Leopard Gecko sick!!!!!

Question
Our 2 year old gecko (Lizzy) that we have had since she was a baby seems to not have something right with her.  Her tail has shrunk tramendously, her backbone shows (I think her rib bones are showing too), her legs have shrunk, her head is smaller, she doesn't eat, won't eat crickets or mealworms, and is very lethargic.  She is very swollen in the stomach, and I felt her in front of her back legs and it is hard.  Her abdomen area is somewhat transparent.  We do not seem to have a vet here that deals with lizards.  This is my 15 year old sons pet and we are very upset.  We were advised by the pet store to put Repti Sand in her 30 gallon tank.  Can you please help, we love her very much! Thanks Heather

Answer
Hello Heather, I am very sorry to be the one to tell you this but it doesn't seem like Lizzy is going to make it much longer. How long have you been using sand? The pet store has misinformed you and sand can actually be deadly in Leopard Geckos. These can ingest it which will cause it to gum up when inside of it's intestines and causes him to not be able to eat or defecate. Which would also explain the swollen in the stomach. I can give you a couple links that may or may not help but I hope that you can get it figured out and the little Lizzy pulls through.

HEALTH and MEDICAL:

http://www.drgecko.com

REPTILE VETS by area in the US:

http://www.herpvetconnections.com

NOT FOR THE SQUEEMISH PEOPLE!!!! *GRAPHIC*
Leopard Gecko with Sand Impaction:
******GRAPHIC*******
http://homepage.mac.com/exoticdvm/reptile/PhotoAlbum181.html

SAND IMPACTION Information/symptoms

http://www.drgecko.com/obsimpact.htm


Hope Lizzy is ok, let me know how it goes. Sorry I couldn't be of much help but if possible I would really  like to know what happens and if he is ok. So when you get him into a vet or if you find out what is wrong can you please contact me? My email is yexalen@gmail.com and I really hope your Leo pulls through. My thoughts are with him!