3 Month Update on! My Tiger Salamander is ill!
Almost 3 Month Update:
I started to use Repta-Boost (formerly Fluker's Emergency Aid) solely. After using once daily for 3 days, on the 4th day my salamander actually ate a worm! I couldn't believe it! The next day he ate two worms and leaped at his food. This is a good development- he hasn't eaten on his own in over 3 months. I had been feeding veggie & meat baby food with .1 cc of calcium gluconate (only every 3 days.. I reduced it from 2x per day which was way too much) and Owbow Carnivore Care/Critical Care mix but this didn't seem to be making a difference with his appetite.
The Repta-boost has the calcium, D3, etc. that he needs. I mix warm water with the instructed dosage for a 1 gram animal. The box instructed to do so because cold water in the body can lead to distress. Right now I'm going to give him .2 cc every day of Repta-boost and worms every 2 days. It seems to really combat dehydration.
His eye has also healed a lot, I'm still giving him Ofloxacin Eye Drops (1 drop per day). I have finished giving him antibiotics (Baytril). I have stopped with the meloxicam for the time being.
His legs have been moving a lot- he is able to use them (not completely normally). I have been using a Repti-Sun 5.0 light on a timer so he only gets a little bit of the light and D3 but not too much. His tail is being affected by the spondylosis right now, but it isn't too bad. I have been doing a daily, very light circular massage on his little legs to improve circulation and it has made a big improvement. Before I did this his legs were not moving at all. I'm not sure whether the calcium, UVB light, or the massage is doing the trick, or the combination of the three, but I'm just glad he is still able to walk. He is a little bonier in some spots now (I can feel his ribcage and other bones more now when I pick him up), but I imagined this would happen.
I am trying to manage his spondylosis and make sure that he retains his appetite/digestive normalcy. I'm not sure if he is defecating regularly since it is hard to tell, but I'm just guessing that is he has a voracious appetite that his digestive system must be working normally?
Here is a picture of Seadog and the X-ray showing the spondylosis.
Sorry for the crazy detail here, but I'm detailing everything here in case someone else searches the same symptoms.