not doing well at all

[jdpFL]

Wow. Poor little guy! I hope he recovers quickly and that there is no recurrence. Did the vet have any idea at all how it could have happened? I wish the best outcome possible for him! I know how awful you must feel. We have a veritable zoo here, but one if my BP's and my sav are MY babies! I would be sick if anything happened to those two.

 

[laurarfl]

Rob,

I empathize! I love my little critters and I am so crushed when something happens to them. My husband thinks I'm nuts, but I take it so personally when something happens to one. I'm certainly no vet and I know you take stellar care of that iguana, it seems like pain or pressure to me. Since he can eat with his head elevated, and now with the blood, it does seem like something going on with his ear and sinus area. I doubt it would have anything to do with your husbandry. It would be something congenital or a weird accident.

I'll ask for forgiveness rather than permission, , if you haven't checked out the green ig society forum, they have tons of ig experience and at least one vet on board. I know it's tacky and rude to point someone to another forum, but my interest lies in the health of Rob's iguana. So, I choose to rely this message in public rather than private so that it didn't appear underhanded. Forgive me if it crosses the line, but since this isn't an iguana forum, I thought it may be OK.

 

[Maro1]

Sometimes in our confined cages they can jump or bang themselves pretty hard. Maybe that is what happened here. Hopefully this will take care of it.

 

[james.w]

Rob,

I empathize! I love my little critters and I am so crushed when something happens to them. My husband thinks I'm nuts, but I take it so personally when something happens to one. I'm certainly no vet and I know you take stellar care of that iguana, it seems like pain or pressure to me. Since he can eat with his head elevated, and now with the blood, it does seem like something going on with his ear and sinus area. I doubt it would have anything to do with your husbandry. It would be something congenital or a weird accident.

I'll ask for forgiveness rather than permission, , if you haven't checked out the green ig society forum, they have tons of ig experience and at least one vet on board. I know it's tacky and rude to point someone to another forum, but my interest lies in the health of Rob's iguana. So, I choose to rely this message in public rather than private so that it didn't appear underhanded. Forgive me if it crosses the line, but since this isn't an iguana forum, I thought it may be OK.

I don't see anything wrong with referring someone to another forum, especially when it is one that can possibly help more than we can here.

 

[RobK.]

This little guy is amazing , he cant stop shaking his head , and with his eyes half closed , he still comps down a hand full of watercress . It was so still sad to watch .

 

[laurarfl]

Thanks, James. I just didn't want to make anyone po'ed.

Rob, did the vet consider a trial of antibiotics in case there was an inner ear (or some type of) infection going on with your ig? I know everyone tries to avoid needless use of antibiotics, but I wonder if a short term trial could help in this case, as long as the kidneys/liver are looking good.

 

[RobK.]

Thanks, James. I just didn't want to make anyone po'ed.

Rob, did the vet consider a trial of antibiotics in case there was an inner ear (or some type of) infection going on with your ig? I know everyone tries to avoid needless use of antibiotics, but I wonder if a short term trial could help in this case, as long as the kidneys/liver are looking good.

yes , he's on antibiotic and anti anti inflammatory/pain meds for 15 days . the vet made sure his white bloods cells were good . He had blood in his right ear when the vet flushed it out , but it tested negitive for infection . He's is eating but not normal amounts . I give him his pain and anti inflammatorty meds first then after he eats something, the antibiotics . He not having good day , seems in pain but did eat .

 

[Logie_Bear]

yes , he's on antibiotic and anti anti inflammatory/pain meds for 15 days . the vet made sure his white bloods cells were good . He had blood in his right ear when the vet flushed it out , but it tested negitive for infection . He's is eating but not normal amounts . I give him his pain and anti inflammatorty meds first then after he eats something, the antibiotics . He not having good day , seems in pain but did eat .

Have you noticed any signs of change or improvement since having that blood flushed out? Hope he starts to come around soon!

 

[RobK.]

Have you noticed any signs of change or improvement since having that blood flushed out? Hope he starts to come around soon!

