How long should I give it? (hurt leg)

[lissac67]

Hi, I took Spike to a local vet who does see lizards, maybe 2 weeks ago, her injury was about 3 weeks ago, from a high jump, maybe 4 feet and hitting the hardwood floor. The vet did not do an xray, but did feel her all over and such, said he did not feel anything was broken or dislocated. Said it was likely a sprain. Well, we went away for a hockey tournament last week and boarded her at the reptile store she came from. I picked her up today and her leg seems much stiffer. She is favoring it still, no better. The ride home was long and cold, so she could be cold. I did give her a warm bath and gave her some of that silk worm stuff I ordered, sorry forgot the name of it. I am inclined to wait a couple of weeks now that we are home, give her warm baths and make her swim every day, give the supplement I got from Bug-de-lite and see how she does. But if she isn't any better, I feel I should take her in to get an xray. Does this sound like a good plan? How long do reptiles take to heal from something like this? How long should I let it go before taking her back in? I would assume longer than us since they are cold blooded. She is clearly no better. She is eating ok.

 

[Mikem]

My big girl Zeussy (named her Zeus before we found out she was female :lol: ) had a fall last summer and we quickly realized she had hurt her leg. We waited a couple of weeks to see if it would heal itself but when her knee got swollen we took her in for x-rays. The x-ray showed a fracture on her leg and the vet advised us to let her heal on her own and no splint needed. Her leg did progressively get more stiff/swollen over the course of the first month.

I created a makeshift cast out of the handle of a gallon milk jug split in half, it was a PERFECT fit for her leg, secured loosely by a piece of scotch tape. She had that on for about a week then we took it off and slowly she began using the leg more and more until the swelling went down and she's now back to normal.

It sounds like you have a good routine with the supplements and bathing. It is important to make sure they stay moving whatever limb is hurt so it does not stiffen up, of course whatever type of movement is not causing them pain.

Just make sure her calcium levels are up and she should be right as new in a month or two. Zeussy took about three months to be completely healed and that was a fracture.

 

[lissac67]

Thanks so much for the reply! Our Spike is a girl, too. Named before we knew. lol. I am giving her some liquid calcium from the same site as the other supplement and she gets phoenix worms so calcium shouldn't be a problem. I am wondering if it was simply stiff from the cold here and an hour car ride, plus not moving it as much as I have been making her at home to keep it from stiffening up. I will give it a couple of weeks with the same attention and see how she does. If it gets worse or no better, I may take her in again and demand an xray just to be sure. Though by then I would think whatever would have healed somewhat. The first vet seemed fine. But one thing he said is he never had seen a lizard dislocate a leg in his 20+ years, so he doubted it was that. Plus it felt the same to him as the other leg. But I have read they can dislocate something, so I wonder if she could have. I will give it some time and keep her active. It did seem to be getting better before the pet store boarding as I had her moving everyday. But now seems stalled. I will update in a couple of weeks. Thanks again!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I hope that the supplements help out for you.
She fell from quite a ways, but if nothing appeared to be broken it is hopefully just a sprain. They should have done an x-ray though!
You could try to immobilize it if possible, just to see if that helps. There isn't any swelling?
Continue with the warm baths to see if that helps out.
The serrapeptase is safe so you can give a little extra of it to help since an injury is suspect.

Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie

 

[lissac67]

His xray machine was broken. He sounded knowledgeable so I chose to trust him. But I do really think after I give it a couple of weeks I am going to find a vet, even if further away, that will take an xray and specifically treats just exotics. We are in the Boston area, so there has to be one in half an hour, I would think.

I am not sure how I would immobilize it. There really does not seem to be any swelling, but her little legs are pretty chunky...but they both appear the same to me. The whole leg seems fine, except at the hip area, It is clearly not her back as she moves the back and tail file when swimming. She lifts it and favors it from the hip socket area and flinches a bit when it is touched there. Not sure how I would immobilize a hip......she couldn't poop if I wrapped it to her body I don't think. Wishing now I just would have chosen a vet with a working xray machine....I can feel all the bones in her leg just fine, and the hip area feels fine. As in not dislocated that I can tell (poor thing, I have checked quite a few times). Maybe I will take her in next week anyway, today it is snowing so we won't be able to get in until then.

Would it help if I posted a couple of pictures?

 

[lissac67]

We are headed back to the vet today, but a new one with a working xray machine that also treats bearded dragons. An actual animal hospital. So I should at least know what is up with the poor girl. She wouldn't even move it today in her bath. I am feeling guilty for boarding her at the pet store (they aren't bad, just likely don't take them out and give them the attention she was getting) because since picking her up she seems worse. She was moving it and seemed to make small improvements before with her daily baths and us taking her out and getting her to move. We will see. I will update later.