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Reptiles/Sick Bearded Dragon

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Expert: Pam - 6/5/2007


Question
Hi
This is a long shot but i was wondering if you could help. Our bearded
dragon came from a lady who wasnt looking after her very well at all and she
has never really been right. A week ago Nord stopped eating and started
acting really strange as if she was gasping for breath. We took her straight to
the vet who x rayed her and sent off blood samples and feaces samples for
testing. He commented that there was alot of liquid in her mouth. The test
results came back fine no abnormalities parasites etc and her X ray showed
that all though she had a bone disease in the past (probably due to being
neglected) her bones were mending and she looked fine. However that dosent
change the fact she still wont eat and has a mouth constantly full of water
and when we  try to feed her she cant seem to swallow her food and keeps
gaping her mouth open and gasping. If you have any ideas what this could be
please can you let me know as time is really running out and nobody
including the vet knows what is wrong.
Thankyou  

Answer
 Gasping and lethargy with fluid in the mouth still sounds like some kind of respiratory infection.  Was the vet a qualified reptile veterinarian?  If not, go to ARAV.org and look in their member directory for reptile vets, and get a second opinion.  This little girl sounds like she's in serious trouble.

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Pam

Expertise

I can answer 98% of all questions regarding the husbandry of most desert to temperate climate omnivore and herbivore lizards. This would include bearded dragons, and skinks. I can also answer questions regarding iguanas. I can not help with snakes,amphibians,crustations or arachnids. For tortoises I will only refer you to the World Chelonian Trust. I am not a vet, but I've had enough medical (human) training to know that when a reptile is showing symptoms he needs definitive care. That means a vet, period. I can help with a few conditions, such as prolapse, so that the animal has the best chance at the vet to treat and recover. The answer to having two species sharing the same habitat will always be no. Just because you don't like my answer does not mean I'm wrong. As for breeding animals, especially bearded dragons who already have a weak gene pool as it is, you will get all the reasons why you shouldn't. There are enough inexperienced breeders out there, filling pet stores with undersized sickly babies, I will not add to their number. If you need a lizard identified, please give me an idea of where you live and a description of the animal.

Experience

I own and breed bearded dragons (pogona vitticeps). I've been a member of several e-mail lizard care groups, I am both a forum chat moderator for Reptilerooms.com, and forum moderator for Pogona and Babyiguana Yahoo Groups. I have soaked in the knowledge of some of the best researchers, rehabbers, and herp veterinarians from those groups

Organizations
Long Island Herpetological Society International Reptile Conservation Society

Education/Credentials
SUNY @ Farmingdale - Animal Science Univ. of GA - Pre-Vet

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