Prolapsed, vet put it back in--what to expect?

[discojan]

Dear AHBD,

Thanks for your kinds words and advice. We are very very worried. She prolaspsed for a third time in two days last night, and it was a large portion of her intestines. She went back tot he vet, and he put it all back, and sutured her shut so she can sleep through the night, but he is very concerned.

He feared he saw parts of necrosis on her insides, and he was worried that more than just her colon has been prolapsing (and though perhaps her bladder/reproductive organs might be involved). Now he is recommending exploratory surgery,and he suggests her chances of full recovery on her own aren't that good without it.

We are terrified with worry. We know that anasthesia is tough for lizards, and also the whole procedure itself will involve sutures on her belly. If he finds necrosis, and needs to remove it, he said the tissue is very delicate and takes a long time to heal.
I'm also worried he might find her producing more eggs. We are waiting to hear more from him before making a final decision on what to, but leaning toward the surgery.

Electra means the world to us and we love her so dearly, we will do anything to help her. She did not appear to be in pain last night, but I know that Beardies hide pain very well.

Has anyone had similar experiences?

Please continue to send healing thoughts to our baby girl...
J and J

 

[athenacp]

Thoughts and prayers coming!!!

 

[discojan]

Thank you Athenacp.... We're waiting to talk to the vet again, but last we spoke he didn't have a good prognosis. We are really praying that she pulls through all this.. It's a terrible, terrible feeling of helplessness....

 

[discojan]

Here's the update for today...
We just got off the phone with the vet. He isn't going to be able to start working on Electra until 12:30-1pm. He said the surgery would take 1-2 hrs, and at the very minimum he would perform an emergency spaying (where he takes the ovaries, but not the uterus b/c as he explained sometimes reptiles can regenerate organs and if she were to do this the eggs would need somewhere to go).

It is an outpatient surgery, but they will keep her at the vet's tonight under supervision, feeding her a critical care mixture.

He won't know more about the long-term prognosis till he can see something, so we're just praying that whatever was necrotic was related to the reproductive system and not something else.

The good news is that this is a procedure he performs regularly, several times a year. If all goes well, Electra should be waking up around 3 or 4pm, and we will know more then. Assuming all goes well, the next 3-4 days will be critical,and when she gets thru them, he said the long-term prognosis is pretty good, so it's just the not-knowing of now that is pretty rough.

In any case, we feel confident that he will do a good job and that our little trooper will keep fighting like the strong, loving lizard she is. Prayers, prayers, prayers to you dear one...

 

[Esther19]

Prayers and positive thoughts continuing for you and Electra. Thanks for the continued updates.

 

[discojan]

Thanks Esther for all the prayers. It seems they are working. Electra has come thru the surgery. The vet reports she is one of the healthiest beardies he had ever seen (pre-surgery and all the prolapsing). She had 60% of her bladder removed, because it had become necrotic, and wrapped up in the colon. She also had her egg-laden ovaries removed. She was breathing and sleepy after the surgery, and last we heard had not fully woken up from the anashtetic. The next 2 weeks are critical, as we need to seee if she recovers her bladder capability with the reduction in the organ. She is at the vet's overnight for observation, and then she'll get brought home tomorrow.

What we thought was one positive and funny thing is hearing the vet say that she actually BOBBED at him. Electra is one ofthe most laid back beardies we've ever met. Even when her sister Salsa charges at the viv, she never bobs back, and she has never ever bobbed at me , my partner Jim, or anyone else. She must have known the vet was up to something she wasn't going to like.

Thanks everyone for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers.

Warmly,
J and J

 

[athenacp]

Oh I am so glad to hear this!!! Will keep her in prayer that everything works out!

 

[Esther19]

Excellent news! Thanks for reporting in. Will continue the positive thoughts and prayers.

 

[BeardieMommy3991]

Thats great news to hear that the operation went well! Too funny that she bobbed him!

Wishing her well over the next 2 weeks.

 

[Drache613]

Hello Jan,

I am glad to hear that Electra had a successful surgery.
How is she feeling today?
I definitely wouldn't feed her anything for a week or so. What did the vet say about feeding & fluids?
Post up a picture of her when you can. I hope everything is going well for her.

Tracie

 

[discojan]

Hello all, Thanks for checking in on Electra. We have been following the vet's recommendations closely and it has been a looooooong week. After the surgery the vet was feeding her orally some critical care and he wanted her to get back to her regular diet as soon as she was willing.mOf course Electra loves few things more than eating yummy treats so a day after surgery she ate her first butter worm. Unfortunately she passed a stool and another , much smaller prolapse. She went back to the vet and they gently putit back and gave her a double purse string stitch on her vent to keep all her insides inside so she can heal. The good news is thatbshe wanted to eat and she seems to have gotte. digestive function back. The bad news was that there was some additional necrotic material that came out with the prolapse . The vet thinks it it is just material from the surgery that was too close ro the sutures to remove. Electra has stayed at the vet the past two days for observation because they wanted to keep a close eye on her. When we last spoke to the vet he said she looked a lot better, her attitude was good, she was holding her head up and looking around. If all continues to go well she will come back home later today. If she is up for photos I will try to post them in the next day or so....We really hope she is over the prolapsed g. The vet did give her some oral calcium to help with muscle function, so I hope we are getting closer to getti g out of the woods. All digits crossed! Thank you to everyone for your care, concern, and prayers, I really believe she can feel all that positiv energy coming toward her. I think she has a strong will to eat more hornworms ! I can't wait to see her

 

[discojan]

Hello all,

Well, Electra is doing a bit better. She's been walking around a bit, moving to the basking part of her viv. She even ate some greens yesterday. She's 13 staples--the vet really did some exploring in that surgery and some purse strings in her vent, to prevent another prolapse. (She had 4 four in the past week). Her mood is good, and she was awake and alert this morning. I'll feel better after she passes a stool, but for now we're just very grateful to have this time with her.

Best wishes, Jan

p.s. Here are some photos posted publicly on Facebook of both Electra and Salsa
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151355610613298&set=a.10150476928953298.468539.698523297&type=1&theater&notif_t=photo_comment

Salsa
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151355603633298&set=a.10151355603593298.575305.698523297&type=1&theater

 

[AHBD]

She [ and you] have been through a lot. I hope she gets through this and bounces back ASAP. What major surgery she's been through. Keep up the good work pampering her !

 

[Esther19]

Thanks for letting us know that Electra is improving. Sheis fortunate to have such a loving caretaker!

 

[Tonja]

I know this is a little late in reply department but, so sorry to hear about the prolapses. I would have a fecal done on her, particuallary for coccidia and pinworms as these parasites are a known link to prolapse in beardies. High numbers can weaken the muscle structures and supportive tissues causing them to prolapse.