New acquisition; Potential renal/liver issues; new to herps

[Izzyloo]

About your leo:
- Sex: Pretty sure male, but is still a (very skinny) juvenile
- Age & Weight: Unknown to both. Had him in the vet the other day, but they didn't jot the weight down.
- How long have you owned your leo: About a week and a few days
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend): From a coworker who got him from a friend who got him from a big box store.

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo: It has (unfortunately) worked out to be about once every other day, between cleaning his feces (because he doesn't poop in the same spot, ever) or removing insects I thought he caught.
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now. He has acted odd since I brought him home. Lethargic, refusing most food, unresponsive to most everything. He poops regularly though, so there is that.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe. Unknown. When I got him he was extremely skinny, tail and all, bones sticking through, etc. I am trying to fatten him up, but he refuses food most of the time.
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal) Seemingly normal. Had what looked like sand in them for a couple of days, but otherwise firm, and normal.
- When was the last time he/she went? Last night.
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on. As I said, he was extremely emaciated when I got him, and still is, though his tail isn't AS wrinkled as it was when I first saw him. The environment he was in was HORRID when I got him home and started to clean his tank, and all. Hatchling crickets in his humid hide, loose gravel/sand from a homemade mat he was on, mold, etc. I set him up in a nice, clean tank and left him to his devices. He ate ok for the first couple of days, and then it has been hit or miss since then. He hardly ever opens his eyes, and seems just... off. I brought him to the vet, where the exotics expert thinks there is fluid in the abdomen, and potential renal/liver issues that are just congenital, due to him being a different morph. I have noticed that his belly is blue, and just seems to be getting bluer, and he hasn't eaten the past couple of days. He also has old shed on his toes and tail that I have tried to take off (soaking, wet q-tip, etc) but that hasn't worked. I just have no experience with herps, especially medically special guys, and would like some feedback.

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size: 10 gallon
- Type (ex. glass tank). Glass aquarium
- Type of substrate Clean paper towels, one flat stone
- Hides, how many, what kind 3: Hot, cool and humid.
B) Heating
- Heat source Mainly UTH, which I supplemented with a ceramic bulb (because he was acting like he wasn't getting enough heat) and a low heat pad on corner of tank on hot side to add supplemental ambient heat.
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side) hot: 91-95 Cool: 70-80
- Method of regulating heat source Me myself and I: am looking into getting a regulator
- What are you using to measure your temps Three thermometers and hygrometer: One temp strip obove hot side, prober thermometer on hot side and hygrometer and thermometer on cool/humid side.
- Do you have any lights (describe) None consistently on him. He is near a window (With blinds closed, no direct sunlight) to regulate his day/night cycle.
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females) n/a
- Describe health, or previous problems None, and I am not sure.

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much) Crickets and meal worms, mainly. He will not eat wax worms, refuses them every time. Looking into ordering dubia roaches or other feeders if he makes it. I try daily, but it is hit or miss.
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect) Have tried leaving in dish, but mainly I tong feed him, or let him catch it, if he can.
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands) I dust with repashy's, and keep a dish of non D3 calcium (I forget the brand) in his tank at all times.
- What are you gut loading food with High calcium cricket food, fresh veggies


ANY help would be GREATLY appreciated. Opinions, thoughts, experiences anything, really, I am open to them all. I will post pictures ASAP! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

 

[Neon Aurora]

Well you're set up seems perfectly fine. You say his belly is blue and that there was sand in his poop? I would guess that he is impacted. You could try a warm soak daily and a drop of mineral oil on the nose.

I'm not sure what your vet meant by congenital organ issues due to him being a "different morph". Could you elaborate on that, just because I'm curious?

 

[Izzyloo]

I thought it was sand, it looked just like sand, but the technician who examined the stool said she didn't see anything that looked like sand, and he was also parasite free, so there is that. I tried a warm soak, but he flipped out, and ended up thrashing his head under water, so I wanted to try to give that a rest so he doesn't inhale any water. (Derp) I will try again, though, to see. I tried even half on my hand, half in the water, and he still fought it.

And my vet said that issues like that show up more often than not in morphs, especially from BBS, due to the rampant inbreeding that goes on to keep the lines "pure".

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[Izzyloo]

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[indyana]

Yikes, if I were as skinny as he is, I wouldn't have much energy either. The stress of everything new probably isn't helping his appetite.

You can try making a slurry if you think it might have more luck than actual bugs:
http://geckoforums.net/f130-health-medications/54742.htm

There's also Repashy Grub Pie, which you could mix with more water to get a slurry-like consistency.


The little temperature strips/dials are pretty useless. To measure the warm temp, you'll want the thermometer probe laid flat on the floor above the center of the UTH. You want the floor surface to be around 90 F, not the ambient air temperature. Ambient air temp can be much lower.