No , he's worse . The vet said he may be worse before he start doing better , due to the trama of being put under and all she did .

---

I hope i start seeing ANY improvement to give me hope . End of next week i will see . What do you think is good time frame? Howlong should i let him be this way ? This really sucks !!!!

 

[Maro1]

Unless there is a serious down turn in health. Loss of weight, inactivity, etc. I would wait it out,

 

[Maro1]

Rob, How is your Rhino doing? Any change?

 

[RobK.]

In his indoor cage he does nothing ,,does not move from where he sleeps , does not move to eat or anything . The new outdoor cage he's more active looking around nibbles a little and bask . still only getting about 1/20 of what he normally eats I hope he get over this before the weather turn . next week it only going to be in the 70's . I am putting him in my green house under a roof opening and he get 3 hrs of direct mid morning sun 145 MW and then in the afternoon it comes through the doors and he gets another 4 hours of 200 MW UVB . The vet wants to do a CT but i don not have the funds for this . Not looking good . I will not let him stave before i put him down . This has me loosing sleep and a BIG Riff between the wife and i . I got over 700 .oo into this so far I would put another 1000 into this and a CT if i could . If i pulled it out of the savings , it would be pure hell at home !!!It Its down to my Iguana or my wife !!!! Damn this sucks !!!

 

[Maro1]

Stick with the wife first! Hopefully this will change. The vet has no other idea what it might be? Is he losing weight?

Also is he getting direct light in his cage where he is setting all day? Maybe the extra basking is helping him. Also will he eat fruit? These iguanas love fruit and getting extra calories in him would help. Mine loves grapes, blueberries as well as carrots and vegetables. If it would help jump start his eating again I would try these offerings

Maro1

 

[RobK.]

Stick with the wife first! Hopefully this will change. The vet has no other idea what it might be? Is he losing weight?

Also is he getting direct light in his cage where he is setting all day? Maybe the extra basking is helping him. Also will he eat fruit? These iguanas love fruit and getting extra calories in him would help. Mine loves grapes, blueberries as well as carrots and vegetables. If it would help jump start his eating again I would try these offerings

Maro1

yes he is getting some through whole in the roof of my Green house for two hours in the morning . Then i move his cage outside until mid after noon , then back into the green house and get get light through the open doors . so he's getting the chance ( he's got shade too ) to sit in 150-300 +/_ MW of uvb . He will eat a grape cut in 1/4 and a little banana and that's it . i do have some special formula to force feed if needed . I hope it does not get to that . here is a reply frm a vet on Green Ig society .

Quote from Stacey ''

I agree that something in there hurts, and he could be experiencing vertigo. I probably would have done the same thing your vet did, and by the way you did take her to probably the best person in Utah. I know Laurel and she's been doing nothing but exotics for a long time. You could try additional meds for pain and see if that keeps him more comfortable. Unfortunately any time there is inflammation in a reptile it takes way longer to heal than a similar injury in a mammal, that is why I was thinking adding something else for pain in the meantime might be helpful. There is also a medication called Meclizine that we use for dizziness/motion sickness/vertigo. Maybe that would help, but I've never used it in a reptile before. There have been a few reported cases of green iguanas with Cryptosporidium infection in the ear. This parasite typically affects the GI tract, and you would need a biopsy (an actual piece of tissue) rather than a swab taken to diagnose it. The next step if he is not getting better is to probably have a CT scan performed of the head. This will allow the vets to assess the structures of the inner ear, inside the skull, brain, etc. Unfortunately this will be a lot more expensive and will require referral to a specialty hospital. Maybe if you try elevating his food plate so that he doesn't have to bend down that may help? My igs love to tear whole leaves of greens that I hang from the ceiling of their enclosures, maybe that would be more comfortable. Good luck with him! I love Cyclura, I hope he does OK!

 

[james.w]

Yeah, I'm with Maro gotta keep the wife happy as possible.

I would also try some fruits or things he really enjoys to try and get him eating if you haven't already done so. Hope he makes a turn for the better soon.

