I deeply regret what I did...(long)

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Posted by Diana on May 16, 2001 at 14:52:55:

Hi All,

As some of you know, last week Bobbit started limping on his front right arm. We were leaving the next morning for a weekend trip (which was planned, sponsored, and paid for by Josh's parents) and I was troubled about what to do with him.

I called his vet, but she couldn't see him until the time we were to be on the plane, so I posted here and asked for some of your experiences with sprains/bone breaks. Many of you posted and said that your ig did the same thing but was back to normal in a few days, etc. Some of you said your iguanas had had broken bones before, and that they healed fine. Some posted and said that vets really can't do anything for a broken bone, except x-ray and tell you that "only time can heal it". I received emails telling me that there's really nothing a vet can do for a broken bone, or a sprain in an iguana, and that there was no such thing as reptile pain medication.

Well, due to the fact that we were trying to pack, finish things up and get on our trip, we decided to hope for the best and to delay the vet visit until we returned. We hoped that his arm would be back to normal and that he would be much improved upon our return and wouldn't even have to see a vet.

To my horror, on the night we returned we found that his arm had ballooned up and he was dragging it behind him. I cried as I thought about how I had left him in pain for four days while we were away. My mom watched him for us, but didn't know what to do for him. (I wished she had taken him to the vet, but his regular vet, (the "best reptile specialist in Utah") was about 100 miles away and she just didn't have time.)

Anyway, I write this today to let you all know that if your iguana does hurt itself, TAKE IT TO THE VET. Don't wait and "hope for the best". Don't be cheap (I admit that I can have that tendency to be too frugal with money when it comes to vet care, since I'm already struggling financially as it is.) Instead of thinking of how much a vet visit is going to cost, consider the suffering of the animal--the same animal who is *depending on you* for all of it's needs. These iguanas are helpless, far from their natural habitat, and I doubt that any one of them would trade what lives they have now (even if they're spoiled and pampered) for the life they *could* be living if they were in their natural habitat, and not living in captivity.

My point is, considering how much money a proper enclosure costs, the right lighting, heating, the right variety of fresh foods, supplements, "furniture" "toys" and general day to day care costs, it's foolish to not take your iguana to the vet if you suspect it has a problem just because you don't want to fork over the money for the examination. What if carelessness and/or cheapness caused it to die? What a real waste of money that would be, considering you'd still have the enclosure, and all the rest of its stuff, but no iguana!

Taking Bobbit to the vet was $156.09--yes, that's expensive, and I certainly wasn't financially prepared to pay for that extra amount this month, BUT, the alternative was to "hope for the best" and watch him suffer.

Fortunately, after x-rays, we found out that he doesn't have a broken bone, but rather, a very bad sprain. His arm was so swollen that his wrist bone had actually moved out of place! The fluids in his arm had actually caused the bones to move out of position--no doubt that had to hurt the little guy. The doctor gave him an anti-imflamatory shot, which has brought down the swelling, and he is acting much better today. He's actually started putting weight on it, and using it to crawl around a bit.

Anyway, he is on pain medication drops which we will give him for a few days. I am telling you all this, so that you won't do what I did--"hope for the best" only to return and find out that he had suffered four painful days of getting worse.

I cannot stress it enough to you that IT IS WORTH THE MONEY TO GO TO THE VET. I wish so badly that I would have just taken him in the night before our trip and that he could have gotten pain medication and the shot in the first place, and would have not had to suffer in my absence.

Anyway, I DO appreciate all of the people who posted to me last week regarding my problem. I am thankful I have all of you to run things by, but I did just want to post today and tell you that asking around for suggestions/advice isn't enough. If you think your iguana could need a vet visit (for whatever reason) chances are, it does! Take it in--you will have peace of mind knowing that your iguana--who depends upon you for everything in life--is getting the best care it can. Very much worth the money--and it's also kind and humane.

Luckily, this story has a semi-happy ending, and Bobbit is going to be fine in a few days. But, knowing I made him suffer with swelling pain, extra fluid, and no movement in his joint makes me sad.

