Parasites

I just got back from the vet’s office and it turns out I have another beardie with parasites (pinworms and giardia, thank god no coccidia this time!). I’m going to bring fecals from my other two beardies in to make sure they have it before I treat them as well (I hear that the drugs to treat giardia take quite a toll on their system). I have to wonder though: How did she get these parasites?! I know she didn’t have them when I got her, because I got fecals a few months ago and she and the other female she was with were clean! I doubt she got them from her food because I don’t use wild or petstore insects (I order online), and because I wash the greens off! So how did she get them?!

-Drew

What does the vet say about the cause? Have they spent any time outside? Any caging, rocks, wood from outside that were not sterilized? I have heard of crickets carrying diseases and/or parasites, but I'm not knowledgeable enough about cross species transfer of parasites to give you an educated answer. I know that many parasites are host specific.

Giardia and pinworms are quite common among many animals and are in no way "species specific" (even humans can catch them). I sterilize anything I put in the cage whether or not it is from outside. The vet said she had no idea and that it could of happened in a variety of ways. I've stopped feeding crix from the petstore or wildcaught due to another dragon of mine that caught coccidia several months ago (he is since been treated and doing great). But I am getting more worried about my girl. I am forcefeeding her 6cc of green bean and turkey babyfood every other day... Can I feed her more? She seems dehydrated (sunken eyes, loose skin) no matter how much I mist or bathe her...

I would feed her more if she is continuing to defecate. What about trying to feed her every day? Have you thought about taking collards, turnips, escarole, or what ever greens you normally feed and adding some vitamine supplement, some of the baby food and gatoraide and maybe some silk worms and putting it in the blender and pureeing it to feed her? Like making a breaded dragon protine shake per say?

Just baby food, rep-cal and herptivite is what I have been doing, I may bump it up to daily feedings... It might be too hard to get into a syringe if I put other stuff in it. I've been giving her baths daily as well to try and keep her hydrated... I have a vet appointment tommorrow, I volunteer there so I had a chance to ask, and, since I told them about the excessive drinking and dehydration, they said it could be kidney disease. Oh boy! Yet another problem to deal with! Thanks for the suggestions... I look foward to the appointment tommorrow so I can get some more answers.

Another thing I think you could try is some type of reptile probiotic or acidophiles cultures. Maybe a little plain yogurt with live cultures. Those could jump start her digestive system and replenish it. Good luck at the vet. I hope it is good news.

They are testing a blood sample right now. They also gave her an appetite stimulant, but I don't think it is working yet though.