Here's Mo! We got Mo in September 2002 from a small pet store. She had some kind of infection around her eye, and the owners of the pet store knew that no one wanted to buy a sick dragon and they couldn't afford to take her to the vet. So instead of just watching her waste away, I offered to care for her and take her to the vet. They had nothing to lose so we took her home.

Of all of our dragons, Mo has the most ferocious appetite. Her eye infection progressed and we ended up taking her to three specialists before the cause of the infection was determined. A fungus was to blame. After the vet took a tissue sample and allowed it to grow, it was determined that she has some form of Fusarium Fungus. That type of fungus is normally found in soil, and it is very difficult to treat.

We finally got Mo on some meds in April 2003. The vet chose Ketoconazole (an oral antifungal) which we gave to her every morning for over 6 weeks and Lamisil as a topical treatment. The fungus infection gradually degreased, but to date is still hanging around. Now, Mo has Yellow Fungus growing on her body and under her scales. You can read more about this disease and the treatments available at Reptile Rooms. With the generous help and guidance from a dedicated woman named Cheri Smith in Florida, Mo is getting better everyday. THANK YOU CHERI!!!

Update Dec. 2008 - I haven't updated Mo's page in a while, so I figured I better do so... After more rounds of oral meds in 2004 and 2005 and more tests, the Fusarium fungus that was identified as having a hold on her is still present. The previous treatments have kept the fungus at bay, but we can't seem to make it go away for good. Everytime she is subjected to treatments she goes off food, becomes lethargic and seems to be very close to death. I just can't continue to put her through this. The topical antifungals that we put on her eye are much less evasive and don't have the same negative side effects as the oral antifungals. So near the end of 2005 we decided (with the help of our reptile vet) to give Mo a better quality of life, even if it's a short one. So we've just been keeping up with the topical meds and every now and then I will give her GSE (grapefruit seed extract - a natural antifungal).

Update April 22, 2009 - Mo has lived a much longer life than I could've ever imagined. She passed away in her sleep last night. She stopped eating a few days prior and went pretty quickly. My guess and the vet's assumption is that the fungus finally took its toll on her.

She lived with us for nearly 7 years, and despite her battle with Yellow Fungus, she lived a surprisingly long life. She was full of zest and energy most of the time and had a wonderful and sweet disposition. Rest in peace little Mo-Mo. You will be missed.