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Can I save Fern?
#1
Fern is a young female bearded dragon that was brought in to my local reptile centre. We don't haver a back story on her, but she is very emaciated. She is not interested in eating on her own. I found that if I put food in her mouth she will swallow. 
That is really important. If she won't swallow there is no hope.

I have brought her home so I can feed her tonight. I am home part of tomorrow so I can feed her again.
I have powdered crickets and some powdered gecko food. I mixed it with water and she will take it from a spoon.

[Image: dd8vo-GYW7llM5yfWPT5cwMlvDv6x8DdmKG5wpMO...=w155-h275]

She is a pretty girl and you can see how thin her legs are. Her whole body is thin.
Right now I would give her a 25% chance of making it. 
I have fed her a little bit, twice. I am just going to feed her again.
If she makes it through the night and I can feed her tomorrow her chances of living will be much better.
At least someone is trying to save her. How she ended up so thin is less important that giving her a chance at life now.
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Catherine

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#2
I hope you're successful poor baby.
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#3
She made it through the  night and I have fed her again.  I  have her under the  heat light so she should feel comfortable.  I  will  feed her at noon. So far so good.
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Catherine

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#4
Sadly Fern passed this afternoon. Smiley19 

I tried to give her a chance at life. She just wasn't strong enough to make it. 
She spent her last hours with my two beardie girls and they were good to her. She wasn't alone and she looked comfortable.
That is all I was able to give her. Poor little fern.
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Catherine

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#5
At least you tried.
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#6
Thank-you. She did look peaceful. It was all I could do in the end.
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Catherine

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#7
I'm very sorry to hear this, she did look very ill in the photo, it looked like it would have been very difficult to bring her back to health.

What might be useful for future reference, or anyone reading this who needs to care for ill reptiles, useful medications are critical care formula and reptoboost. The critical care provides protein to prevent muscle wasting and gives an energy boost, while reptoboost helps to hydrate with electrolytes, as well as gives further nutritional support and replenishes gut flora to help encourage appetite. This can be administered via syringe or gavage fed.

Although I understand that with poor Fern she looked very far gone, bless, and you tried your all and did everything right.
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#8
Fern was already dying when she was brought in. I brought her home because I could stay with her and feed her.

There are some good supplements to help ailing reptiles, but in Ferns case it was too late.
I am not sure the products you mention are available in Canada. We have other products that work as well.
Hydration and nutrition are the only hope for an emaciated lizard like Fern.

Sometimes we have success and the lizard goes on to live a good life.
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Catherine

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#9
I'm sorry to ear you weren't able to save her but you did give her the best chance she had. Those of us in rescue know all too well we can't save them all but we always have to try.

I feed Popeye carnivore emeraid mixed with plain pedialyte. It's only available at vets offices though. https://emeraid.com/ but it's the best thing for emergency situations like that if you can find a vet that has it. It keeps Popeye fat and happy since he has a hard time chewing. Pedialyte too, is fantastic for dehydrated critters. I used it when my mom and I saved the baby finches a couple years ago. I've used it for hamsters, dogs, and now Popeye has it everyday. It's a must have in my book.
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#10
I have used Pedialyte over the years. I have a powdered gecko mix that is good and I have some powdered crickets. They mix up into a nourishing cricket paste that can be spoon fed to a beardie or any other lizard. Fern was just so far gone. I don't know if it was a failure to feed properly or if she had some serious digestive issue. Either way she was willing to eat, but it wasn't enough to save her.

How is Popeye? Is he able to eat on his own or do you have to hand feed him?

I was working with Jake Krinkle Snake today. After a bit of a soak I was able to shed him perfectly. This time he couldn't even do his own eye caps. It is hard to believe that Jake would be at least ten and has been with me a full 8 years. I didn't think he would make it. You never know when you are going to have success. Each time you try you have to believe it is possible to save the animal and do the best you can.

You know I will do it again the next time there is a reptile in trouble.
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Catherine

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