Personally, I think that breeders and buyers of beardies need to know that this is emerging more often in their population, and I imagine I will catch hell on here for panicking people, but I feel at this point, there is enough positve tests to bring this to everyones attention. I think we have hidden in email long enough and this needs to be said.
For months, several of us have been talking and contacting people that are losing dragons, especially whole clutches, when all enviromental and dietary needs are met. Several now have had test done with their local vets and sent to pathologist and most have come back positive for the adenovirus. I know two others that have had positive test that are not on any of these forums. One of our dragon's did and we suspect another that we lost last december that was with him also had it and may have given it to him.
We also know where at least three of these dragons came from. I am not going to name a Breeder until he is advised by the owners that the dragon's were tested and are postive. One other person has 45 babies and they all test positive, the parents of these babies came from the same breeder and several are awaiting test results.
PLEASE, if your buying a dragon, ask the dealer outright if he has lost babies or is aware of any adenovirus in his breeders or their offspring. If you see a breeder selling off stock, especially adults, ask in writting that he guarantee that they are healthy and he has no knowledge of this virus in this adults OR THEIR OFFSPRING.
Another beardie owner has made me aware that this weekend, there is a show in St Louis where a Vet is talking specifically about this emerging virus and she is trying to get a copy of his speech and hopefully can share it.
I don't want to panic people, but losing a beardie to this is very hard, fighting it is very expensive and the animals suffer so much. The only way to control this is for the people who this traces to, to stop breeding/selling the offsping immediately and to not breed the adults that carry it, even ones that seem healthy carry and can pass it to offspring.
We have aslo been told that there now is a test that can test for this in the feces, prior to this test which i have not seen yet, the only way to find it was in a necropsy and very expensive, as well as requiring the animal to be deceased.
We will keep you updated.
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Re: Bearded Dragons & The Adenovirus
(Score: 1)
by reptile.breeder on Feb 20, 2003 - 07:09 AM
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i agree it seems that the easyist herps seem to be breed the most witch is destroying the herp love as some are being left on the side of the road coz they have to many this is getting stupid people lets sort it out
