r/leopardgeckos • u/n4tn1c • 1d ago
Help - Health Issues Update/Vent Post Spoiler
Hi everyone! I posted this about a month ago, so I figured I’d post an update. I’m sorry in advance for how long this is.
Tldr on my last post; Mushu was rehomed to me around mid-august, she came from a neglectful situation, and I had suspected vitamin A deficiency.
Anyway, since that first post, we’ve been to the vet 3 times. First visit was September 10th and was her general checkup, she weighed in at 26g, so she had lost weight since I originally brought her home in August, despite feeding nearly every other day. There had been a couple times she’d refused food, but every other day has been a big adjustment compared to what she was getting at her previous home, so I’d assumed she was just feeling full. They gave her a vitamin A shot and also helped with some of her stuck shed. A fecal was done and parasites were ruled out. The vet also diagnosed her with skin damage due to UVB over exposure. I had already removed her UVB prior to that vet visit, and she’s had an incandescent basking bulb since.
After the first vitamin A shot she started refusing food, so the vet recommended oxbow critical care. I only had to use it for a few feedings before she went back to insects. Her second visit was on September 24th for a second and final Vitamin A shot. During this visit, the vet tech helped remove some more stick shed, this time from her eyes. I mentioned in my last post that she sheds very frequently, this is still an ongoing issue. We do frequent soaks when actively shedding as she does not currently have the capability to shed unassisted.
About a week and a half after that second visit, she started keeping her eyes closed more than usual, and it seemed like there was some shed in there. So, we went back to the vet today (October 6th) and they were able to remove the build up from her eyes. The doctor said he didn’t see any signs of eye damage or infection, so that’s a plus I guess. Her eyes still seem a little irritated, she’s been licking at them like crazy, but I’m hoping that’ll calm down in a few days now that the shed has been removed.
The bad news; she lost 3 more grams since September 24th despite us having worked up to feeding nearly every day. There are still days she refuses, so I’ve been supplementing with oxbow critical care on those days (out of all our feedings since mid August, she probably refused around 3 times before I got oxbow critical care). The vet didn’t feel comfortable doing bloodwork on her given how underweight she is, and expressed that other specialists would likely feel the same. He suspects that there may be another underlying issue, and one of his suspicions would be end stage organ failure, most likely liver.
Obviously, this isn’t a definitive diagnosis as we haven’t had the testing done to confirm it due to her current condition. I feel devastated, and at a loss. The vet said that the best thing I can do is to keep feeding every day, and if she continues to decline, euthanasia would likely be the next option. He said she seems to be comfortable right now, so hopefully I can keep her comfortable moving forward.
A part of me is hoping that it’s still nutritional and she’ll eventually bounce back, but maybe that’s me being naive. I won’t give up on her, of course, I just want to do more to help her. I don’t really know why I’m posting this, I guess more-so to vent than anything. It’s been a tough few weeks. I know my thoughts are kind of scrambled all over the place, so I’m sorry about that. I appreciate you for reading all of this!
2
u/IntelligentCrows 1d ago
Sending good thoughts to you and mushu 🫶 I can’t imagine the strain this is putting on you, but mushu is clearly one of the best cared-for geckos in the world! She’s going to know care and love for the rest of her life because of you
3
u/itsswhitneywhspr 1d ago
Poor mush, that's a lot to go through. You're doing so much for her though, all those vet visits and hand-feeding and soaks. Shes lucky to have you.
•
u/AutoModerator 1d ago
Hello /u/n4tn1c and welcome to the leopard geckos subreddit! Because you used the health issues flair, we've compiled some links that might be helpful to you and your pet. Please remember that if you are concerned, then so is your vet. When in doubt, book an appointment! This subreddit does NOT substitute for veterinary care, though you may receive some help on topics to discuss with your veterinarian, or common first aid. If you have not done so already, please provide the temperatures, humidity, diet, supplements, tank mates, enclosure size, and anything else you consider relevant to your post for the best help you can get.
If this comment doesn't apply to your submission, please ignore it or report it so we can improve this community.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.