Please HELP! EMERGENCY!!!!

S

Smallidge

Guest
I took Escheron to the vet maybe 3 weeks ago for an exam because he hadn't been eating for 2 weeks. The vet (a reputable herp vet) said it was only parasites and $87 later, I was sent from the office with a dropper bottle of "medicine" (calcium power mixed with water) and a prayer.

It's been close to 6 weeks now since he's eaten. He hardly moves in his tank save for when I put a few crickets in. He'll eat one, and I remove the left over crickets after about 20 minutes, (during the feeding period I keep a close eye on him to make sure the crickets don't attack him). I'll look back in a few hours later and he always pukes up whatever he's eaten. :(


He hardly weighs anything and his tail is a stick. He lays on the warm side of his tank all day too. He has a huge black spot that takes up most of his belly...I fear it's impaction to an extreme level. I've tried soaking him in warm water baths, and in gatorade baths. I've tried slurry, I've tried mineral oil, and I've tried coaxing him to eat waxworms but nothing.


I'm so worried! He gets fresh water twice daily, has a dish of calcium powder in the tank, he lives on newsprint (no sand or loose substrates), his temps are fine on both sides of the tank, he has two hides and he lives by himself.


Does anyone have ANY suggestions? I got him from a petstore close to 5 months ago, and he doesn't look like he's grown one bit in the last 2-3. I'd say he's a sub-adult? I don't know though. He was sort of skinny when I got him, but he fattened up real nice, but then out of no where he's taken a nosedive.


Please help. If not for me, then for Esch. He's a sweetheart and loves to curl up on my collarbone and sleep when I watch tv in the evenings, and he has a wonderful personality. I can't lose him...He's fighting for his life every day and he still attempts to make it over to my hand and lick my fingers everytime I reach into his tank to change something out but he's getting so weak, he can barely make it. What do I do?!?! I can't afford another vet visit like that; I'm just a college student...


(My other geckos are fine, all fat, healthy tails and thriving. It's just this one who desn't look so hot.)
 

hybrid

New Member
Messages
683
Location
Oklahoma
I'm actually having the same problem with mine. I'm still doing the slurry but nothing is changing.

I hope your lil guy gets better! Keep me updated please!
 
S

Smallidge

Guest
I will, and I hope your little one gets better too!

It's awful having to watch helplessly. :(
 

hybrid

New Member
Messages
683
Location
Oklahoma
I actually have 2 that are sick. One is doing better, but the one is bad =(

I got them from a guy who was movin and he obviously didnt take care of them well. I'm sooo mad at him! lol
 
S

Smallidge

Guest
How irresponsible of that guy! I hate when I see people charging outrageous adoption fees for geckos online and the poor animals are in awful condition. The people who own them should be PAYING responsible people to take them off their hands and give them the love and proper care they deserve!
 
S

Smallidge

Guest
Good for you for taking care of them so well, and giving them the right attention they need. (= I bet they'll pull through!
 

Golden Gate Geckos

Mean Old Gecko Lady
Messages
12,730
Location
SF Bay Area
Oh my, Rhett... it doesn't sound good for Esch, I'm sorry to say. The big black area you see through his abdomen is most likely his enlarged liver. When geckos go off food for a long time, their fat storage in their bodies and tail get mobilized and clog up the liver. It's called hepatic lipidosis, or 'fatty liver'.

I would recommend keepinghim on my slurry recipe and getting another fecal exam performed by another vet, if possible. Keep in mind that bacterial infections and cryto will NOT show up on routine fecal tests.

For crypto, and acid-fast stain test needs to be performed... but currently crypto cannot be treated and is 99% fatal in leopard geckos. Stool samples need to be grown ans a culture in a lab to determine what type of bacteria is present, and what medication(s) it is sensitive to.

My heart goes out to you and Escheron...
 
S

Smallidge

Guest
/= Thank you, Miss Marcia. I'll try to look up another vet here but there aren't many around that specialize in herps. I'll be making some calls tomorrow, and I'll try coaxing him to eat some slurry. Right now he just rubs it off on his paper towel and has no interest in it, and I can't get him to open his mouth long enough for me to get a drop in there.

I'll keep trying though. You've been more help than I could have hoped for.
 

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