big and she's till dragging her legs. Does anyone know if she will be like this forever or will she eventually get better?

thanks

what do you mean about the base of the tail? are you maybe looking at the genitals?

i would continue with the slightly-warmer basking spot and baths, and wait for cheri to give you some more advice
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proud mama to:
1.0.0 ball python (mr snake),0.0.1 albino florida kingsnake (CK),1.1.0 leopard gecko (sebastian and vilma),0.1.0 colombian rainbow boa (luce),1.1.1 bearded dragon (kaipo, dulce, and kellen), 1.1.0 colombian redtailed boas (adam and eve)

As you go down her back and reach the beginning of her tail there is a hump. I just assumed that was where the impaction was. We got quite a bit out of her over the last couple of weeks and just in the past couple of days she has started to poop on her own. I still have her basking light turned up and am still giving her warm baths.

If there is an actual hump (as opposed to just being wider at the base of the tail, which would be normal as this is one of the areas fat is stored in dragons), this could be due to an impact trauma or defect in the spine. Have you checked with a vet to rule out MBD?

Unfortunately, I live in a smaller town where vets are not up to par to treating reptiles. He's looked it up in the books but didn't know what else to do with her. I just thought maybe she was still impacted. This hump has only been there since impaction started. If she does have MBD is there a cure for that?

MBD is caused by lack of calcium in the diet. It can be cured by making sure the dragon is getting enough UVB and Vitamine D3 in their diet as well as calcium. Regular dusting of crickets (or other insect food) with a multi vitamine and Calcium with D3 will prevent and cure MBD.

Not sure if this is the problem with your dragon, since you indicated that the lump on it's tail only appeared when it became impacted

of two areas, where food exits the stomach into the intestines and where it moves onto the large intestine. If they become dehydrated they can also have problems passing it further down the digestive tract.

Both can cause pressure on the lower spine and I have seen the bump on the lower spine base. A few drops of vegetable oil, olive oil or sweet oil may help them move it on out, but it will usually take several days to clear (if it will clear) until then I keep them on soft foods (like baby food or pureed foods) and lots of fluids or soaks. Even when it is cleared, the tissue arounf the spine can still be inflammed and take a few weeks to return to normal.