Dino's YF... Rest Easy my Lil' Friend :'(

[SpikesAgirl]

:laughing6: Okay, I'll give her a lil' squish from you, Tonja! I can see a little twinkle of light!
Another update: I talked to the vet today, she told me Dino will probably be on this med for about 4 months. She looked at Dino's photo's from right after I debrided the lesions, and she thinks it looks good. She was talking with 3 other vets who think I may have to have the tests done again if I don't continue to see improvement. Something about looking to see if the fungus is within the layers beneath the surface skin and the debrided areas. (There were some scientific terms that I didn't quite hear/understand. I was on the cell phone too.) Dino's next appointment is October 1st. At that time we will do more blood work to re-check those calcium/phosphorus levels to see if they came down. (They were high for some reason when I requested bloodwork as a base line.) I'm wondering if they were high because maybe she's getting to the age of egg producing. GAWD I hope not. I certainly don't want to have to deal with that on top of everything else. She just turned 2 years old at the end of August, so hopefully not. I think at that visit, we will determine if I should get the fungal tests done again. She said she could put it through as a "group test" so it will be a couple hundred dollars cheaper! Dino's lookin good, in spite of being globbed up with cream all the time. *Fingers Crossed* that she really is getting better! <3

 

[SpitFyre]

WAHOOO!!!w

 

[Esther19]

 

[SpikesAgirl]

You can always view new pictures by following the link on my "signature" at the bottom of my posts, but here's a couple for you to look at without having to page through the album on photobucket:

So yucky taking this off of her ear. Still all the way in though.

What she looked like before the ear clump came off

Shoulder cleaned off again

 

[Esther19]

Thanks, Sue. She looks wonderful!!!

 

[Tonja]

She really looks so much better, that skin looks so pink and healthy to me..just like pink healthy skin on a human after a trauma. You are gonna beat this with Dino, I know you will.

 

[Drache613]

Hello Sue,

Dino is beautiful. She is doing better, yes? It looks like she is improving & looks happy too.
I am thinking about you both daily.

Tracie

 

[SpikesAgirl]

Thanks for the positivity Tonja! <3

Hi Tracie,
I think Dino is continuing to improve. I've been trying to keep all the areas debrided, per the vet, to promote healthy, new growth. It all appears to be healthy. Some of it is turning white now which, to me, seems to be a sign of healing up. Nothing growing back over the white areas!! She is going into a shed right now. Head, legs & back. She goes back to the vet October 1st for a wellness check and some bloodwork to check those calcium/phosphorus levels that were high when we started the meds back in July. Hopefully those will be down this time. She hasn't really been drinking during her soaks lately so, I can only assume she's plenty hydrated from her food. Her urates still look fine and her pooh isn't hard. They're formed but still soft. I think she's doing pretty good!! Thanks for checking in on us!

To the rest of Dino's friends: :wave: Hi there! Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. The situation has kind of stabilized. Plus, I have another patient: My husband! He had knee replacement surgery last Wednesday. I'm home from work taking care of him. It's like having an infant in the house all over again, except this one can TALK! He's a lotta work! :bleick: I'll let you know how we do at Dino's next appointment if there's nothing new to report before then! Thanks everyone!!

 

[Drache613]

Hello Sue!

How is Dino doing? l am so glad that she is finally improving now. What a long haul for her.
I hope your hubby's knee heals up soon, too. Now you have two patients to look after! LOL

Tracie

 

[SpikesAgirl]

Hi Tracie! Thanks for checking in on us! Yes, 2 patients now. The human is WAAAAY more work than the reptile though! :lol: Dino was at the vet yesterday. So, here's the update:
The vet says she looks better! The areas that I debrided look like they're healing. We are going to continue taking the voriconozole. I showed her a lesion/crusty scab on the top of her head that I thought was getting bigger. I pulled off the crust (she had no nails and couldn't get it, so I "assisted".) Under the crust was not raw like the spots on her face were! It was more white than pink underneath. She thinks Dino is HEALING! She had some blood work done too, to check those calcium/phosphorus levels that were high last time. She's also checking liver & kidney function. I will post the results when I get them back. She's going through a shed right now. The vet was happy to see that as well.
Dino has gained MORE weight. She's a little puzzled by that. So am I. I weighed Dino Friday and she came up at 437 on my scale, on hers she came up 419. (I think I got her whole tail in there when I weighed her.) Last vet weight in was 380. :shock: I thought maybe adding superworms to Dino's diet may have affected her calcium/phosphorus levels so, I cut way back on giving her those and I haven't been giving her many crickets either. She doesn't really want them for some reason anyway. They end up dieing before she eats 'em. She gets around 6 supers every 3 or 4 days yet she continues to GAIN WEIGHT.
So, I'm gonna ask you guys a question. The vet tech brought it up and got me thinking. She said, "Well, it's that time of year. The weather is changing so, maaaybeeee??" OMG, is she getting ready to BRUMATE? Do beardies store up fat before going into brumation?????? Could this be why she's gaining weight??? My last beardie never did it so, I really know nothing about it... Dino just turned 2 years old around the end of August (We were told she was about 9 weeks old when we got her so, that's a guess for her "birthday"). Her belly is soft and not lumpy so I'm pretty sure it's not weight gain from producing eggs. :?: :?: Anyone know? :?: :?: If this is the case, I'm worried... :silent: She needs to be on this med through the end of December!! Will her body process the meds if she's SLEEPING??? Can I prevent her from brumating??

 

[Esther19]

Hi Sue!

I am clueless to most of your questions, but it's good to hear from you. So glad to hear that your girl is healing. I've never before dealt with brumation, but my little Buster, whom I don't think is quite a year old, has been brumating since the end of August. I get him up weekly for a drink, some liquid calcium, and weighing. He has been maintaining his weight. I get him up at mid-day Sunday. He soaks up the heat and UVB and sleeps in the corner that night. More water Monday morning, and by the time I'm home that night, he's back in his cave and has pushed his blankie up to block the door.

I'm sure someone who can answer your questions will be along soon. You and Dino take care!
Esther

 

[SpikesAgirl]

Thanks Esther! Weight gain could be from the sweetener they put in the med too. Who knows why she's gettin' fat, all I know is that she IS! :lol: Doc suggested I call the pharmacy and find out the calories & what not of the flavoring. Hopefully, that's all it is! Where she's gained so much, we may have to up the daily dose too. I'll post again when I get blood results.

 

[SpikesAgirl]

Blood work came back: Everything looks PERFECT! YAAAAY! So, just keep doin' what I'm doin' & keep givin her the meds every day. Hopefully, we will continue to see healing!! :headbang: I do believe there is a light at the end of this tunnel! :-D

 

[Esther19]

I'm so happy for the both of you. You are amazing, Sue.

 

[Tonja]

That is wonderful news. I am really happy that you can finally see light at the end of that long tunnel. You have done an amazing job with Dino. I just know it wont be much longer and you will have a healed over Dino.