Surgery for my Kaga

[Drache613]

Hello,

So sorry your Kaga has had so much trouble! Can you post pictures of him just so we can see
the severity of it? Gout is a health condition as we all know, but as stated, amputating isn't
always the answer really. The uric acid levels need to come down or else the amputation will
simply be in vain & other areas will swell up also. Do you have a copy of a recent blood test
too we could see?
What medications has he been on? It is a lifetime treatment if he has full blown visceral gout,
so he will have to stay on Allopurinol for life, to manage his kidney damage.
What type of diet do you have him on?

I agree, another opinion I think would be worth it.

Tracie

 

[ize1]

can you please tell me how to post a pic

 

[ize1]

 

[ize1]

I have tried to get good pics but he was wiggling all over the place and in the end i felt bad for hurting him. These pics don't really show how bad it is. And its smelling now. it swelled up so much it broke the skin.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Kaga wont be feeling very happy with that.


That looks very inflamed and infected ( looks like there is very likely an abscess in there and it will need surgery to open it up, drain it and debride the infected tissues ).
I'm shocked that it blew up like that so quickly.

I'd be visiting the local chemist and buying a tube of Activon (Medihoney / manuka honey) or Activon impregnated dressings and applying the honey liberally to the abscess a few times a day until the vet can assess the infected leg .
I've used Activon very successfully on some rescued skinks and on pet BTs and CBDs.
https://store.independenceaustralia.com/wound-care/wound-dressings/antimicrobial/activon-honey-wound-gel-25g-cr3830.html
These are very good too : https://store.independenceaustralia.com/activon-tulle-impregnated-honey-dressing-10cmx10cm.html?___store=default&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsszauMip4AIVRnZgCh15AApREAYYASABEgIM6PD_BwE

This https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/31669/medihoney-antibacterial-wound-gel-25g
should be just as good.
These can be applied to the open / weeping abscess too (I'd cut small squares and gently bandage the limb ) , https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/85246/medihoney-dressings-small-2-6cm-x-5-6cm-8-pack

Daily bathing in luke warm water with Betadiene added dropwise until the water takes on the colour of cold tea will help kill any germs and remove the smelly biofilm they are forming.

I still think the leg can be saved if surgically drained and debrided and with a course of targeted meds and antibiotics and antiinflamatories and painrelief , IF IT"S NOT BECOME NECROTIC.

How's his kidney function ?

Have you sorted a second opinion from another reptile vet ?

 

[ize1]

We have been using the honey and antiseptic. I took it off for the pics. I phoned some vets yesterday and they said go to The Ark. I am going to have a good talk with my vet and ask him if any other treatment will help. But Kaga has had this leg thing since i got him. He was treated very badly by the person i got him from. He only has 3 toes on that foot and sometime along the way he lost part of his tail. He had a respiratory infection which was treated and all is ok now. He also had an eye infection but that's been treated and has gone. This leg is last problem to manage. He was a sad sack before but hes now perked up and he loves his cuddles.
I have NT Protected Wildlife and Prohibited Wildlife Licences.

 

[Gormagon]

It almost looks like a bite from another dragon along with gout. Is he housed separately?

 

[ize1]

He has his own "Hilton" haha they do come out to play but only under my supervision.

 

[SPandS]

Wow, that's not what I was picturing in my head at all. His little toe looks like it may be necrotic and whether he gets the leg amputated or not he will probably lose that toe. Is he on any types of medication right now? You said he was on meds for several different things, which you seem to have done a good job of treating but I didn't see anything about any current meds. With gout, like another member has said, he'll have to be on medication for life to keep it under control.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I hope they have something less extreme to offer Kaga in the way of treatment .

The other vets telling you to go this vet puts you between a rock and a hard place , I know Darwin is only a small city so there are limited options .
I've been to Darwin several times over the last 20 years .

All my best to Kaga for his big day (today at the vet , or tomorrow (I'm on EADST) , especially if the decision is made to take the leg off under a general .

 

[AHBD]

It sounds like poor Kaga has been through the ringer but you've done a great job dealing with his other health problems and it's good that he's more active + happier. I agree that there's some type of infection on top of gout, and since he had all those other problems his immune system can't fight this off even with the current treatment. Best wishes for a good outcome going forward !

 

[ize1]

Well i'm back from the vets. Kaga is fine. The vet did another exam before he went to amputate it and took bloods and decided that it had drastically improved. He told me that if i have the time and am willing to put a lot of care into his needs he would not do the procedure. I was so relieved and so was he. I told him in the end that i wanted the less evasive treatment. He was very cool and said i could give Kaga plenty of time it might work. He said that the gout wasn't the major problem. It was the infection that was making his skin die. Which was making his gout flare up. He told me that he didnt want to do the op after taking blood samples and pus samples.I have to give him 2 lots of injections every 3 days for the next month. I also have the honey stuff and the vet said to use diluted betadine if it starts weeping. The medications prescribed are Fortum and Meloxicam. Thank you all for your advice. In the end the vet decided to hold of when he did the pre op. So life is wonderful right now.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Been worried he might just take the leg and Kaga being so sick might not survive.

I can relate to how relieved you will be feeling .

Might be time to bring out the big gun to get ontop of the skin infection - F10 Germicidal Barrier Ointment is a vet strength (non-prescription) barrier germicidal ointment and more effective than manuka / medihoney and betadiene.

The problem with betadiene is it will kill granuating (new) flesh ( I was told this by a woundcare specialist nurse who was looking after my surgical wounds each day at my home after I had surgery in my leg after an accident ).

 

[ize1]

Where can i get that from

 

[kingofnobbys]

Where can i get that from

My vet has it and sells it to clients.

I keep a jar in the fridge with the HerpaBoost , Critta Care Reptile , and Terramycin Antibiotic Ophthalmic Ointment ( I have in my reptile first aid kit , I also rescue reptiles ).

I think I bought my F10 ointment from Vet and Direct , you can get it here https://vetproductsdirect.com.au/f10-ointment-25gm?___store=vpdaustralia
https://www.petcircle.com.au/product/f10-germicidal-barrier-ointment
https://reptiledirect.com.au/collections/f10-chemical-essentials