Help!!! long nosed dragon paralized

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Trench

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I went to make my morning rounds and found one of my long nosed dragons laying on its back, when I turned it over it moved its front legs but not its back legs, it has so far not moved its back legs or tail at all.
It is alert and had a drink, is moving its front half with no problems. its breathing normaly
A few days ago I found my water dragon dead on its back, it was laying in the sun (outdoor enclosure) I think it was the heat that killed it.
Is there a bacteria that causes paralyzes?
The water dragon and the long nosed dragon both have been feed meal worms to suit their size, the long nosed has also been feed termites and the water dragon has been feed crickets
I noticed with both that their water bowels were dry, the water dragons had dryed out because of the heat, and I just noticed that the long nosed's water bowel had a leak in it, could constipation cause paralyzing?
Thanks
Trench
 
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Impaction can cause paralysis in the back legs.

How could your water dragons water dry out?
My outdoor enclosure has a 100L water area and I considered that a tad small.
 
the water dragon is a young one, but yes the water bowel is not really a good size or depth for swimings.

He has started having trouble breathing, his sides are not going in and out and he keeps opening his mouth :(
I have given him a warm bath and have put him under the heat lamp
 
Does it have access to sufficient shade/cool areas? It sounds like they might be overheating if there is no water or shade to cool off.
 
Also mealworms should be fed sparingly to young lizards.
Feeding many in a sitting will have an increased risk of impaction.
 
Does it have access to sufficient shade/cool areas? It sounds like they might be overheating if there is no water or shade to cool off.

It is just the one but he is unable to move,

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Also mealworms should be fed sparingly to young lizards.
Feeding many in a sitting will have an increased risk of impaction.

I only give them 2 small meal worms once every 2-3 days

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aside from opening his mouth and licking up the water on his lips there is not sign of life, he has reduced the amount of mouth opening

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Doesn't sound good at all.
Vet time?

I don't know that the vet can do very much, will need to see how I go
 
^ Yeah after 4 years of studying animal medicine I'm sure they won't have any idea how to help
 
in this situation a vet is the only person who can help your little dragon and maybe if they can't fix him they han euthanise him so he is not in pain.

you should also fit the enclosure so there is adequet water and shade and also with young dragons stay away from meal worms.
 
^ Yeah after 4 years of studying animal medicine I'm sure they won't have any idea how to help

you would think they would but you would be surprised at how many don't

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in this situation a vet is the only person who can help your little dragon and maybe if they can't fix him they han euthanise him so he is not in pain.

you should also fit the enclosure so there is adequet water and shade and also with young dragons stay away from meal worms.

there is plenty of shade, there would normaly be adequet water but because of the heat latly every thing is evaporating as fast as possible and I did not know that there was a leak in their water bowel untill today.
but yes I will be staying well away from meal worms for young dragons, it may or may not be the cause but I don't won't to risk it.
 
I went to the vets on Tuesday and they had no idea what is causeing it, they put him over a light so that they could see through him and they could not see or feel anything that looks or felt like impaction. they gave me the options of an x-ray which they said they did not think they would be able to learn any thing more than they already did, or an injection of sugars and vitamins but they did not think that that would be much good eather. when I came home from work a few hours later and he was dead and had already gone stiff so I think he died some time just after I got back from the vets. I have cleaned out both enclosures as best as I can and am now hoping and praying that non of the others get it.
does any one had a link to a good guide on how to do an autopsy? I have it in the freezer
I am now being very careful about washing my hands hopfully it has not passed on to any of the others
 
I am so sorry Trench :( That is heartbreaking. RIP little fella :'(
 
Sorry for your loss.

Unless your able to do pathology and other tests there's not much point you trying to conduct a necropsy yourself.

Steps to do necropsy;
1. Take lizard to Vet
2. Ask for necropsy on patient that didn't make it
3. Wait for results (which may be inconclusive)
4. Pay Vet for their professional services (don't forget, it's not just that individual vets experience you're tapping into but a whole network of Vets).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
I am so sorry Trench :( That is heartbreaking. RIP little fella :'(

Thanks

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Sorry for your loss.

Unless your able to do pathology and other tests there's not much point you trying to conduct a necropsy yourself.

Steps to do necropsy;
1. Take lizard to Vet
2. Ask for necropsy on patient that didn't make it
3. Wait for results (which may be inconclusive)
4. Pay Vet for their professional services (don't forget, it's not just that individual vets experience you're tapping into but a whole network of Vets).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

It has been in the freezer for almost 2 days now? how many days can it be the freezer for before it is unable to produce any results if you get my meaning?
Thanks
 
In my opinion its unlikely to be a disease issue and more likely to be a husbandry one. Whilst superficially similar ewd's and long nosed dragons are very different critters.

What I want to know is where did you get a long nosed dragon from? I have looked for years and haven't seen any advertised.
 
In my opinion its unlikely to be a disease issue and more likely to be a husbandry one. Whilst superficially similar ewd's and long nosed dragons are very different critters.

What I want to know is where did you get a long nosed dragon from? I have looked for years and haven't seen any advertised.


Absolutely agree, I too have looked for years.
 
It has been in the freezer for almost 2 days now? how many days can it be the freezer for before it is unable to produce any results if you get my meaning?
Thanks

As soon as its frozen it's pointless from a histopathology point of view but still ok for gross post mortem.
This is quite a common presentation in Lophognathus/Gowidon in my experience. This is often a delayed espression of MBD, often secondary to trauma or large food items pressing upwards on the spine. You rarely get any warning as it is not husbandry issues at your end per se' but prexisting issues arising from parental deficiencies and low grade MBD in the egg or low level issues whilst growing due to erratic feeding or poor supplementation intermittently. Minor changes in skeletal integrity occur, but not enough to be visible. As the lizard ages and increased pressures are placed on the weakened skeletal components, particularly the spine, it eventually 'pops' and paralysis is the result. There usually isn't much you can do although anti-inflammatories may temporarily reduce clinical signs.
 
In my opinion its unlikely to be a disease issue and more likely to be a husbandry one. Whilst superficially similar ewd's and long nosed dragons are very different critters.

What I want to know is where did you get a long nosed dragon from? I have looked for years and haven't seen any advertised.

I have found them one of the more common hard to get species if you get my meaning.
I got mine off of herpheaven, highly recommend him,

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As soon as its frozen it's pointless from a histopathology point of view but still ok for gross post mortem.
This is quite a common presentation in Lophognathus/Gowidon in my experience. This is often a delayed espression of MBD, often secondary to trauma or large food items pressing upwards on the spine. You rarely get any warning as it is not husbandry issues at your end per se' but prexisting issues arising from parental deficiencies and low grade MBD in the egg or low level issues whilst growing due to erratic feeding or poor supplementation intermittently. Minor changes in skeletal integrity occur, but not enough to be visible. As the lizard ages and increased pressures are placed on the weakened skeletal components, particularly the spine, it eventually 'pops' and paralysis is the result. There usually isn't much you can do although anti-inflammatories may temporarily reduce clinical signs.

Thanks for that danny

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Sorry to hear about your loss, that sounds like it would have been devastating :(

Thanks
 
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