RIP Jaffa

[beknluke]

Well guys, on the 30/1, I put a post up RE: my female beardie who was displaying male behaviour.
I bought her on the 29/1/05 from Amazing Amazon (the only pet I have bought fom a pet shop in a LONG time and now most likely, my last) and she had been on the decline ever since.
Over the past 2.5mths, she had lost weight and slowly went off her food. She was so sick that she wouldn't even fight me when I force fed her
Either way, she had been to the vet, and a limited amount of options were discussed. In the end, we all decided that it was best for Jaffa if she was put to sleep.
Since then, I have had the vet conduct an autopsy (I have NO IDEA if that has been spelled correctly) and they have found something VERY odd. It looks as though she had a belly full of worms that are only found in Blue Tongues. The vet is sending the worms off for further testing since it's such an 'interesting' find.... Poor Jaffa....
Apparently these particular worms (that hardly anything is known about!!) can only be transferred by the lizards all eating crickets which have been 'infected' by the Blue Tongues... So she wouldn't reccomend anything for me to dose my other guys with
But here's the other thing: IF she DIDN'T come with a belly full of worms from Amazing Amazon, the only crix that she has been feed came direct to my door from Pisces!! And I seriously DOUBT that they have a resident bluey wondering around up there!!
Other than that, the vets and the scientists and Melb Uni are thinking that she may have been wild caught...
Anyway, just thought that I would see if anyone else has had anything like this before - and as a warning to stick with your innitial decision: NEVER buy from big pet shops.
Bex

 

[Sdaji]

The overwhealming majority of adult bearded dragons sold in pet shops are wild caught, as well as many other species, especially turtles, which are virtually never captive bred.

The numbers of animals coming and going through pet shops is a clear recipee for disaster and the fact that they are profit driven doesn't help at all. Proper quaranteen is literally impossible for pet shops, even if they actually did try to practice it and had the animals' best interests in mind, which is disturbingly rarely the case.

There's a clear moral to this story.

Sorry to hear about your loss

 

[Guest]

Sorry to hear bex,and your not wrong sdaji petshops in my experience go for the buck and fortunately dont have the right conditions for reps in general,just stress and more stress.

 

[geckodan]

Can you get the correct scientific name for the worm species that was found so I can better advise you on its likely source and what to do now

 

[soulweaver]

sorry to hear this bex, we know too well about pet stores!

 

[beknluke]

Sorry GD - the vet didn't say. Only went on about discussing it with Melb Uni Profs and them exclaiming over finding them in a beardy...
Eiethr way, I have left a msg for the vet to call me back and I will try to get the scientific name of the worm for you...
Bex

 

[womas4me]

No offence, but didn't it occur to you to worm the animal yourself.

 

[OuZo]

sorry bex hun

hope ur ok...i'll probably give u a buzz tonight

 

[diamond_python]

Sorry to hear that Bex. It is not good when you lose a loved pet.

I bought my first snake from Living Jungle - a diamond python and he is as healthy as ever (touch wood) but I would never buy from a pet shop again though.

 

[Bouncer]

The fact that the vet didn't advise you on how to treat your other animals concerns me. All intestinal worms can be treated. The vet told you they don't know much about these worms but can tell you how it became infected? Every reptile I have bought from Pet Stores is alive and healthy. the only ones that have passed on have been bought privately. Though I have always bought from shops that seem to know what they are talking about. Many don't.

 

[africancichlidau]

Sorry to hear that Bex Stiff upper lip dear!

 

[trader]

sorry for your loss Bexy.

 

[Already_Gone]

sorry to hear about your loss bex

no one will ever persuade me on the pet shop debate... i despise them!!

 

[instar]

Sympathy

 

[redline]

Sorry to hear that Bex.

 

[zard]

my heart goes out to you bex, i know only too well how sad it is to loose a loved pet

 

[rodentrancher]

That's no good bex. Very sad. Cheryl

 

[beknluke]

No offence, but didn't it occur to you to worm the animal yourself.

Hmmmm, let me see..... Of course I did!! *shakes head* But no, I am not offended - that is an obvious thing to ask.
The problem is that she was scrawny when I got her and it just got worse. Further to that, everything that I was force feeding her was going through her UNTOUCHED. No digestion - no worms. It's all very strange.
The vet said to me straight out (before I put her down) "she's extremely sick and I seriously doubt that she will survive any form or treatment." Now - with that it mind, I thought that is was MUCH kinder for THE ANIMAL to put her to sleep. If it had have been for my sake, I would have tried everything I could to fix her coz a) she was my pet, and b) I bought her to breed with: and I didn't dpend $250 for it to go down the tube. But I cared about her too much and she was in too much pain.
It was a horrible thing to go through and I hope that no one ever goes through the same.

The fact that the vet didn't advise you on how to treat your other animals concerns me.

As for the above - they did advise me and said that she had a pretty slim chance of making it.
No offence to anyone here - but no one could see what I saw. She was in pain and just wanted to die. You could see it in her eyes. I did what I thought was right for her.
On top of it all, they also said that she appeared extremely old and that if she DID come from a breeder (vs being wild caught) she was probably bred out and on her way out because of it.....
Thanx for your condolences guys - it's very heart felt. Good luck with all of yours
Bex

 

[Reptilegirl]

I think what bouncer was trying to say was that it was concerning that the vet didnt tell you how to treat your other animals (the ones still at home) just incase they had somehow got it too.

Anyway.... I'm sorry for your loss... I'm sure you did the right thing for her. I know what you mean.. I hate to see sick animals.. and i wanna do anything and everything to help them.... but sometimes the best way to help them is to... well you know..
Anyway i hope your alright....
Take care. Have fun.
Megan

 

[ashley_morris22]

I bought her on the 29/1/05 from Amazing Amazon

did you call them
paul is pritty good(well he was to me)

im not being funny just wanted to know