Vet says my leo needs UVA/UVB bulb????

[gitrdone0420]

Ugh, it's amazing to me how ignorant your vets are! A simple google search would teach them a lot. Heck, they obviously haven't even read a caresheet! Tumors in the armpits indeed! Ask them if human stomach fat is a tumor too!

No they havent read a caresheet. They said it didnt matter... I tried to politely explain to both of them that although I respect them that I have to disagree with their diagnosis. I told them that they are just wrong and that they really dont know anything about this particular species. It is a little sad, but true that you guys on this forum are so much more informative than my own vets >.<

 

[SFgeckos]

Wow, that is really sad. I'm very sorry to hear about your situation...I hope that everything goes well.

On a side note, is it possible to ask the clinic for copies of the radiographs (assuming they are digital)? Most clinics provide owners with a cd copy if requested, then you can upload the radiographs to the forum for other members to check out.

I just think it would be a great learning opportunity for forum members to see radiographs of your geckos?

Jon

 

[JordanAng420]

Oh yes. Jonathan is absolutely right. I would LOVE to look at radiographs if they can provide you with a CD! It's worth asking about, after all the trouble they put you thru, it's the least they can do for you at this point

 

[gitrdone0420]

I can def. get the X Rays uploaded, probably by tomorrow. But, I do have to warn you, the radiograph machine was NOT herp friendly. I couldn't get the KVP to go low enough to get a perfect picture, but it is def. readable. It just burns through a little bit >.< But, I will def. upload them asap.

 

[SFgeckos]

Some clinics have another set of settings for rodents/pocket pets, since most x-ray machines are set for small animals (dog/cats). You can also attempt shooting the view using an "extremity" setting, say for example- the settings for a lateral or v/d view of a paw.

Jon

 

[gitrdone0420]

Yea, we set the KVP to 40 (lowest it would go) and put it on extremity. That was literally the best I could do. It had no setting for pocket pets/rodents, etc. =/

 

[Samantha]

if leos are sick u can give sweet potatos and warm water mixture via dropper

 

[gitrdone0420]

if leos are sick u can give sweet potatos and warm water mixture via dropper

My leo is potentially impacted... Im not going to continue giving her food and forcing her to eat and add to the problem, she has to pass what is impacting her first, otherwise she will probably just regurgate. So, that isnt such a great idea. I am giving her water and mineral oil with warm soaks until I know she can pass food.

 

[gitrdone0420]

Here are some XRay pics. The vet tried to make it more legible...

Anyways, vet said she could have potentially gotten too much calcium... and that she could have thrown a clot (completely unrelated issue) to cause her back end to be paralyzed. He said continue with mineral oil and warm soaks and we will recheck the xrays in a week.

 

[Johno305]

I wish you luck and a speedy recovery for your gecko...but that xray has to be one of the most intersting things I have ever seen...thank you for posting that!

 

[maximusx6910]

This probably wont help, but like someone stated before the crickets molting or whatever type of insect your feeding them if any? Insects have chitin, which is the outer skin. That might be it? if im wrong just tell me. Im just throwing out ideas

 

[Saphira]

way cool xrays. sorry you guy is sick.

 

[JordanAng420]

Thank you so much for posting those xrays! It's funny, i'm sitting here, looking at those radiographs and i'm saying to myself, "what the heck is making those xrays look so weird?" I mean, I know the kvp is off, and it's a little blurry, but there was something else...THEN I said to myself "Wait a minute! Since when do lungs show up white, and since when do intestines show up black?! It's supposed to be the other way around!" Thats when I realized that your vet had inverted the exposure, so that you could see the area of concern in the lower abdomen easier. Smart!

I can't see the bone density very well, but from the skeletal structure I don't see any evidence of MBD in that gecko. How's he doing? Is he walking any better?

Oh, and if it DOES turn out to be a thromboembolism, then I have to say, that is absolutely out of this world! Leave it to us veterinary staff to have the animals that develop all the unheard of diseases...I had a technician friend that had a woma python who developed a virus that's only been recorded in sheep and cattle. Go figure LOL.

 

[SFgeckos]

That was the first thing I noticed as well! Not sure exactly why your vet would invert the radiograph...

I inverted them back to their original forms and must say that a thromboembolism is very unlikely. Blood clots on a radiograph would not appear as dense as skeletal structures. It appears whatever it is, is either in the transverse or descending colon and hopefully will be passed. Keep us updated on her progress!

 

[gitrdone0420]

He inverted the pictures because those radiographs are actually a picture off of my phone. I didnt want him bothering to upload them to a disk just quite yet because we are rechecking in a week, so I just took a picture of it. He thought it would be easier to see on a picture if he inverted it.

I really hope she does pass it. This is one of my favorite leos, so go figure something weird would happen >.< I do have more XRays from a different XRay machine, so I will upload them asap. The other XRays show a better version of the bone density...
I have to say in our XRay experience with this little one, it has moved from the small intestine to the large intestine. So lets keep our fingers crossed! Hopefully it will pass, maybe she will walk again?

But the vet was very impressed with how good and healthy she looked otherwise, lol.
This vet is my REAL herp vet, he is awesome (We are good friends) he just wasnt available all weekend due to the holidays >.<

 

[JordanAng420]

I have to say in our XRay experience with this little one, it has moved from the small intestine to the large intestine. So lets keep our fingers crossed!

The fact that it has moved on its own is a very good sign. Just for kicks and giggles, i'd love to see the one that shows the bone density closer. Only because i'm curious. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, but as long as it's moving on it's own, that usually means it will find its way out.

 

[GeckoTrouble]

Oooh this is a MUST for a poster.... awesomely cool pics

So sorry your gecko had to get sick for us to see them.
Here's hoping for a recovery

 

[catvettech]

This is quite an interesting post. And.....we have some "sharp shooters" on this forum.

Lesson Learned: It just doesn't pay to take a herp to a dr with no herp experience. It just upsets us more, can cost us more $, and just isn't worth it.

I can't wait for the post that tells us that this little one is back to normal.

 

[gitrdone0420]

This is quite an interesting post. And.....we have some "sharp shooters" on this forum.

Lesson Learned: It just doesn't pay to take a herp to a dr with no herp experience. It just upsets us more, can cost us more $, and just isn't worth it.

I can't wait for the post that tells us that this little one is back to normal.

I am still waiting to be able to post that she is doing better! =/ Still waiting... She is going in for a recheck next Tuesday.

Anyways, unfortunately all I had around here that was available were the vets that didnt know much about herps, with it being the holiday weekend and all...
Some people may have learned to never do that from my mistake, however I just could NOT sit here and do nothing. I had to have her seen by someone and do something. I wouldnt have been able to live with myself if I just sat and watched her die. Plus, the first vet did amputate her tail, which may have done a lot of good?

Sorry about not posting better XRays yet, my computer wont download the program that I need to get them onto my laptop =/ Sorry guys! I will try on a different computer tonight.

 

[sammer021486]

I hope you do not mind, but I grabbed your XRays and sent them to a friend of mine that goes to vet school at the University of Guelph, Ontario. It has a pretty big vet program there and is suppose to have two reptile vets on campus. She is a large mammal major, but hopefully will know someone who can lend a hand.