Sick Leopard :( (w/questioneer)

[bubblegumsodypop]

So you were able to get an appt. for tomorrow, that's great news. I also use UVB lights on all my reptiles without any problems as long as they have the appropriate hides and it's not too bright in the whole cage. I direct the light to one side of the enclosure.

Ya her uv is on her basking side. She spends a lot of time in her hides. maybe I will reduce some light, or reduce the amt of time the lighting is on during the day. Hopefully the vet will have positive news. I love this animal with all my heart, I would never have a malnourished animal, I had to cut back on feeding her at one point, she was too fat to get around. But he growth maybe stunted if that is possible. as you can see from the above pics, she IS NOT skin and bones even after not eating for a few days.

 

[bubblegumsodypop]

By the curve in that leg I want to say MBD, but MBD would not cause her to drop weight so rapidly, so there is more to the problem than just MBD. And sorry to be blunt, but that gecko did NOT go from its state in pic 1 to its state in pic 2 overnight.

Forums are supposed to help you, not make you feel like a crappy pet parent.

 

[bubblegumsodypop]

I see the difference. Well make the adjustments that I pointed out and make sure her enclosure does not overheat again. Unfortunately you have no feces to bring in for a fecal exam. The vet most likely will give you suggestions on how to feed. Good Luck and let us know how things turn out tomorrow.

Thank you ever so much for your care, concern and empathy. I do have some feces I can bring, thanks for mentioning that. I will def let you know how it all turns out.

 

[BrightReptiles]

Forums are supposed to help you, not make you feel like a crappy pet parent.

I am helping, and sometimes the truth hurts. Like I said, that didn't happen overnight (Say it did all you want, everyone here knows better). Maybe this experience was an awakening. Maybe you noticed it overnight, but it would have been losing weight for weeks, if not months, to become that anorexic. & Yes, skin and bones.

I too have a gecko who is suffering from unexplained massive weight loss, but I recognized it from day one, and it has taken 4-5 months to even come close to being as skinny as yours is, and is still not quite that skinny. Unfortunately nothing I have done has helped, and fecals were clean.

Sometimes you can't stop mother nature from doing what she wants to do. It doesn't mean you're a bad pet parent. The only reason I'm being so direct and 'mean' about it, is that you say this happened overnight, which is not physically possible, and leads me to believe your either not telling us something or was in what I call a 'now and then relationship' where one week you love it, then it goes forgotten for awhile, then you like it again, then it goes a month with no attention, then one day you say "time to play with the gecko, oh wow is it ok?" as you think about how you may have forgotten a few things along the way.

 

[bubblegumsodypop]

I am helping, and sometimes the truth hurts. Like I said, that didn't happen overnight (Say it did all you want, everyone here knows better). Maybe this experience was an awakening. Maybe you noticed it overnight, but it would have been losing weight for weeks, if not months, to become that anorexic. & Yes, skin and bones.

I too have a gecko who is suffering from unexplained massive weight loss, but I recognized it from day one, and it has taken 4-5 months to even come close to being as skinny as yours is, and is still not quite that skinny. Unfortunately nothing I have done has helped, and fecals were clean.

Sometimes you can't stop mother nature from doing what she wants to do. It doesn't mean you're a bad pet parent. The only reason I'm being so direct and 'mean' about it, is that you say this happened overnight, which is not physically possible, and leads me to believe your either not telling us something or was in what I call a 'now and then relationship' where one week you love it, then it goes forgotten for awhile, then you like it again, then it goes a month with no attention, then one day you say "time to play with the gecko, oh wow is it ok?" as you think about how you may have forgotten a few things along the way.

um, nooooo im not in a love it some days, leave it other days kind of pet owner. sorry. funny you think it happened over night but 3 days before I noticed this I watched her eat 5 crickets back to back so think what you want. and i have only owned her for 4 months. that first pic was take 3 months ago. she had a stroke since then, recovered, got that fat again, and then in days was this skinny. again, think what you want. its obvious that I have no motive to 'hide' nething from you.

 

[bubblegumsodypop]

um, nooooo im not in a love it some days, leave it other days kind of pet owner. sorry. funny you think it happened over night but 3 days before I noticed this I watched her eat 5 crickets back to back so think what you want. and i have only owned her for 4 months. that first pic was take 3 months ago. she had a stroke since then, recovered, got that fat again, and then in days was this skinny. again, think what you want. its obvious that I have no motive to 'hide' nething from you.

