Broken jaw

[Reptrillian]

Poor guy... . I wonder if just letting it be for a couple days will help, then maybe some plain warm water. I agree with your thoughts on another surgery, he's weaker now and may not pull through. Maybe the wire will help or just a rest + then plain warm water. What is the temp. in his tank ? It should be higher than usual, maybe around 90 on the cool side, 105 on the hotter side.

It got blocked sometime after 4pm Friday, I noticed it when feeding him Saturday morning. I've been trying warm water and gentle syringing a couple of times a day, but no luck.

His temps are 110 at the hottest spot, the vet wanted it bumped up, down to 85 in the coolest spot, but he tends to shift between 105 for basking, and 85-90 for sleeping. I don't usually give them heat overnight, but the vet said his immune system needs the support, so he's got a CHE for overnight and usually sleeps in 85-90 ish spots.

He's very alert and active during the day, which is a really good sign, but does mean he's burning through calories and dropping weight quickly, he's gone from 52g to 47g in 2 weeks.

 

[AHBD]

It's good that he's active, and his temps. sound good. So when you put water in, does it back up and that's how you know it's blocked ? Have you tried the wire yet ? And losing 5 grams is not that much....most people + other creatures lose weight when they're seriously ill, the appetite is lacking + the body just can't handle a normal diet, so he'll be O.K with that weight loss, it's not excessive. But of course you don't want it to go on for a long time. Maybe the tube will get flushed and he'll e able to maintain rather than lose more weight.

 

[Reptrillian]

Yes, before I'd give him antibiotics, then formula, then water, all through the syringe. It flowed easily. Now there's no movement at all, even with gentle pressure. I'm trying with the wire, whatever the blockage is, it feels dense but sticky, like gum. I'm following the vet's instructions, and using warm water in between trying with the wire, but no luck yet. I keep being worried every time he flinches, I'm so worried I'm jabbing him somewhere painful!

Here's my setup!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

He sure has spirit, as he is hanging in there doing well with everything going on with him.
I hope the feeding is going better. That has to be hard trying to keep the tube cleaned out,
constantly.
I agree, keeping him a little warmer should help out his system right now. Has he been pretty active also?
I would not opt for surgery either, he is small & has been through a lot.
Keep up the great work with him.

Tracie

 

[Reptrillian]

Hello,

He sure has spirit, as he is hanging in there doing well with everything going on with him.
I hope the feeding is going better. That has to be hard trying to keep the tube cleaned out,
constantly.
I agree, keeping him a little warmer should help out his system right now. Has he been pretty active also?
I would not opt for surgery either, he is small & has been through a lot.
Keep up the great work with him.

Tracie

He's had the surgery, it was to insert the feeding tube through the side of his neck, into his stomach. It was the only way to feed him while immobilising his broken jaw for 6 weeks to allow it to heal. The tube got blocked sometime between his last feed on Friday and his first feed on Saturday, so he's booked back in for surgery tomorrow to replace the tube.

He'd been off his food for a while due to periodontal disease (he broke his jaw during a syringe feed during treatment for that) so he was very skinny to start with. He's 3 weeks out from having his jaw wired, so it ideally needs another 3 weeks to heal effectively.

He's stayed very active throughout this process! He is usually in brumation, but I think upping his temps and adding overnight heat has helped him skip it this year! It's a good thing because it shows he's strong and his immune response seems good, but it does mean he's burning off a lot of calories that I currently can't replace!

 

[AHBD]

I think Tracie meant the surgery to replace this existing tube that you mentioned is scheduled for Friday. Is that still on or will you wait it out for a while ? It's good that he's active, he still has some strength in him.

 

[Reptrillian]

Oh I see! I think we'll have you go for it, he's had no food or fluids for a week now, so if he doesn't have the tube replaced, it means another 3 weeks of no food or fluids, not sure he'd survive that. The other option is euthanasia, which my husband is very much against. Our thinking is that if this is something he won't survive, we'd rather lose him during surgery to try to fix him, he won't know anything about it either way, but the surgery option gives him a chance.

He's so very active, if he was lethargic or seemed to be suffering then we'd make different choices. Just a worry when he's so small!

 

[AHBD]

Yes, I can see your reasoning about that....I hope it goes smoothly and he can recuperate from the second tubing !

 

[Reptrillian]

Just dropped him off, the little toad got a nail caught in those threads you can see securing the tube, the ones that GO THROUGH HIS SKIN and pulled that out, plus half the tube... Luckily it happened just as I was putting him in the box to go to the vet so I'm just hoping he hasn't done anything terrible!!

To add complications, we're going away for the weekend so will have to take him with us!

 

[AHBD]

Oh no ! Hope it didn't cause any damage.....just what the poor thing didn't need right now, another complication. Hopefully he'll get over this bump in the road before you take him on the road !

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

How is he doing after his surgery to replace his tube? I hope he is improving & that you have been able to get some food into him! Hopefully he didn't do any damage when he pulled the tube out on the way to the vets.
Did he do well on your trip? I understand wanting to give him a chance. He really is doing pretty well considering everything going on with him. Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[Reptrillian]

Thank you so much for following his story!

The vet wasn't optimistic after his first surgery, even less so after this one, it took him much longer to wake up from the anesthesia this time. He gave us a glove filled with hot water for the journey, Draco was in a shoe box and slept for most of the journey, before waking up an hour before we arrived and scrabbling away!

I have a heat mat set up, one of the human heating pads. He's in a tall plastic storage tub, half on the heat pad. Temps on the heated side are 105F, on the cool side are 85F. He was quite active this morning, hoping that's a good sign!

I've learned my lesson, he's on ready-made Ensure now, he gets 0.5ml twice a day, plus 0.1ml Baytril, and 0.4ml water. I also give him Reptaid, just in case it helps.

The vet put in a slightly larger tube, and stitched it to his body in a few more places so he can't slip his arm over it by accident. It doesn't seem to have done any damage ripping it out before, luckily.

My tiny trooper!

 

[CooperDragon]

It's good to hear that he's active after the surgery. He's a tough little one!

 

[AHBD]

That's so good to hear. He still has a chance !

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Wow, hopefully the little bit larger tube will help out & not get clogged. He certainly is something else, he has fighting spirit for sure! I hope he is feeling well after his ordeal then.
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie