# Rescue tegu surgery *warning, graphic images*



## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 12, 2015)

Last friday, North Bay Tegu & Monitor Rescue received this female red tegu, named Petrie. She had a huge, heavy mass on his neck area that turned out to be a very old abscess requiring surgical removal. 

She was not responding to the sedation at all, it took the dose of what would put down a 40lb dog and over an hour of waiting with her on the gas for her to finally go down. About 5 mins into the sedation she stopped breathing so she was intubated and we were using the bag to breathe for her. He opened her up and it actually went quite a bit further down her neck than it looked, a lot of puss (which is a rubbery texture in reptiles) had broken up so he removed as much of it as he could find and flushed out the pocket where the abscess was really well. All together is was the size of a large chicken egg and it smelled so bad! After giving her the sedation reversal meds, it took her almost 2 hours to start breathing on her own and I was getting really worried! Slowly her heart rate increased and she began to breathe on her own. She did not awake until about 4am. She has internal stitches closing the muscle and external stitches which will need to be removed in 6 weeks. Our vet said there is a chance that it will come back because of how infected it is but that it may take a few months so we are watching for that. We also amputated 1 toe that had no bone connection to it and was dead. We sent a fecal sample and a blood panel out and she is on baytril antibiotics and metacam for pain and anti-inflammatory. Last night I had her in a tub on a heat pad right next to my bed and slept with my hand on her so I could feel her breathe. After many hours at the vet, not sleeping last night and several hundred dollars later, Im exhausted. I am so thankful that I have a vet that gives me the opportunity to learn and be present during procedures.She is now awake but still not feeling to well. I'm checking on her every house and she did drink some water on her own. I hope that she realizes we are helping her. She has a very long road to recovery ahead of her both healing and gaining weight as she is severely malnourished and dehydrated. She has also lost vision in the eye on the side of where the abscess was. 

If you would like to contribute to her rehabilitation, any donation amount is greatly appreciated and can be made on our website www.northbaytegurescue.com/donate.html 

To follow her updates, "like" our facebook page www.facebook.com/northbaytegurescue






































All of the puss that came out


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## Deac77 (Apr 12, 2015)

Awe this poor girl! Here's hoping for a speedy recover!!


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 13, 2015)

Thanks Tyler, She is doing well today. She managed to eat 2 mice yesterday and took her medicine really well.


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## Deac77 (Apr 13, 2015)

Good! Hope for a speedy recovery!!!


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 15, 2015)

She doing well, eating like shes starving but we are still keeping her on small meals for now. Waiting for the blood panel and fecal sample to come back, should be today.


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## DougY (Dec 4, 2015)

SnakeCharmr728 said:


> Last friday, North Bay Tegu & Monitor Rescue received this female red tegu, named Petrie. She had a huge, heavy mass on his neck area that turned out to be a very old abscess requiring surgical removal.
> 
> She was not responding to the sedation at all, it took the dose of what would put down a 40lb dog and over an hour of waiting with her on the gas for her to finally go down. About 5 mins into the sedation she stopped breathing so she was intubated and we were using the bag to breathe for her. He opened her up and it actually went quite a bit further down her neck than it looked, a lot of puss (which is a rubbery texture in reptiles) had broken up so he removed as much of it as he could find and flushed out the pocket where the abscess was really well. All together is was the size of a large chicken egg and it smelled so bad! After giving her the sedation reversal meds, it took her almost 2 hours to start breathing on her own and I was getting really worried! Slowly her heart rate increased and she began to breathe on her own. She did not awake until about 4am. She has internal stitches closing the muscle and external stitches which will need to be removed in 6 weeks. Our vet said there is a chance that it will come back because of how infected it is but that it may take a few months so we are watching for that. We also amputated 1 toe that had no bone connection to it and was dead. We sent a fecal sample and a blood panel out and she is on baytril antibiotics and metacam for pain and anti-inflammatory. Last night I had her in a tub on a heat pad right next to my bed and slept with my hand on her so I could feel her breathe. After many hours at the vet, not sleeping last night and several hundred dollars later, Im exhausted. I am so thankful that I have a vet that gives me the opportunity to learn and be present during procedures.She is now awake but still not feeling to well. I'm checking on her every house and she did drink some water on her own. I hope that she realizes we are helping her. She has a very long road to recovery ahead of her both healing and gaining weight as she is severely malnourished and dehydrated. She has also lost vision in the eye on the side of where the abscess was.
> 
> ...



Im curious, but how much did that surgery and recovery at the vet cost you?


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Dec 4, 2015)

DougY said:


> Im curious, but how much did that surgery and recovery at the vet cost you?


We thankfully get a discount and payment plan with our vet, but it was still $789 which we are still making payments on.


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## Monica Markel (Jul 27, 2016)

I am wondering who your vet is...because they sound so committed. 

I hope mine does not need surgery but he ate a rock. Xrays and exam at UCDavis is $350 alone.


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## Justsomedude (Jul 29, 2016)

It's wonderful to see people so dedicated to this wonderful species! There is a bizarre nature of tegus that seems to be more mammal like then reptile. I have never experienced such an intelligent and warm creature such as I have with my tegu buddy


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## Dee-Dee Idrais (Jul 29, 2016)

She is lucky to have you and a good vet. Speedy recovery


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## Walter1 (Jul 29, 2016)

A good mechanic is worth their weight in gold. Have a beloved herp? Same applies to a good vet specialing in exotics.


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