Don't do what I did--do better.
Diana--

Follow Ups:

Re: I deeply regret what I did...(long) xta 05/16/01 (1)
- For xta Diana 05/17/01 (0)
You're going to get a "special painting" for this one... Spyro + Sparx Mom 05/16/01 (1)
- \You're going to get a "special painting" for this one... Diana 05/17/01 (0)

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: Hi All, : As some of you know, last week Bobbit started limping on his front right arm. We were leaving the next morning for a weekend trip (which was planned, sponsored, and paid for by Josh's parents) and I was troubled about what to do with him. : I called his vet, but she couldn't see him until the time we were to be on the plane, so I posted here and asked for some of your experiences with sprains/bone breaks. Many of you posted and said that your ig did the same thing but was back to normal in a few days, etc. Some of you said your iguanas had had broken bones before, and that they healed fine. Some posted and said that vets really can't do anything for a broken bone, except x-ray and tell you that "only time can heal it". I received emails telling me that there's really nothing a vet can do for a broken bone, or a sprain in an iguana, and that there was no such thing as reptile pain medication. : Well, due to the fact that we were trying to pack, finish things up and get on our trip, we decided to hope for the best and to delay the vet visit until we returned. We hoped that his arm would be back to normal and that he would be much improved upon our return and wouldn't even have to see a vet. : To my horror, on the night we returned we found that his arm had ballooned up and he was dragging it behind him. I cried as I thought about how I had left him in pain for four days while we were away. My mom watched him for us, but didn't know what to do for him. (I wished she had taken him to the vet, but his regular vet, (the "best reptile specialist in Utah") was about 100 miles away and she just didn't have time.) : Anyway, I write this today to let you all know that if your iguana does hurt itself, TAKE IT TO THE VET. Don't wait and "hope for the best". Don't be cheap (I admit that I can have that tendency to be too frugal with money when it comes to vet care, since I'm already struggling financially as it is.) Instead of thinking of how much a vet visit is going to cost, consider the suffering of the animal--the same animal who is *depending on you* for all of it's needs. These iguanas are helpless, far from their natural habitat, and I doubt that any one of them would trade what lives they have now (even if they're spoiled and pampered) for the life they *could* be living if they were in their natural habitat, and not living in captivity. : My point is, considering how much money a proper enclosure costs, the right lighting, heating, the right variety of fresh foods, supplements, "furniture" "toys" and general day to day care costs, it's foolish to not take your iguana to the vet if you suspect it has a problem just because you don't want to fork over the money for the examination. What if carelessness and/or cheapness caused it to die? What a real waste of money that would be, considering you'd still have the enclosure, and all the rest of its stuff, but no iguana! : Taking Bobbit to the vet was $156.09--yes, that's expensive, and I certainly wasn't financially prepared to pay for that extra amount this month, BUT, the alternative was to "hope for the best" and watch him suffer. : Fortunately, after x-rays, we found out that he doesn't have a broken bone, but rather, a very bad sprain. His arm was so swollen that his wrist bone had actually moved out of place! The fluids in his arm had actually caused the bones to move out of position--no doubt that had to hurt the little guy. The doctor gave him an anti-imflamatory shot, which has brought down the swelling, and he is acting much better today. He's actually started putting weight on it, and using it to crawl around a bit. : Anyway, he is on pain medication drops which we will give him for a few days. I am telling you all this, so that you won't do what I did--"hope for the best" only to return and find out that he had suffered four painful days of getting worse. : I cannot stress it enough to you that IT IS WORTH THE MONEY TO GO TO THE VET. I wish so badly that I would have just taken him in the night before our trip and that he could have gotten pain medication and the shot in the first place, and would have not had to suffer in my absence. : Anyway, I DO appreciate all of the people who posted to me last week regarding my problem. I am thankful I have all of you to run things by, but I did just want to post today and tell you that asking around for suggestions/advice isn't enough. If you think your iguana could need a vet visit (for whatever reason) chances are, it does! Take it in--you will have peace of mind knowing that your iguana--who depends upon you for everything in life--is getting the best care it can. Very much worth the money--and it's also kind and humane. : Luckily, this story has a semi-happy ending, and Bobbit is going to be fine in a few days. But, knowing I made him suffer with swelling pain, extra fluid, and no movement in his joint makes me sad. : Don't do what I did--do better. : Diana--

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