Thanks Tonja & Happi!! We had her check-up Thursday. Doc says she's doing AWESOME!
She was so excited, she started snapping pictures to send to Dr. Hammond. She is the vet I saw there first, who did the biopsy. She said, "I have to send these to Justine! She's gonna CRY when she sees them!" :love5: I was very happy to hear that she is still in touch with Dr. Hammond!! She is the one who got us started on this road to recovery with her knowledge and I was very sad that we couldn't continue to work with her. At least now I know, she's still in the loop! Makes me very happy!!
Dino's eye is still slowly healing, but it IS HEALING. Doc says it's reforming (the lower lid), as is her mouth/lip area on that same side. That seems to be taking the longest to heal completely. Oh, and her ear. I had her take a good look at that. She was clearing some stuff out and she has, I'm gonna call them "skin tags", kind of growing there. It didn't hurt her when Doc was pulling at it but, she thinks it might be causing too much blockage to allow the inside to shed off and clear up. When Dino sheds, only the very outer part of the ear opening sheds off. We might have to remove that growth thing. We'll see how things look when we go back in January. So, we are continuing with the VC again for another month. She still gets her eye drops daily too.
I've been able to stop putting SSD all over her face as most of it is healed up and white now. Doc says to keep using it in her ear. I had stopped because it is looking better and seems to be shrinking. Upon looking in there further, she thinks the SSD will help with keeping it moist for when I'm clearing it out. So, I just have to diligently work on that spot. I also told her that Dino got moved back into her big house! I told her about my concerns with the daily cleaning and re-infection. She said cleaning the tank out well once a week should be fine now! She just said to keep doing what I'm doing, Dino is doing GREAT!
The vet tech was very sweet. She commented on how far Dino has come and how I should feel really good about that as there aren't too many success stories with this. I knocked wood and thanked her. I also explained that if it weren't for the expense and numerous vet visits, there might be more success with it. Dino has definitely cost me a small fortune! She also commented that most people don't "stick with it" as it becomes "too much work" thinking a reptile is "an easy pet." Sad but true. Folks just give up.
Some little scaley babies don't get the love and care they deserve!
My husband is up in Maine today, getting things ready for snowmobile season. I have to ask him exactly what I have there for Dino. We spend New Year's there every year. I got her a tank and a light fixture but I can't remember what else! I want to have as much stuff up there as I can to make transporting her back & forth as easy as possible. No more boarding for Dino...remember? Yeah. That's how we got into this mess in the first place. Christmas week will be a year since I boarded her. I brought her home and found her covered with the mites. :roll: OMG, I can't believe it's almost a year. :silent:
So, there's the news! I feel good about it, don't you?? :mrgreen: Thanks for all the support and well wishes! You guys are the best!! I went back a couple weeks ago and was reading my initial posts and seeing how desperate I was to save Dino. WOW. :shock: Those were scary days, for sure! So many good people stepped right up to offer me advice and help. I've learned so much here from so many of you. I can't ever say "Thanks!" enough. I'd like to wish you all a wonderful, happy and safe Holiday Season, what ever it is you celebrate! :love5:
Hopefully I'll get it right tomorrow!
