Zoe really needs some good thoughts coming her way

I recently joined this forum...yesterday actually, but my little Zoe really needs some good thoughts.

On Sunday I noticed a small bump behind her left eye. My boyfriend and I recently took a week long trip to Arizona to visit some family and we had his brother coming over to feed them and change their water while we were away, so we aren't really sure how long it had been there. We took her to the vet the next day, this past Monday. The vet found a large piece of shed skin stuck in her mouth, and she believed it was the cause of the bump, that it was inflammation from being irritated by the skin. She then decided to send us home with antibiotics just in case there was an infection. We took her home and thought that everything would be okay.

This morning we saw her little tail sticking out one of the openings of her hide. She was moving around as if she was stuck on something, so we thought something was wrong. After lifting up the hide we found her just laying on the floor of the terrarium, which is weird because normally she can be a little skittish and very alert but she didn't really move. Her eyes wouldn't open and when she did finally move, she walked sideways without lifting her body off of the floor. She was very shaky and we were sure we needed to take her in immediately. Our normal vet wasn't available so we felt it would be better to find another vet with experience with reptiles instead of just showing up at our normal animal hospital and dealing with whoever was on call. Through a quick search we found an animal hospital that had experience with exotic animals including reptiles and made an appointment.

Zoe was taken to the back so she can be kept warm as soon as we were checked in for our appointment. We then played the waiting game while the vet and technician did their examination and checked the fecal sample we brought it. We weren't completely prepared for what the vet told us. We originally thought that something could be broken, that maybe we had held her a little too tight while we gave her antibiotics or she fell during the night. Apparently the antibiotics given to us by our normal vet were too strong for any gecko let alone Zoe, who is still young, and were causing her neurological problems. She is now suffering from seizures and the vet is concerned about her kidneys. Right now she is being kept at the animal hospital for observation. Currently she is unresponsive and they aren't sure if she is going to make it. Right now we're taking it hour by hour.

I'm asking for your prays that Zoe makes it through the day. I know that I've haven't gotten a chance to know any one here yet but Zoe could use all positive thinking that she can get. Thank you.

awwwww :O oh no! I hope little Zoe pulls through. Huggggs x

OH NO, I am so sorry about this. I am keeping her in my happy thoughts and I will be keeping my hopes up she pulls through this:(

Aw poor zoe... stupid vet... sounds like a malpractice lawsit in the making, and yes you can sue vets for malpractice so keep close records of everything this new vet is doing and charging... yoiu can include all that in a suit whether it's a civil suit to recover damages caused by the first vet or malpractice. Sorry reading that back sounds a little misplaced, things like that, from a person we trust to do simple things right and they mess it up... now poor zoe... I'm sorry hon...

Sending good vibes and lots of positive energy your way... keep strong lil zoe.

awwww bless her ..... hope she recovers soon and our happy thoughts & positive energy our with her x

Good thoughts on the way, I hope she gets better.

Thinking of her and you guys. I hope everything turns out OK...

My thoughts are with you and little Zoe.... I'm sure she will pull through xx

I really want thank everyone for their kinds words, but unfortunately Zoe did not make through the day, she passed around 1:30pm yesterday. My boyfriend and I held a simple burial for her yesterday night. Although I wish we could have had more time with her, I am so glad she is no longer suffering.

We are currently in discussions with one of the vets from the animal hospital where Zoe received her antibiotics to try and figure out exactly where things went wrong and why the high dosage of the medication wasn't caught by someone but we probably won't know anything till sometime next week. Fortunately our new vet and vets from our old animal hospital agree that the medication prescribed to Zoe was the cause of the symptoms she showed and resulted in her death.

Although I'm glad they are taking responsible for what happened, it's heartbreaking to know that little Zoe lost her life and we lost a pet that we loved very much because of someone's careless actions. Hopefully the person or people responsible will be held accountable for what they've done.

Again thank you for your kind words, and I like to think that Zoe felt all the positive energy and love towards her in her last few moments.

I'm terribly sorry to hear that. When the time's right, we have a memorial section (http://www.leopardgeckoforum.com/f28-lost-pets-memorial) if you would like to make a memorial to her.

I am so so sorry. I am glad that you are making the other vets accountable for their actions. If this were a human being they would be in a court of law no doubt.

