Kingsalmonattack
Member
Well, she's been home a day now. I haven't had a proper look at the stitches yet but she's eating relatively well, half a cherry tomato, one grape, six black soldier fly larvae and one adult she managed to catch mid-flight.
At the vets they said she wasn't eating and to call them if she didn't by Thursday. But that's because they gave her kale and strawberries, so I wouldn't be surprised. She's a picky one at the best of times with stuff she hasn't tried before and hates strawberries. Lol.
Still keeping an eye on her condition in case it changes and haven't put the majority of stuff back in her tank to minimise infection or catching. I also put two layers of brown parcel paper down along with a later of white kitchen paper so that if there's any leakage of blood or pus or any sign of it in her bowel movements I can see it and be able to take it along to the vets when I need to go again in about 8 days from now.
Considering her regular substrate was coir as well it wasn't a good idea to let her back on it and get it stuck in the wound. Although notably the nurses and surgeon at the practice didn't bring up or make any suggestion for the best substrate to use while she's healing.
I just might keep to this one, however even when she's better since it's a lot easier to manage for me with my bad health. If there's a mess I just remove the square piece of kitchen paper and put a new one on top until the brown paper gets too dirty and I change the top layer.
I made the stupid mistake of leaving with her but forgetting to pick up her antibiotics and pain meds so they'll hopefully arrive in the post tomorrow. But she seems to not be suffering since she's moving around a lot and has perked up. She still has a heat rock and and mat under the paper and lies on those to deal with the pain as well so she's able to help manage it herself.
Pretty annoyed with the practice, though. It cost a lot more than what they said over the phone and even though I said "just take a blood sample and only look at the liver while you have her opened up" the surgeon took a biopsy anyway which is an extra cost. They'll be keeping the sample for 2 weeks to see if I want it sent off to get tested but it's an extra £100 for that... On top of the £432 I've already paid in total. The staff were really nice so I feel guilty for complaining but the fact is that I thought I was going to be paying just over HALF that amount. And I've got to go back...
It cost over £70 for the consultation when I was told it would be £33. The surgery was £280 when i was told it would be £200. That's how big of a difference it was between the actual cost and what I was told. I'm so glad my usual place doesn't mess me about like that. It was £40 for an appointment and £50 for an x-ray. So yeah. Total I've paid £522 so far and now I'm completely financially gubbed. Relying on my parents again like I'm 15 until I can save up enough to pay them back.
I'll post a picture of the operation site tomorrow I think. But for now here she is chowing down on the larvae and grape halves:
Her liver was very pale according to the surgeon and she had a free-floating egg in her abdomen, which I reckon was the lump that could be felt on Friday. Considering how thin beardie uterine tissue is it probably burst out when she was laying her first clutch and then the opening healed shut again, leaving it there. Her ovaries were very large with follicles, too so I reckon that's a lot less pressure on her body now but she's not out of the woods yet. I hope I have a lot more years left with her and that this is the biggest hurdle we ever have to climb.
Going through this has made me think about the inevitable day I'll lose her. And I've decided that when she goes I'll bury her in the garden in a cardboard box with a little painted headstone and adopt a rescue. Starting again from a baby would just hurt too much and there are so many misshapen or neglected adults in need of forever homes.
At the vets they said she wasn't eating and to call them if she didn't by Thursday. But that's because they gave her kale and strawberries, so I wouldn't be surprised. She's a picky one at the best of times with stuff she hasn't tried before and hates strawberries. Lol.
Still keeping an eye on her condition in case it changes and haven't put the majority of stuff back in her tank to minimise infection or catching. I also put two layers of brown parcel paper down along with a later of white kitchen paper so that if there's any leakage of blood or pus or any sign of it in her bowel movements I can see it and be able to take it along to the vets when I need to go again in about 8 days from now.
Considering her regular substrate was coir as well it wasn't a good idea to let her back on it and get it stuck in the wound. Although notably the nurses and surgeon at the practice didn't bring up or make any suggestion for the best substrate to use while she's healing.
I just might keep to this one, however even when she's better since it's a lot easier to manage for me with my bad health. If there's a mess I just remove the square piece of kitchen paper and put a new one on top until the brown paper gets too dirty and I change the top layer.
I made the stupid mistake of leaving with her but forgetting to pick up her antibiotics and pain meds so they'll hopefully arrive in the post tomorrow. But she seems to not be suffering since she's moving around a lot and has perked up. She still has a heat rock and and mat under the paper and lies on those to deal with the pain as well so she's able to help manage it herself.
Pretty annoyed with the practice, though. It cost a lot more than what they said over the phone and even though I said "just take a blood sample and only look at the liver while you have her opened up" the surgeon took a biopsy anyway which is an extra cost. They'll be keeping the sample for 2 weeks to see if I want it sent off to get tested but it's an extra £100 for that... On top of the £432 I've already paid in total. The staff were really nice so I feel guilty for complaining but the fact is that I thought I was going to be paying just over HALF that amount. And I've got to go back...
It cost over £70 for the consultation when I was told it would be £33. The surgery was £280 when i was told it would be £200. That's how big of a difference it was between the actual cost and what I was told. I'm so glad my usual place doesn't mess me about like that. It was £40 for an appointment and £50 for an x-ray. So yeah. Total I've paid £522 so far and now I'm completely financially gubbed. Relying on my parents again like I'm 15 until I can save up enough to pay them back.
I'll post a picture of the operation site tomorrow I think. But for now here she is chowing down on the larvae and grape halves:
Her liver was very pale according to the surgeon and she had a free-floating egg in her abdomen, which I reckon was the lump that could be felt on Friday. Considering how thin beardie uterine tissue is it probably burst out when she was laying her first clutch and then the opening healed shut again, leaving it there. Her ovaries were very large with follicles, too so I reckon that's a lot less pressure on her body now but she's not out of the woods yet. I hope I have a lot more years left with her and that this is the biggest hurdle we ever have to climb.
Going through this has made me think about the inevitable day I'll lose her. And I've decided that when she goes I'll bury her in the garden in a cardboard box with a little painted headstone and adopt a rescue. Starting again from a baby would just hurt too much and there are so many misshapen or neglected adults in need of forever homes.
I am sorry that you are incurring such large expense, and some of it not expected. But hopefully Ivy will be on the mend + be with you for a while. 
