Scurvy?

[Aunt J]

My sister's leo is having serious health problems.

First he had terrible shed problems, and lost a bunch of toes. When I last visited, we soaked him and peeled off most of the dead skin, but it wasn't pretty.

Then the pet store told her he ought to be on calcium sand. (grrrr) He got impacted. I had her get the sand out of there, but - like overnight -- his tail shrunk to about a third its former size. He refused to eat anything. After soaking and mineral oil drops, the impaction passed, and he started eating and pooping again.

That was about three weeks ago. He has stopped eating much, but he's pooping, so no impaction. But his tail hasn't plumped up at all, his legs are wobbly, he keeps his eyes shut and acts like he's blind (although he'll take food if it's right near his nose). She's very worried.

A non-herp vet has seen him, and thinks he's dehydrated, and might have scurvy. Is this possible? His food is always dusted with calcium, and there is calcium in the tank. She can't get in to see an exotics vet until next tuesday, and she's very worried he won't make it.

Any suggestions?

 

[godzillizard]

Get your hands on some calcium glubionate ASAP! and some calcium with D3--the little one most likely has MBD--not "scurvy". But, calcium will only help if the gecko has enough D3 in it to properly process the calcium... good luck

 

[Aunt J]

thanks, will do. i know the calcium she has has d3 in it, because i bought it for her myself. but the symptoms sure sound like mbd.

 

[godzillizard]

calcium glubionate is sold as: Neocalglucon or Calciquid. that might make it a biut easier to find

 

[Smallidge]

Scurvy is caused from a lack of vegetables, so I say don't take your leo to that vet again. Google a list of local herp vets. Try some calcium if you can get ahold of it too!

 

[RepBex]

i had a problem where the mealworms i feed lose most of the dusted cal and vit i dust them with so i had an idea (rare i know)

i got my geckos out one at a time diped my finger in first calcum and they both licked it all off then the vit mix and they did the same my female speedy he almost took my finger off trying to get the calcium so u put a big bit on me jeans and it was like it was addictive for her

it might be a way to get some of in into the gecko

hope he /she pulls though

 

[leonut]

i had a problem where the mealworms i feed lose most of the dusted cal and vit i dust them with so i had an idea (rare i know)

i got my geckos out one at a time diped my finger in first calcum and they both licked it all off then the vit mix and they did the same my female speedy he almost took my finger off trying to get the calcium so u put a big bit on me jeans and it was like it was addictive for her

it might be a way to get some of in into the gecko

hope he /she pulls though

i do the same thing with my leo.