Zoe had a great life with you guys and I am sure when you are ready another one will enjoy their time with you.

so sorry to hear that little zoe didn't make it but im sure she had a great life with you and your boyfriend x

Aww RIP lil one... So sad and a senseless tragedy. Our thoughts are with you and yours at this time.

I am so sorry for your loss. But it is wonderful to hear what lengths you went to to provide for little Zoe. Thumbs up to you for being an awesome and thoughtful pet owner. I bet, when you're ready, you'll make another gecko super happy to be in your care.

Best of wishes!

I am really sorry to hear this But it definately sounds like you gave her the best life possible.... R.I.P Zoe xxxx

Awww, RIP little Zoe.



So sorry to hear of your loss.



I have read more than one story like this and it makes me terrified to take my herps to a vet. So far I have not had to and I hope it stays that way.

I really appreciate you guys taking the time to send your condolences. I'm not sure if many of you read my introduction post, but we also have another gecko, Cleo. Although we're very upset about losing Zoe, we're grateful that we still have Cleo. My boyfriend is a little worried that Cleo is going to be depressed because she no longer has a companion with her. Does anyone have any experience with that?

Twiggy wrote:I really appreciate you guys taking the time to send your condolences. I'm not sure if many of you read my introduction post, but we also have another gecko, Cleo. Although we're very upset about losing Zoe, we're grateful that we still have Cleo. My boyfriend is a little worried that Cleo is going to be depressed because she no longer has a companion with her. Does anyone have any experience with that?

Generally leo's are solituraly and do not need companionship. But I found when my first leo passed away, her cagemate went off her food for a few weeks and I heard her "calling" in the night or so I thought atleast. I introduced another cagemate and they have gotten along ever since.... I hope that helps So sorry about Zoe x

Karagain wrote:Generally leo's are solituraly and do not need companionship. But I found when my first leo passed away, her cagemate went off her food for a few weeks and I heard her "calling" in the night or so I thought atleast. I introduced another cagemate and they have gotten along ever since.... I hope that helps So sorry about Zoe x

Thank you. We haven't really noticed any difference in behavior in Cleo but I'll keep an eye out.

1st off I really hope Zoe makes it through. Im sure she is a fighter and will do her best. Fingers crossed for you all though.



2nd have you talked to your normal vets, you could get alot of problems caused for them. They gave you a med that was too strong for a adult leopard gecko let alone a baby/young one! You should talk it through and see what cause of action they are willing to take



Charlie x

hope she makes it

She didn't make it charlie... Thanks for your suggestions tho...
I'd like to know what meds they prescribed her. If they prescribed Ivermectin then that is absolutely wrong for leos. You have to be spot on with dosing for ivermec or it is fatal almost every time. Ivermec should be the last chance fall back, nothign else is gonna treat this parasite type of drug. The usual one that is a good broad spectrum dewormer and safe even at overdose levels most of the time is fenbendiazole. it is very hard to overdose, it's that safe a drug, and treats just about every parasite a leo can have.

Kermit wrote:She didn't make it charlie... maybe hon you could read some of the posts before replying next time so feelings don't get hurt. Thanks for your suggestions tho...
I'd like to know what meds they prescribed her. If they prescribed Ivermectin then that is absolutely wrong for leos. You have to be spot on with dosing for ivermec or it is fatal almost every time. Ivermec should be the last chance fall back, nothign else is gonna treat this parasite type of drug. The usual one that is a good broad spectrum dewormer and safe even at overdose levels most of the time is fenbendiazole. it is very hard to overdose, it's that safe a drug, and treats just about every parasite a leo can have.

Zoe wasn't being treated for parasites, although on the day she passed we did find out she had worms too. She was prescribed Baytril, in a 50mg/ml solution, which is an antibiotic, in case she had a infection from the shed skin that was stuck in her mouth. We were to give her .3ml, one time a day for seven days.

One of the more upsetting things about the whole situation is that the antibiotics may not have been needed at all but we'll never really know.

that was a big dosage for a little gecko, they need a diluted baytril to be able to handle it 9ml water to 1ml baytril and then you only need 0.2ml max for a little leo (only know this from experience) its such a shame they got it wrong and even worse if she never needed it.

Just read your last message, Im sorry for your lost. She is out of suffering and in a better place. And like others said when you are ready Im sure another reptile or leopard gecko will have a brilliant life in your care. You dont everything you could, dont look on the bad times, look on the good and fun times you shared with her

Its always so tragic when something like this happens and it could of all been avoided if someone just did their job right. Im so sorry for your loss