Leopard Gecko... Her name is Raspberry

Question
QUESTION: Hello! I have been frantically looking for answers my sons (and my) 1yr old leopard gecko raspberry and this is the 1st site I have found any real answers THANK YOU for not having hidden costs once I clicked on it!!!! I picked you for the question because of your awesome answers to another user about MBD.
Heres the story:
About a month ago I noticed when my son had her out that her one foot looked twisted outward. I assumed that she had broke it by one of the younger kids messing with her or something. Not being able to afford a vet I decided to let it heal on its own.  Then a week after that my son said she had stopped eating.  I inquired to the pet store I bought her from (who I wont say any names but they are a chain and STUPID!) and they said that geckos go thru phases of not eating. I told them about the foot too and I was shrugged off. I then saw a magazine there all about Leopard Geckos specifically and read about the common diseases they could have. I didnt but it cuz it was expensive I thought). From that I surmised it was probably ineffective shedding. So we bought a humidifier for the room and started looking into a 'wet room' or whatever they're called for her to go into.  We also bought a spray bottle to spray her with bottled water (didnt know before reading the article that she shouldnt even drink tap water). So now another week later and she still isnt eating but becomes ashen to shed. I was overjoyed because I figured that that is probably why she hadnt been eating. We put her in warm water to help get the sheds off of her feet better this time but noticed afterwards that now both of her front feet were turned outward. A few days later she still isnt eating and barely drinking. Also, she quit climbing on her heat rock, she'd just lay against it. So I took her to a vet that 'said' they treat reptiles but we left only with more questions. The vet had said she had a growth plate problem, gave her an appetite booster and 2 days worth of pain meds.... To my dismay (AND frequent internet surfing) she can barely lift herself up and her tail has been shrinking. She ran out of crickets and meal worms so I went to the pet store today to get more (although I was certain she wouldnt eat them either). I again found the same magazine and read some more, where I came across MBD. So I know feel I have the answer and bought a liquid calcium supplement. I came home to specifically research MBD and came across you! :) So we crushed up a cricket, thinned it with water and the calcium supplement and attempted to feed it to her. I did like you said and put it on her nose and she did start licking it. The problem was her tongue looks really irritated (prob from dehydration) and after about 8 drops (it was mostly liquid) she started gagging then threw up a gooey clear substance. Im afraid to choke her. Also, I know you said 5 times a day but I worry that maybe her digestive tract needs to get use to food again. My husband says itd just be cheaper to get a new one, but Im a nurse (just graduated last week) so letting things die is not in my character. If you have any more advice AT ALL Id really appreciate it. We got her as a baby last Christmas (well my son did :) and she's a part of the family. PLEASE HELP!

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Jessica

ANSWER: Hi, Jessica,
Unfortunately, this is an altogether too common story.  If an animal is taken to a vet when it first shows signs of an illness, the vet bill is generally much lower, and the outcome much better, than if the owner waits in the hope it will get better on its own, or because a vet is expensive.  Vet care is just part of the cost of owning any pet (it is legally mandatory, too--it's simply not legal to neglect a medical issue in a pet, whether is is a reptile, bird, or dog).

A reddened tongue could be due to a mouth infection.  It does not sound as though your setup is really appropriate for a leopard gecko.  Heat rocks, for example, aren't a proper way to heat any reptile enclosure, and are dangerous.  (They should not be sold, but not all manufacturers are scrupulous).

A leopard gecko should have an undertank heat mat controlled by a thermostat or a rheostat, a small, shallow water dish, a small cave hide on the warm side, and a humid hide on the cool side.  The basking spot should be 90F (no more, or less), whee the animal contacts the surface of the substrate.  (A digital thermometer with a remote probe will be needed for this--the stick on dial variety are about as accurate as drawing one on a piece of paper, in tests).  The air temperature should be 80F.  Heat can be turned off at night, so long as the house stays at 70F or more.  All insects should be dusted with a calcium supplement containing vitamin D3 at every feeding--substitute a vitamin powder containing vitamin A once a week.  Leopard geckos should be fed as many insects as they will eat in a single sitting, once a day, until they are about 8 to 12 months old.  Then they can be fed every other day.

To help find a competent reptile vet, try ARAV.org
A local herpetology club may also be able to help, if there is one in your area.  They may be able to recommend good vets.
Your gecko sounds as though it needs immediate medical treatment at this point--probably it needs fluids, and a proper diagnosis.  It has gone beyond what can be done at home, from your description, and the animal will almost certainly not survive if it is not taken in to a vet right away.  If you feel you cannot shoulder the expense, you should have it humanely euthanized.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your quick response: I took her to the vet, like I said. And I live in Amish country so I called around and the one I took her to said they treated leopard geckos. I was not neglecting her because when I 1st called they said they couldnt take xrays that small. I only had so many characters to type to you....
I took her when both feet seemed odd and her tail was shrinking. Yes I can see how you got upset about that part. I can afford so much and have considered euthanasia and I must say that your tone is a little condescending. I have a dog too and I dont see one more superior to the other. And the pet store said I needed a heat rock. I am not a stupid person but anyone would go by the advice of someone whom you thought seemed to know what they were talking about (initially). I am trying. But since you're judging me.... i have 5 kids, a mortgage and have been a full time student up until a week ago living on a welders salary who doesnt believe in saving animals. And what happens to those who arent sold? IDK but i HAVE A SICK IDEA AND i TOOK ONE HOME AS A FAMILY MEMBER. I will try ARAV.org as you suggested. What kind of mouth infection do you think it is? Have you seen it before? Im just trying to get help Donna. sO IF ALL i CAN DO IS WHAT I hAVE AT HOME, ARE YOU NOT GOING TO GIVE ME ANY SUGGESTIONS? I'll keep you posted if you want