 

[Izzyloo]

Yikes, if I were as skinny as he is, I wouldn't have much energy either. The stress of everything new probably isn't helping his appetite.

You can try making a slurry if you think it might have more luck than actual bugs:
http://geckoforums.net/f130-health-medications/54742.htm

There's also Repashy Grub Pie, which you could mix with more water to get a slurry-like consistency.


The little temperature strips/dials are pretty useless. To measure the warm temp, you'll want the thermometer probe laid flat on the floor above the center of the UTH. You want the floor surface to be around 90 F, not the ambient air temperature. Ambient air temp can be much lower.

Yeah, I have come to realize the strips are terrible. Haha. I have the probe thermometer right about where you said to have it, and as I said, a low temp heating pad on the side just in case, as we keep our apartment cool.

I am going to keep trying with him, but it is looking grim. I talked to my veterinarian today, and he didn't seem to have much hope. It seems as though there is more fluid in his abdomen, as his belly keeps getting bluer and bluer, and as I said, he isn't eating, really, and won't open his eyes or anything. I talked to the vet about extracting the fluid, and he said that would just keep prolonging the inevitable if he did in fact have kidney issues, which he basically confirmed that he did. I don't want to give up, but I also don't want the baby to suffer. :/

I can try a slurry just to see if that works...

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[Neon Aurora]

Just for the record, I've not noticed varying morphs having any more health problems than any random leopard gecko.

Well, normally I think impaction when I see a blue belly, but you said he is pooping fine... If your vet is sure it's a renal issue (I'm not very confident that you can diagnose that just by looking...), then what his prognosis?

Could the gecko have sustained an internal injury? Something maybe fell or dropped on him before you got him?

 

[Izzyloo]

I think he just more meant the inbreeding to maintain the pure colors in the morphs are the cause, but I see what you are saying.

And I think he shined a light under him to examine the kidney/liver, and apparently it is extremely inflamed, anoint with there being substantial fluid. I actually looked in that manner, myself, tonight and it doesn't look good. :/

The prognosis for the wee one is leaning towards the end result being euthanasia. :'( I could continually take him in for the vet to withdraw fluid, but that wouldn't solve the kidney issues. I really don't know what else to do for him.

And something could have happened to him, but I don't know. The girl I got him from "got him from a friend", and didn't have much to offer me in the way of history. He came from pets mart, which doesn't have a great track record, so who knows what happened while he was there?

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[Izzyloo]

I have made the excruciatingly hard decision to take him in and put him down. He now seems to be in pain, shies away from any touch on his abdomen, thrashes when I have him out, and the swelling had gotten worse. I would rather him not be in pain, so I am going to take him to the exotics vet to do what I feel is the right thing. Thanks for the couple of people who responded.

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[indyana]

Sorry to hear that he's gone downhill. It's sad, but some health issues just can't be turned around after a certain point, even with great care.

 

[Izzyloo]

Sorry to hear that he's gone downhill. It's sad, but some health issues just can't be turned around after a certain point, even with great care.

Thank you very much for the sympathy. I have become so attached to this little one in such a short periods of time, Ave as such this is very hard. Part of me feels as though I an giving up on him, but I know that isn't exactly the case. We will see what the vet days today, but more than likely, I will be coming home gecko-less. thanks again!

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[discoverlight]

Theres a lot of geckos out there that need homes. I know what it's like to lose geckos, as i have a rescue, and some illnesses are just so bad you can't treat them no matter how hard you try, but don't give up!

I mean if you're up to the task of continuing with geckos then theres a lot that would be honored to be in your care, you definitely did all you could and I'm sure the little one is happier not suffering anymore.

I understand if the emotional attachment has made you weary of getting another, or continuing with geckos, but I think you would be a great person for the job

Regardless if you get another one day or not, keep being a great pet owner. You did all you could

 

[Izzyloo]

Theres a lot of geckos out there that need homes. I know what it's like to lose geckos, as i have a rescue, and some illnesses are just so bad you can't treat them no matter how hard you try, but don't give up!

I mean if you're up to the task of continuing with geckos then theres a lot that would be honored to be in your care, you definitely did all you could and I'm sure the little one is happier not suffering anymore.

I understand if the emotional attachment has made you weary of getting another, or continuing with geckos, but I think you would be a great person for the job

Regardless if you get another one day or not, keep being a great pet owner. You did all you could

Thank you very much for your kind words! It makes me feel better, MUCH better. I know that I have been doing everything in my power, and that this illness has been with him from the stay, more than likely, but it has been a sad situation. I most definitely want another one, and have been contemplating the reptile convention that is coming to town in October.

Again, thank you so so much. I feel as though my efforts are worthwhile and validated. I will definitely be posting here regularly once I do get a new, and healthy, little one, with HAPPY posts.

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk