black throat

Question
i gave my bearded dragon a bath when   she stopped breathing and her throat turned black. then she stopped breathing but regained it. she threw up a lot of water? what should i do?

Answer
Hi Jim, I would certainly monitor her extremely closely for the next couple days, also make sure her basking temperature is is the correct range ( 95 - 110F ) . If any part of her behaviour seems abnormal then get her to a vet.
When soaking reptiles the water should be fairly shallow, just part way up their body. They should be able to easily hold their head above the water. You also have to be very careful about the temperature. Water that feels warm to the hand is probably around 100 F which can be quite a severe temperature shock. Same problem with cool water. The water should be tepid, feeling neither warm or cool to your hand or just very slightly warm.
It sounds like she had a bit of a shock from the depth of the water or the temperature or both which made her breathing irregular. Reptiles do not have the regular breathing patterns of mammals and often pause in their breathing. Unlike iguanas, beardeds have less of a natural adaptation for being in deep water. The immediate black throat was likely a stress reaction. It sounds like she swallowed water but keep a close eye on her to make sure she does not show signs of having inhaled any. If she shows any signs of laboured breathing, bubbles from her nose or mouth or a raspy, clicking sound when she breathes, she needs to see a vet promptly.