ANSWER: Now, don't take a gentle scolding as a blanket condemnation.  You fell prey to an altogether common problem.  You trusted a pet store to provide you with good advice on how to care for a pet.  Pet stores can't do that, but they're certainly willing to pretend that they can, and the suffering it causes is immense.  This is a problem with no clear immediate solution.  All we can do is try to educate folks so that they know...never take advice from pet store personnel.  It's an issue that just makes me angry.

I'm glad you did take her a vet--a lot folks never do.  Reptiles are considered 'disposable pets' by far too many people.

I'm NOT a vet, so I cannot diagnose her mouth infection, or even verify whether she has one.  If you take a rubber spatula and gently open her mouth, look for cheesy white deposits inside.  If you see those, then it's likely stomatitis.  It's a very common infection in immuno-depressed reptiles.  It's also possible she's gotten a little respiratory infection.  Bubbly spit would be seen in the mouth, if so.  Those are more likely reasons for redness--but only possibilities.  Opening her mouth is risky if she has advanced nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (aka metabolic bone disease).  Her bones could be brittle enough that there would be a risk of breaking her jaws.

Her regurgitating is an extremely bad sign.  Reptiles don't throw up at the drop of a hat the way mammals do.  Regurgitation is very traumatic to their system, as they have very powerful stomach acid.  I'm loathe to give any advice on things to try, because her condition sounds so grave that additional stress may do more harm that good.  She should be handled as little as possible.  Yet, she needs to be hydrated.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for replying, I didnt mean to seem offending but I got offensive. I know you're not a vet but very knowledgeable. I cant believe pet stores are even in business, especially the chains!!! So today: I looked up mouth infections and came across what you said (mouth rot aka stomatitis). She doesnt have the swelling or cheeziness puss but I did find a herpatologist (funny name) but they are 2 hrs away and cant get her in until Monday :( Raspberry will take water from a dropper and seems to have a little more energy since we started. She even ate all the crushed up cricket today!(I didnt add the liquid calcium because Im sure it tastes terrible but I put a drop into the water we gave her and that went ok). No throwing up this time! :) Perhaps I was giving her too much the 1st time. The chain store doesnt even have the underneath heaters so we used a regular heating pad for half the tank. I put down paper towels like you suggested also. She is such a pretty girl and soft talking seems to ease her enough to take the food/fluid we're giving her. I guess alot of it is on her will now. I feel so bad I didnt know any of this before.... we didnt even get a pamphlet from the store we got her at. We had looked online before purchasing a Leopard Gecko and found all this info about how hardy they are and make great pets etc..... So thanks again and any more info you have Id LOVE to hear it! Like, how do you make a wet house? How big should her 'hiding' places be on the cold, wet and warm sides? And, this may sound silly, but are there any insects we could collect to feed her? (we do live in the country and of course we'll dust them with the calcium w/D3 stuff). And we moved her cage in fron of a window... is that OK for summer?? Off to feed our girl again!

Sincerely,

Jessica

Answer
I'm glad to hear she seems stronger--hydration will help with that a lot, too.  I don't think calcium tastes like much of anything--I've never had an animal reject something with calcium dust on it.  They don't even seem to mind vitamin powder, generally.

The good news is, leopard geckos ARE very hardy animals.  They can recover from severe issues with prompt and correct attention.  She does still need a vet, as there are so many things that have to be confirmed.  A fecal check for parasites would also be a good idea.

A humid hide can be made from a butter tub.  Cut a hole in the lid large enough for the animal to crawl through, and make sure it isn't too tall for the gecko to crawl back out of.  Fill with damp sphagnum moss.  In the wild, leopard geckos may spend most of the day in burrows, which can run far enough under the ground to retain humidity.  So, having a humid retreat is necessary, so they can properly shed their skin.  They will use it when they feel the need.  Change the moss once or twice a week (and whenever it is soiled).  Sphagnum tends to hold moisture well and resists mold.  You can get by with damp paper towels, may need to change them daily, as they will mold up.

I would not put a glass tank in front of a window--if any direct sun hits it, it will achieve deadly temperatures.  A human heating pad can work, just be sure it doesn't have an automatic shut off, and put the cage up on short blocks so it's not sitting on the pad compressing the wires.

Here are a few products I would recommend, which can be purchased online (since you local store is so sparse):

http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php?cPath=1199_1200&products_id=6081  (Your gecko will need additional calcium due to her condition).

http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php?cPath=1204&products_id=5578

http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php?cPath=1238&products_id=5696

http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php?cPath=1245&products_id=5705

http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php?cPath=1159_1163&products_id=6085

http://www.amazon.com/The-Leopard-Gecko-Manual-ebook/dp/B005OCJDVG/ref=sr_1_10?s