Our day at the vet

ashbash8045 · #1 01-04-2012, 12:38 AM

Our african fat tailed gecko was having problems shedding for like a month even though I soaked him daily and he spent all his time in the hot box. When I noticed his tail got small I made a vet appt.
We went in and they did the normal stuff ya know weighing and what not. He was 30 grams his brother was 50. In addition to losing all that weight she said he was impacted and he also had wounds on him from his shed not coming off right. They kept him for 2 nights in a incubator, gave him enimas, soaked him, force fed him, and gave him sugar water to get him hydrated and get his blood pressure up. Now that I have him back I have to soak him everyday and put silver sulfadiazine cream on his wound and also force feed him a mixture of mineral oil and hills a/d. We had a little set back yesterday when he shed but it all came off pretty well. Hopefully now we are on the mend! Does anyone know how long it usually takes for their wounds to heal over?

Yoshi'smom · #2 01-04-2012, 07:49 AM

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more successful sheds in the future! Good luck and keep us updated on his progress!

ashbash8045 · #3 01-17-2012, 03:52 PM

Update: He is doing alot better he shed once all of it came off. He seems really alert and is exploring alot more. He is still not eating. Is there anything I could mix up to try to feed him. I have tried everything such as crickets and worms but he doesnt want anything to do with them. I even held them up against his mouth until he bit them but he just spit them back out. I really dont wanna take him back to the vets unless I have to. That last bill was outrages. Thanks

Yoshi'smom · #4 01-17-2012, 08:49 PM

Have you tried using Fluker's Emergency Carnivore Diet? I've used it with one of my leo's who wouldn't eat while battling an eye infection. It's helped him maintain a stable weight. It's a complete powdered diet.
He's over the eye infection but is still not eating on his own yet. The exotics vet I see said it could be used as a long term solution. However, keep offering and trying to get your AFT to eat live.
Press Release - Critical Care
http://www.flukerfarms.com/PDFs/Carn...structions.pdf

ashbash8045 · #5 01-18-2012, 07:18 PM

Thanks I will look into that. I found a recipe for slurry on here that im going to try tonight and see if that helps out at all.

cricket4u · #6 01-18-2012, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashbash8045

Thanks I will look into that. I found a recipe for slurry on here that im going to try tonight and see if that helps out at all.

Hi,

Your AFT has had a lot done to her/him. I am not sure how long it's been, but it's very stressful on them and so it's possible that is why he/she does not want to eat. Sometimes we worry so much that we can unintentionally stress them out even more

Do not allow the humidity to drop under 50 to make sure he/she continues to shed properly. Hope your AFT starts eating soon.

ashbash8045 · #7 01-18-2012, 10:12 PM

Thanks I have been keeping an eye on him since this has all been happening its been a couple weeks so we are settled into a routine. We just tried the the slurry diet for the first time today and he really seemed to like it.

cricket4u · #8 01-18-2012, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashbash8045

Thanks I have been keeping an eye on him since this has all been happening its been a couple weeks so we are settled into a routine. We just tried the the slurry diet for the first time today and he really seemed to like it.

Well that's good news. My thought which I forgot to mention is in some cases the veterinarian's method of force feeding is by inserting a feeding tube which can irritate their throat and cause discomfort. He should be eating soon if he is taking in the slurry

ashbash8045 · #9 01-18-2012, 10:23 PM

Yeah it was gentle force feeding then! haha I wouldnt have the heart to do that myself at home. They just made me a mixture of hills A/D and mineral oil in little syringes but the mineral oil was because he was impacted. I just had to get him to open up so I could squeze the stuff out of the syringe.(Even that I felt horrible about but thats how they showed me to do it)

ashbash8045 · #10 01-18-2012, 10:25 PM

Im not sure how they did it at the vets? Im thinking probably the way they showed me since he was only there for a night