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Post by rocmills on Feb 10, 2005 17:36:17 GMT -8
Hi Gang!
Didn't mean to be quiet so long. Things have been hectic around here the past few months. We got Mary back, but we still aren't comfortable using the outside cage again... especially since it's still kinda cold here. Maybe once the weather warms up, we'll be more inclined to put them outdoors full-time.
Bailey had to have surgery on his foot this week. About a month back, I noticed some slight swelling in his left front foot. There was no sign of injury, so I let it go and kept an eye on it. For a while it just stayed the way it was, then it just ballooned(!) and a small wound was visible. I took him to the vet who prescribed antibiotics and observation. Well, less than a week later the swelling had gotten even worse and the small wound was getting bigger. So, naturally, I took Bailey back to the vet right away. Surgery was recommended, and the vet removed several very large (and icky) chunks of stuff from his foot (by making a big X incision). Vet left a "hole" in the wound so that I can flush it out daily. Bailey's on oral antibiotics, has about 6 stitches in his foot, and goes back to the vet in another week for a follow up.
Oh, and this time I think I've finally found the right herp vet. This guy's name is Jason Sulliban and he's the exotic vet for Mandalay Bay and other high-end casinos in town.
Mary is gravid again, but she isn't getting nearly as big as she did last year. I'm really hoping she'll reabsorb this year - her last egging was such a nightmare for all of us. She's also getting friendlier, and not just in the "because i'm gravid" way. We're spending more time with her, and she isn't nearly as skittish as she has been.
Xander is growing like a little weed. I'm ashamed to say he doesn't get nearly enough handling, so he is still very paranoid and spooky. I'm going to have to start taking him to work with me every day or he'll end up never fully tamed.
Well, it's time to flush Bailey's foot and sneek the antibiotic into his banana.
--Roc
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Post by SurvivorSteph on Feb 10, 2005 19:09:06 GMT -8
WOW You HAVE been busy!
It seems like things are going fairly well... glad Bailey's on the mend. Keep us posted on how he's doing.
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Post by dominick on Feb 12, 2005 8:53:15 GMT -8
Hi Rox-
Did the vet give any indication of the cause of the injury or swelling? Infection?
As I was reading I was thinking bug-bite. LOL But I'm curious what caused all this.
So glad to hear you have a vet you can trust. That makes all the difference in the world!
Glad to hear he is on the mend also. Poor guy, probably has no idea what happened and why his banana tastes funny. LOL
Please keep us posted.
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Post by rocmills on Feb 12, 2005 10:41:13 GMT -8
Hey Dom! The swelling was too severe for the vet to hazard a guess as to the cause of the injury/swelling. While a bug bite is possible, the igs have been indoors pretty much all winter and we don't have real bug problem in the house (thank goodness!). However, Bailey does have a long and embarassing history of biting his own feet while eating. And Mary has a habit of trying to take food out of Bailey's mouth or eating from his bowl - where his feet are buried. My guess is one or the other of them mistook a foot for a bit of collard. ;-) I am attaching some pix for reference.... the first is the foot about a week before I took Bailey to the vet the first time. Unfortunately, I don't have a pic of the super swelling which led to the surgery decision.  The two black spots in this pic are the "bite" wounds, when the swelling got even worse, the one on top actually started to open up and weep... this was part of the panic that led to the rushed vet visit and surgery.   This is *some* of what the vet removed from Bailey's foot. Ewww and yuck.  This is the foot immediately after the surgery. The bit of white-ish area between the second and third toes is the "hole" the vet left for me to flush out daily with antibiotic solution. It's a nasty job, and the only way we manage to get it done is by putting a large plastic cup over Bailey's head by way of being a muzzle. When he gapes upon removal of the cup, we pop the pill-laced banana in his mouth and all is right with the world for another 24 hours. Oddly enough, I can't see the stitches in this photo, but I think there are only 5 of them, not 6 as I previously stated. Dr. Sulliban says the stitches will stay in a total of 4-6 weeks. Oh, and he called yesterday (yes! a vet who calls YOU!) to check on Bailey and said it sounds as though he is doing well enough that he post-poned his checkup by a couple of days. Well, guess that's about all there is for the moment. Thanks again to one and all for all the great support! --Roc |
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Post by SurvivorSteph on Feb 12, 2005 10:48:01 GMT -8
Interesting that the stuff the vet removed from the wound is chunky.  I love the muzzle idea; and how accommodating for Bailey to gape for you go administer his meds! |
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Post by dominick on Feb 12, 2005 11:00:03 GMT -8
Excellent stuff Rox! Very informative! Thanks so much.