 

[Maro1]

Quote from Stacey ''

I agree that something in there hurts, and he could be experiencing vertigo. I probably would have done the same thing your vet did, and by the way you did take her to probably the best person in Utah. I know Laurel and she's been doing nothing but exotics for a long time. You could try additional meds for pain and see if that keeps him more comfortable. Unfortunately any time there is inflammation in a reptile it takes way longer to heal than a similar injury in a mammal, that is why I was thinking adding something else for pain in the meantime might be helpful. There is also a medication called Meclizine that we use for dizziness/motion sickness/vertigo. Maybe that would help, but I've never used it in a reptile before. There have been a few reported cases of green iguanas with Cryptosporidium infection in the ear. This parasite typically affects the GI tract, and you would need a biopsy (an actual piece of tissue) rather than a swab taken to diagnose it. The next step if he is not getting better is to probably have a CT scan performed of the head. This will allow the vets to assess the structures of the inner ear, inside the skull, brain, etc. Unfortunately this will be a lot more expensive and will require referral to a specialty hospital. Maybe if you try elevating his food plate so that he doesn't have to bend down that may help? My igs love to tear whole leaves of greens that I hang from the ceiling of their enclosures, maybe that would be more comfortable. Good luck with him! I love Cyclura, I hope he does OK!


[/quote]

Some Good info here and nice to know they know your vet. Has your vet seen this yet? Maybe she can add it to her current knowledge and try some of the solutions here before CT.

That vertigo piece sure sounds like a possibility when thinking about how he doesn't move from one spot.

Maro1

 

[herpgirl2510]

I am so sorry to hear this Rob. You can see what a great bond you guys have from the video. I hope he gets better for you it is so hard when a pet is sick.

 

[RobK.]

Quote from Stacey ''

I agree that something in there hurts, and he could be experiencing vertigo. I probably would have done the same thing your vet did, and by the way you did take her to probably the best person in Utah. I know Laurel and she's been doing nothing but exotics for a long time. You could try additional meds for pain and see if that keeps him more comfortable. Unfortunately any time there is inflammation in a reptile it takes way longer to heal than a similar injury in a mammal, that is why I was thinking adding something else for pain in the meantime might be helpful. There is also a medication called Meclizine that we use for dizziness/motion sickness/vertigo. Maybe that would help, but I've never used it in a reptile before. There have been a few reported cases of green iguanas with Cryptosporidium infection in the ear. This parasite typically affects the GI tract, and you would need a biopsy (an actual piece of tissue) rather than a swab taken to diagnose it. The next step if he is not getting better is to probably have a CT scan performed of the head. This will allow the vets to assess the structures of the inner ear, inside the skull, brain, etc. Unfortunately this will be a lot more expensive and will require referral to a specialty hospital. Maybe if you try elevating his food plate so that he doesn't have to bend down that may help? My igs love to tear whole leaves of greens that I hang from the ceiling of their enclosures, maybe that would be more comfortable. Good luck with him! I love Cyclura, I hope he does OK!

Some Good info here and nice to know they know your vet. Has your vet seen this yet? Maybe she can add it to her current knowledge and try some of the solutions here before CT.

That vertigo piece sure sounds like a possibility when thinking about how he doesn't move from one spot.

Maro1
[/quote]

I made him a outside cage 3 days ago with heat and he's been very active , ate a little better yeserday afternoon , but still 1/10 of normal . Inside he just hides , outside he roams and watches every bird , plane or bug and seems to enjoy it .

yes , i e-mailed the vet a copy .

 

[RobK.]

My vet sent me this e-mail . I am going to take her up on this < Hopefuly she can come up with another idea as to what going on and a cheap cure .

'' I will occasionally do for my clients is offer to take
the case on here while we're waiting for a response to therapy. I would
be willing to house and manage him for 2-3 weeks if that is easier for
you, at no charge for that period of time. If that is something you are
interested in, just let me know. ''

if this does not work by the end of these three weeks, i MAY :huh::s have him put down . ???