Stiff Food/Ankle Joints? Calcium/MBD Issue?

[Arconna]

Stiff Foot/Ankle Joints? Calcium/MBD Issue?

Some of you might remember that one of my leos (Noodles) had to have his eye removed due to perpetual eye issues (the eye eventually rupture). He's been doing relatively okay since the surgery, though he is still not eating on his own. But he's relatively active, moves around just fine in my hand, and otherwise seems dandy (no lethargy).

I noticed today, however, that the joints on his back feet (where he would have an ankle) are very stuff and don't really move. There doesn't seem to be any swelling of note, but it doesn't concern me. Is this perhaps due to a calcium deficiency? (MBD perhaps?).

Curious if anyone has seen this. Understandably, the little fellow has been under a lot of stress, so I wouldn't be surprised if he just has a calcium problem that I can resolve via oral meds.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Shaun, you posted a similar thread awhile back and got some good feedback: http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=76840 It could be gout, but only a qualified reptile vet can diagnose this. Could you please give us a detailed description of your supplementation regime and what product(s) you are using?

 

[Arconna]

Hey Marcia,
This is a somewhat different case. The thread you linked to turned out to be gout. I had to have Taj put to sleep and the autopsy revealed that her kidneys were abnormally small. But she had very obvious swelling. In this case, with Noodles, there doesn't seem to be any joint swelling at all. The legs all look fairly normal, but the joints on his back feet are stiff (one more than the other).

Right now he's on Oxbrow Carnivore Care, which I am supplementing with Fluker's calcium powder w/ D3. I've only been supplementing in the last four days or so, though, because the vet thought he might have calcium issues due to some wobbling movement (it was either calcium or the fact that he had been on pain meds due to the surgery; his color has returned since taking him off the pain meds and he isn't wobbling as much).

He's not currently eating mealworms. He takes the mush well enough, but he's not taking solid food well. We're hoping this will resolve itself now that he's off the pain meds (well, and the more the wound heals, obviously).

The meds he's on: Trimethoprim Sulfa (antibiotic; continuous); Meloxicam (anti-inflammatory)

Let me know if you need more info!

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Shaun, I'm sorry about Taj. I'm not familiar with any kind of pain medication for reptiles, so I can't comment about any possible side effects. How long ago was his surgery? When you say you have not been supplementing, does this mean Noodles has not been supplemented with calcium until recently?

 

[Arconna]

His surgery was about two weeks ago. They say the wound is healing well enough, which is good.

And I just meant I wasn't putting additional calcium in the Carnivore Care. Sorry, I should have been clearer. I usually supplement every other feeding (sometimes more).

Edit: Just to update. I fed him this evening and gave him his meds. When I placed him back in his cage, his tail started twitching and he had several noticeable tremors. Stuff I'm reading tells me this is MBD related, but that seems very severe for there not to be other signs. I'm calling my vet tomorrow. And fearing the worst...

 

[Arconna]

Final update: I thought you'd all want to know that Noodles didn't make it. I took him to see the vet earlier in the week for the twitching and they weren't sure what could cause it since he didn't do the twitching thing again. But this morning he had a full on seizure, his tail and head swinging back and forth, mouth opening, etc. I took him in unable to move most of his body and had him put to rest.

Thanks for all the help that you all provided. He was the second leopard gecko I even got (got him from Marcia, actually, and you were a wonderful help in giving me info and everything). It was a very long and stressful battle, but it's over now. I'm not taking it well, but there was nothing to be done.

Anyway...

 

[fl_orchidslave]

So sorry you lost Noodles. RIP old buddy.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Oh Shawn, I'm so sorry! You've had Noodles for a long time. Did the vet give you any idea why he could have had those seizures? Could it have been a toxicity issue with the antibiotics? So tragic... I'm heartbroken for you.