Ig bite sure does sound like a likely cause. Those two need to be more careful. ;D
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Post by rocmills on Feb 12, 2005 11:07:24 GMT -8
Dom,
We're trying to keep Bailey and Mary separated right now; not just because of the foot thing, but what with it being breeding season around here they are off and on quite hostile with one another. However, there are times during the day when all the doors are open for one reason or another and the igs begin to roam. Just yesterday, I gave them each bowls of fresh greens... Mary ignored hers, marched into Bailey's room and immediately began nipping at the greens which were hanging out of Bailey's mouth! What's a mother to do!
--Roc
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Post by WillemsMom on Feb 12, 2005 16:43:47 GMT -8
LOL...I can just see it, Roc. What is a mother to do, indeed.  |
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Post by rocmills on Feb 16, 2005 22:38:41 GMT -8
Hi Gang! Just an update here about Bailey's foot. It does appear to be getting better, slowly, but surely. We'll return to the vet either Friday or Monday.  In the above photo, the white arrow is pointing to the "hole" the vet left behind. Each night I have to soak the foot, then insert the tip of a bottle of antibiotic solution and flush out the inside of the wound. Did I already say "eeww" and "ick"? The two yellow lines are pointing to a couple of toes that have problems of their own which were discovered when the vet took the initial x-ray, and confirmed in the follow-up x-ray. The top/left-most of the two toes was apparently broken, and a *long* time ago. Long enough for the bone to erode so severely that there is an 1/8 inch gap in the bone (the part of the toe closest to the foot). And the other toe looks to have been recently broken, and it didn't show on the first x-ray. Grumble brat moan. Anyway, the vet seemed to think there was little to be done for the toe with the large bone gap; but that we could look into possible treatments for the fresher break once he's had some time to heal. Bailey has complete feeling (no nerve damage) in both "broken" toes, but he can't use them - he can't use them to crasp anything. :-( I guess it's a good thing he's never been that fond of climbing, he just likes to burrow. --Roc |
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Post by Marie on Feb 17, 2005 1:59:21 GMT -8
Dragon has three toes missing on one foot. She still climbs pretty well given her back deformities when she really wants to.
Marie
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Post by Tesa on Feb 17, 2005 3:50:56 GMT -8
I'm still extremely curious about what the heck was in his foot! That's freaky. I love the plastic cup idea also! I've threatened Thrasher that I'm gonna wrap a rubber band around her snout. ;D The brat nipped me the other day while I was taking a UVB reading.  Apparently I forgot to ask her permission PRIOR to stick my hand up near HER basking shelf.  |
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Post by SurvivorSteph on Feb 17, 2005 10:00:09 GMT -8
 Tesa, next time bring a bribe! Well, Roc, it sounds like Bailey's healing pretty well. I'm wondering what the vet has planned for his toe, though??
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Post by rocmills on Feb 19, 2005 16:46:04 GMT -8
I'm still extremely curious about what the heck was in his foot! That's freaky. Tesa, We had a check up today, and the vet took a bunch more of that stuff out of Bailey's foot right there in the exam room. I asked him what it was and his reply was "reptile puss." He said that reptile puss is not liquid-like as in humans, but is chunky like cottage cheese. Once again, I feel compelled to say "eeeww - ick - yuck!" Anyway, he removed some dead skin to make the flush hole larger and so that I can pull more of the puss chunks out when I clean the wound. We'll go back in for another checkup in 10 days. As for his toes, we're going to wait to see how the foot itself heals before we talk about possible options for the two non-functional toes. --Roc |
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Post by SurvivorSteph on Feb 19, 2005 23:58:27 GMT -8
I feel compelled to agree!!  |
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Post by rocmills on Mar 5, 2005 11:41:07 GMT -8
Well, we went back to the vet yesterday.
Dr. Sulliban says Bailey's foot is healing very well. Gave us some more oral antibiotics and an appointment for another check up in two weeks. At that time, he'll take another x-ray and then we'll talk about the broken toes.
We also took Xander with us this time, and the doc took a quick look at his tail. He said we did a great job and the tail is regenerating perfectly normally. YEE-HAW!
--Roc
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Apparently I forgot to ask her permission PRIOR to stick my hand up near HER basking shelf. 
Tesa, next time bring a bribe!