Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Had to take Dexter back to the vet on Thursday. Even though I have optimized his environment, he just wasn't acting right. Dr. Barten recommended that I have a blood test taken on him to give us some specifics since he had never had one. He said many vets will kind of shoot in the dark with antibiotics without taking a detailed blood test and while that may help some symptoms, it won't help others. Sooooo, that would probably explain why he kept on getting sick and would never come back to 100%.

I am pretty sad my other vet never recommended that. It was expensive ($82), but it told us a lot. His liver enzymes are good, calcium is just okay, Phosphorous is high, which leads to kidney disease, Protein is low, and red blood cells are hight.

He said the prognosis is "guarded" meaning he is not sure if it is reversible (from the point he is at), or non reversible (meaning he will just slowly get worse and die, or need to be euthanized).

I am quite bummed as I look at my little guy. I have been through so much with him and that means that I have bonded with him so much b/c I have kept on nursing him back time after time. I'm not giving up though... not yet.

He is on a special diet (force fed 2x per week), on Baytril (antiobiotic), Flagil (antibiotic), Neo Calgluton (calcium in fluid medical form), and when he eats (so 2x per week) I also have to give him an Aluminum Hydroxide Gel antacid to help the phosphorous bond with his poop to get it out of his system. I also have to give him a "fluid" treatment 2x per day (meaning I orally give him .06cc's of just good ol' water to help flush him out too. And then he also gets his eye antibiotic as his eyes (third eyelids) are funny again. What a regimin huh? (

I'm overwhelmed for the little guy and what is going into his system right now. But I will stick to it and hopefully pull him out again... but I am more afraid this time. If I notice him suffering, I will probably do what I hate to even think about doing... but do what is best for him.

It just sucks
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JIM aka jakeleolizard

1 Collared Lizard -Dexter- DOB 4/23/03
1 Beagle/Pug mix -Teagan- DOB 11/26/03

Sorry to hear Dexter and YOU are going through yet another bout ! Seems like since we first starting talking on here , he has had to endure so much.

And I'm not forgetting what all you have gone through in just keeping him hanging in there all this time.
Your a GOOD guy, I know that from all this.

If anyone can get him back to tip top shape, I know you can. I certainly will be pulling for ya, and say some critter prayers for the little guy too !

Your right he has not given up so don't you either, I have seen some pretty sad looking lizards, perk up, fill out, and to my amazment go on and do awesome.

Guess you have to take a day at a time. hang in there buddy, if ya need anything (even to talk) let me know.
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PHEve / Eve

oh i am so sorry about your lizard. i hope everything turns out ok. keep us updated
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vonnie
***There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it. Mary Wilson Little ***

I appreciate your comments.

It is amazing how attached you can get to a lizard... most people think that lizards don't have personalities and aren't affectionate, etc... but when you go through so much handfeeding, etc..... it builds quite a bond... and they really do have personalities...

The vet said that every time you take a lizard out of his tank... he just sees a giant picking him up and thinks he is prey... but I don't think so... I can put my hand in his tank and he walks up to it... just like I went to the other vet and they gave him a shot... Dexter opened his mouth and gaped... she said it was b/c of the shot... but funny that he never did that for me... I think he knows I am trying to help him...

I do hope, Eve, that he will snap back even though he isn't looking so great right now... I sure wanted to get him a lady friend
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JIM aka jakeleolizard

1 Collared Lizard -Dexter- DOB 4/23/03
1 Beagle/Pug mix -Teagan- DOB 11/26/03

knowing US vs. looking at us as giants as your vet suggested, I have to also disagree.

I have many and I can sit down on the floor with them, and even though there are many places for them to run from me IF they wanted, they will come over and jump on me and even snuggle down, flatten out, and lay in my hand for a short rest before going off and investagating again.

I can walk up to any of my lizards when they are out running, and pick them up, or put my hand down and have them jump on.

I have even learned to tame wild caughts by letting them run, sounds nuts, but they get easier to handle the more they are out, as I'm in working /whatever in there.

I feel its a trust thing, they may not know WHAT we are, but if they see we do not harm them, and they are conditioned to knowing we bring the food, LOL then I feel we have some sort of relationship.

Also this I do know, maybe the answer to why Dexter hissed and got huffy with the vet.....

I do believe they begin to know your VOICE, I walk in the reptile room and call names, Hi Zuni, Hi cleo, HI, Hi, Hi, talk as I clean or feed whatever.
If my husband steps in and speaks, some of my lizards, especially the more flighty ones (like agamas) scatter into their hides.

So it is interesting, observing their behavior with the actual care taker as opposed to a new comer.

I have a rather large Merauke blue tongue skink (Chiquita) who is very sweet to me. But when my daughter in law tried to touch her she opened her mouth a big as it would open and hissed and made a growling sound. She will not go near Chiquita now LOL

I hope Dexter pulls through this.
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PHEve / Eve

I feel for you. I've been where you are more than once, and it sure does hurt. You really do bond with the little ones that need so much care. My very favorite collared was a severely neglected, very sick--and very ugly little lizard that I nursed back to health from the brink of death. I hand fed her every day for months before she started to eat on her own. I'll never forget her.

I wish you the best at pulling Dexter through this. It sounds like if there is any chance at all for your little lizard that you're going to give it to him. He's very fortunate to be in your care.

élan
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0.3.0 Collareds
1.0.0 Mali Uromastix
0.0.1 Butterfly Agama
1.0.0 Green Anole
1.0.0 Chinese Dwarf Newt
2.0.0 California Newts
0.0.1 White's Treefrog
0.0.1 Fire bellied toad
0.0.1 Midland Brown Snake
2.1.0 Felines
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Equine