04/15/2023
Igor
Age: 4 years (estimated)
Rescue date: 4/4/23
Species: Bearded Dragon
This colourful chunky boy is Igor. Yes, he has a dirty, food-covered face. But that makes us very happy. You see, Igor came into care quite a sick little potato. This is him after 2 of 20 (yup, that’s 2-0) rounds of injectable antibiotics for a systemic infection caused by infected and abscessed femoral pores.
Femoral pores are circular openings across the underside of the rear legs of many lizard species. In cases with proper husbandry, the lizard is able to rub the waxy substance secreted by the pores out by themselves.
In Igor’s case, he was kept on improper substrate (sand), with improper lighting/heat, no UVB, and fed dried crickets and juvenile bearded dragon pellets. He apparently ate hornworms as well.
In addition to the infection, when Igor arrived he completely refused all food, sat motionless in his enclosure, and when he did move, demonstrated very obvious signs of moderate metabolic bone disease (MBD). The MBD affects his mobility, and he is not able to grasp, climb or walk as he should. He also jerks and flails his legs reflexively when picked up. Metabolic bone disease is caused by lack of proper UVB and calcium deficiency, particularly when the animal is developing.
He is also recovering from a respiratory infection.
Igor‘s prognosis is cautiously optimistic. This is a upgrade from the “extremely guarded” prognosis of Easter weekend.
He continues to receive veterinary diet supplementation by syringe/dropper, injected antibiotics every 3 days, daily soaks in electrolytes to clean the femoral pores, and the offering of salads daily. Any solid food that he eats is supplemented with calcium and vitamin powders.
He has progressed from a limp, faded blob with a black beard (a sign of stress or pain) to this happy dude. ☺️
We will keep you updated as he continues to recover.
