Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I lost one of my dragons yesterday. She hadn't been doing well since laying her second clutch. Had her checked out by the vet, he thought she wore her self out from breeding. I thought she may have been impacted, he thought not. Well after I force fed/hydrated her for 2 weeks along with soaks and a little mineral oil she passed on yesterday. I had a necropsy done, I had a vet appointment to have her seen last night, and it turns out that she had an abscess (sp?) in her colon. Wasn't much that could have been done for her. Hasn't been a good week in the animal world for me. I also lost a boa on Sunday, he seemed fine, then saturday night I pulled him out of his cage to change his papers because he had urinated and he didn't seem right. I was a little concerned, but nothing big. Put him back in and he was dead in the morning, another necropsy done last night. turns out that he had gout and a bad liver. I had adopted him almost exactly one year ago. I adopted him from someone at the vet's office that adopted him from someone that was abusing him. Maybe the problem started there. Who knows. I am bumming, lost my first two animals in the span of two days. This sucks.
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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

Both the dragon and a boa... I know how hard it is to loose loved animals...

oh, what a hard week for you. hope you start feeling better soon.

amy

...to hear about your losses. I'll remember you & your parted beloved ones in my prayers.

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-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurensLizards

As to he gout, most forms of gout in reptiles takes months if not years to develop the the point of being life threatening. A lack of water causing dehydration or temps to high are the main catalyst for it when it is not genetic. Then is takes awhile to start showing symptoms.

With Bearded Dragons, we can often see the first signs in the toe joints and get a diagnoses and treatment, with snakes its very hard to determine until it is too late.

I have a Sandfire Ranch Dragon I got last August at the Daytona show from them when he was only a few months old. Shortly after I notice that the joints in his larger toes seems bigger than they should be and took him to a Vet where he was diagnosed with gout. He is on two daily meds and the toes have not got worse, his blood panels are pretty good considering. He eats really well and is a real mommy's boy, but moves like an old man and he is only about a year old now. We have to make sure he takes in fluids daily to flush the meds through his system.

I think your snake probably had it for a long time, prior to you having it and there really was not anything you could have done, we were fortunate to find it so early in our dragon and have a vet that understood it so well that he is doing good.

I also don't think you could have done much for your dragon, these things do happen and you learn from them and appreciate the time you did have with them.

Sorry again for your loss, two in a week is rough

Yeah I think the boa had it for awhile. His liver also seemed to be suffering. He was from a mistreated home initially so who knows what happened there. He hadn't been eating reguarly, but I chalked that one up to him wanting to breed (he was ~4-5 years old but was only maybe 6 feet). Maybe it was related. Tough to say. Hard to bring a snake into the vet because it will only eat monthly or so. You are right you live and you learn. Just sucks to lose two animals so close together. I was glad that it wasn't anything contagious on either part. The boa was kept ontop of my ball python rack, ouch that would have really hurt, and I had also just put him into a larger tank, and the tank he was in I put my 2 year old boa into (she was my first snake and I believe 4 reptile) after a good cleaning. But the thought of losing her was very scary.
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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

Last friday I lost the most sweet and tame juvie iguana.He was an iguana with a very tame Bearded Dragon soul.I have had him for one year and that represented almost all his life.
He died in a matter of hours and what is worse, without reason.After his death the vet opened him and didnt find anything wrong.The vet said his death was a mystery!

Im devasted too!Sometimes it seems that doesnt matter how well we treat them they will die!

Sorry for your loss!

=)

n/p

hhhhhhhhh

I lost my very first reptile this year too. My favorite Russian tortoise died of a respiratory infection shortly after coming out of hibernation. He was an awesome pet... I know how it feels... sorry to hear about your losses.

np

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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

It is good that you were able to get a necropsy done in order to have some closure.

*sending hugs your way*

Take care, LindsayMarie