Yes....I can definitely relate to the "Ears as Footholds" theory!!!! LOL np

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Posted by JNelson on January 26, 2001 at 12:17:27:

In Reply to: per request ~ another happy story! posted by iZ's mom on January 26, 2001 at 11:11:02:

: when iZ came to me almost 4 yrs ago, he was 10"svl, 30"stl, weighed maybe 1/2 pound, and was various shades of grey ... his diet had consisted of canned green beans and red bell peppers, he had no drinking water ~ ever ... he lived in a 20 gal. aquarium that was on the floor with a hot rock and a stick ("to climb") ... no heat, no uvb, no humidity ...

: then, he moved in with me + i found this forum + MK ~ he grew fat + happy + healthy and got a healthy diet and his very own room (complete with it's own heat source, humidity, drinking 'pond', uvb lite, various shelfs + ramps and green leafy (fake) plants ...

: a yr + 1/2 ago, he suddenly became very sick + should have died ... he went from 11.5 pounds to barely 7 in a month's time + was severely dehydrated ... vet did emergency exploratory surgery on him, his kidneys + bladder were grossly swollen ~ kidney biospy showed massive kidney damage from an undetected/untreated low-grade bacterial infection ... kidneys were swollen to the point they were pressing against his cecum + almost totally obstructing him ... the vet tried numerous times to prepare me for the fact that iZ was not going to live thru this ... (HA!)

: iZ came home and had either a stroke or a seizure which left his back legs paralyzed ... the vet had 'cleaned out' his bladder + cecum during surgery and now iZ just kinda dribbled where he lay ...

: he was on a total liquid/syringe-fed diet for 6 weeks ... (my special high-cal baby dragon blend) ... the 1st week after surgery, he soaked in the tub 3-4 times a day to encourage him to pee and keep his healing bladder empty ... (after that it's been once a day) ... had daily injections of antibiotics for 6 wks and was on meds to bind the excess phosphorus for months ...

: he gained back the weight he'd lost, his legs took a very long time to regain their strength, but he wouldn't give up and after 6 months, they were nearly as strong + fat as ever ...

: then, last fall, he started getting sick again ... x-rays showed he had a HUGE bladder stone ... *groan* ... more surgery ...

: he had surgery in mid-Oct (2000) and came thru it with flying colors! he was eating + pooping within hours after surgery this time around ~ a very good sign!

: lab tests were inconclusive as far as figuring out *what caused* the bladder stone ~ his diet is very restricted/low protein in hopes that will help prevent another stone, but it's possible that it's a metabolic defect + not really diet related ... besides what water he drinks on his own, he gets oral-syringe drinks every day too ...

: now, 3 months later ~ iZ is about 5-5.5 years old, 21" svl, just over 5' stl, weighing in at 10.5-11 pounds, and has the most gorgeous coloring i've ever seen! he eats + eats + EATS and poops + poops + poops!!!

: he is very spoiled + jealous + won't stand for strangers (people OR animal) near HIS humommy + has been known to literally throw himself at me from his basking shelf with his mouth gaping open in a fit of uncontrolled possessiveness ...

: occasionally, iZ + i "discuss" just WHO IS the Alpha of the house ... this mostly involves alot of head-bobbing, arm-waving, jumping up on milk crates sort of stuff ... (NO ~ there is no video available of the "Alpha Dance!!!!) ...

: from the 1st moment i met iZ, we bonded ... he amazes me with his ability to understand that i am trying to help him feel better ~ whether it's a trip to the vet, drinks from syringes, rubbing stuck spike sheds ~ he lets me know that he doesn't like something, but then he puts up with my whims ... and then likewise, i listen to him when he says "ok, ENOUGH for now!" ...

: now if i can get him to understand that humommy's ears are NOT to be used foot-holds just cuz he wants to sit on my head on the way up the stairs to bed .........

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: : when iZ came to me almost 4 yrs ago, he was 10"svl, 30"stl, weighed maybe 1/2 pound, and was various shades of grey ... his diet had consisted of canned green beans and red bell peppers, he had no drinking water ~ ever ... he lived in a 20 gal. aquarium that was on the floor with a hot rock and a stick ("to climb") ... no heat, no uvb, no humidity ... : : then, he moved in with me + i found this forum + MK ~ he grew fat + happy + healthy and got a healthy diet and his very own room (complete with it's own heat source, humidity, drinking 'pond', uvb lite, various shelfs + ramps and green leafy (fake) plants ... : : a yr + 1/2 ago, he suddenly became very sick + should have died ... he went from 11.5 pounds to barely 7 in a month's time + was severely dehydrated ... vet did emergency exploratory surgery on him, his kidneys + bladder were grossly swollen ~ kidney biospy showed massive kidney damage from an undetected/untreated low-grade bacterial infection ... kidneys were swollen to the point they were pressing against his cecum + almost totally obstructing him ... the vet tried numerous times to prepare me for the fact that iZ was not going to live thru this ... (HA!) : : iZ came home and had either a stroke or a seizure which left his back legs paralyzed ... the vet had 'cleaned out' his bladder + cecum during surgery and now iZ just kinda dribbled where he lay ... : : he was on a total liquid/syringe-fed diet for 6 weeks ... (my special high-cal baby dragon blend) ... the 1st week after surgery, he soaked in the tub 3-4 times a day to encourage him to pee and keep his healing bladder empty ... (after that it's been once a day) ... had daily injections of antibiotics for 6 wks and was on meds to bind the excess phosphorus for months ... : : he gained back the weight he'd lost, his legs took a very long time to regain their strength, but he wouldn't give up and after 6 months, they were nearly as strong + fat as ever ... : : then, last fall, he started getting sick again ... x-rays showed he had a HUGE bladder stone ... *groan* ... more surgery ... : : he had surgery in mid-Oct (2000) and came thru it with flying colors! he was eating + pooping within hours after surgery this time around ~ a very good sign! : : lab tests were inconclusive as far as figuring out *what caused* the bladder stone ~ his diet is very restricted/low protein in hopes that will help prevent another stone, but it's possible that it's a metabolic defect + not really diet related ... besides what water he drinks on his own, he gets oral-syringe drinks every day too ... : : now, 3 months later ~ iZ is about 5-5.5 years old, 21" svl, just over 5' stl, weighing in at 10.5-11 pounds, and has the most gorgeous coloring i've ever seen! he eats + eats + EATS and poops + poops + poops!!! : : he is very spoiled + jealous + won't stand for strangers (people OR animal) near HIS humommy + has been known to literally throw himself at me from his basking shelf with his mouth gaping open in a fit of uncontrolled possessiveness ... : : occasionally, iZ + i "discuss" just WHO IS the Alpha of the house ... this mostly involves alot of head-bobbing, arm-waving, jumping up on milk crates sort of stuff ... (NO ~ there is no video available of the "Alpha Dance!!!!) ... : : from the 1st moment i met iZ, we bonded ... he amazes me with his ability to understand that i am trying to help him feel better ~ whether it's a trip to the vet, drinks from syringes, rubbing stuck spike sheds ~ he lets me know that he doesn't like something, but then he puts up with my whims ... and then likewise, i listen to him when he says "ok, ENOUGH for now!" ... : : now if i can get him to understand that humommy's ears are NOT to be used foot-holds just cuz he wants to sit on my head on the way up the stairs to bed ......... : : : :

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