I guess your user name says it all.

 

[bubblegumsodypop]

Raise your hot side temp up 90-95 on the ground. Buy a digital thermometer with a probe. She should have at least 3 hides. 1 humid hide, 1 hide in cold side and 1 hide in warm side. You should have calcium with/d and one without D and a multivitamin supplement. Have you been dusting her crickets? how often?

ok I have a digital with probe. ground temp is currently 94.4 all I need is the multi vitamin supplement I have the rest.

 

[reps4life]

ok I have a digital with probe. ground temp is currently 94.4 all I need is the multi vitamin supplement I have the rest.

Since you use UVB the calcium W/D should not be used more than once a week. Use plain calcium for the rest of the days. I would leave a small dish of (plain) calcium in the enclosure so that she will lick some if needed. Too much vitD can lead to toxicity and cause the same symptoms of MBD. Make sure to discuss the calcium use with the vet. I am concerned about hydration. have you tried soaking or dropping some water on her mouth?

 

[grboxa]

Ive heard cases where geckos mobilize all there fat reserves rapidly ive even read cases overnight....badhabit I suggest you ease off OP a bit...stop jumping the gun. Anyways im sorry I cant give any insight im not an expert but reps4life has helped me many times and surely knows what hes talking about good luck with your gecko!

 

[bubblegumsodypop]

Ok, so I saw the vet today. He said he foot is from an injury. This would have happened in her habitat as I have not had an incident of injury during handling yet. I think that her illness is in part because she is experiencing so much pain from her foot. The Dr advised me to blend together crickets and mealworms along with some water to make a pulp. I did this and I managed to force-Feed her .7 cc of this. I also purchased so Repti-Boost and gave her the recommended dose of that. She consumed it all!! I have been administering regualr electrolyte baths and manually sheded her as well. Such a proud leo mom right now. I have a feeling that she is going to pull thru this. Thank you soooo much, Reps4life, you saved me. And Grboxa, thank you for picking up for me, I was really starting to feel like a poor Pet Parent.

 

[reps4life]

Ok, so I saw the vet today. He said he foot is from an injury. This would have happened in her habitat as I have not had an incident of injury during handling yet. I think that her illness is in part because she is experiencing so much pain from her foot. The Dr advised me to blend together crickets and mealworms along with some water to make a pulp. I did this and I managed to force-Feed her .7 cc of this. I also purchased so Repti-Boost and gave her the recommended dose of that. She consumed it all!! I have been administering regualr electrolyte baths and manually sheded her as well. Such a proud leo mom right now. I have a feeling that she is going to pull thru this. Thank you soooo much, Reps4life, you saved me. And Grboxa, thank you for picking up for me, I was really starting to feel like a poor Pet Parent.

Hi, Glad to hear some news. Did the vet do an exray?

 

[JordanAng420]

I was wondering the same thing. Were radiographs done?

 

[Pinky81]

Ok, so I saw the vet today. He said he foot is from an injury. This would have happened in her habitat as I have not had an incident of injury during handling yet. I think that her illness is in part because she is experiencing so much pain from her foot. The Dr advised me to blend together crickets and mealworms along with some water to make a pulp. I did this and I managed to force-Feed her .7 cc of this. I also purchased so Repti-Boost and gave her the recommended dose of that. She consumed it all!! I have been administering regualr electrolyte baths and manually sheded her as well. Such a proud leo mom right now. I have a feeling that she is going to pull thru this. Thank you soooo much, Reps4life, you saved me. And Grboxa, thank you for picking up for me, I was really starting to feel like a poor Pet Parent.

Glad all seems to be getting better, suggestion for you instead of "force feeding" which can be quite stressfull. Try using the syringe to place drops on you little ones nose to lick off. Also there is a sticky for a VERY healthy slurry or "gecko soup" recipe. I think if you were to make a batch of that and ditch the blended crix and mealies your gonna see better results!

You are not a bad pet parent..it sounds like you are new to herps, and trying to do your best. Hell you actually took your leo to the vet which is more then I can say for some ppl on here. Keep up the TLC and keep your temps in the range rep4life mentioned...they were definitly too low before!

I am assuming you have a gram scale since you have weights so AWESOME! Keep a tab on weights as well as how much you little one is taking in! Good Luck and keep us updated