# My Poor Tegu has an op tomorrow :(



## SmitJester (Oct 26, 2011)

Well hello people, this is my first post on this website but unfortunately its not a happy one 

A few days ago i noticed my Tegu (Jester) could not use his front leg. Now after research I came to the conclusion that it was time to see a vet after seeing it could be MBD  

Having no insurance (big mistake which has been sorted now) means that the vets bills are adding up but it doesnt matter when it comes to the ones you love 

Now after an xray it revealed that Jester had a broken arm. This really confused me as there has been no drops or falls, nothing with any height in the tank and he doesnt struggle when i pick him up.

The vet the turned to me and after discussions with a more knowledgable person gave me the following options...

- pin the break
- amputate the arm
- put him down 

option b and c were immediately rejected, but now the option of pinning may not be available (depends on my meeting with the surgeon tomorrow). So I may have a 3 legged Tegu soon 

I am absolutely heartbroken for him but have been reassuered that because he is young he will adapt to use 3 legs 

I have added some pictures for you to see anyway.

















Jester falling asleep in the front pocket of my hoody











And today


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## BillieJeAn (Oct 26, 2011)

i'm sorry  
but if he's going to be okay then keep your head up. of course it's still a sad experience but **** happens and we work through it, Tegu's are plenty smart, im sure adapting to having one less leg wont be too bad.  it's a good thing you got him to the vet when you did
i wish the best for Jester <3 he's VERY pretty


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## Grendel (Oct 26, 2011)

So you think that pinning the arm will be less traumatic to the tegu, then amputating it?


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## Logie_Bear (Oct 26, 2011)

I'll definately be rooting for Jester tomorrow! I hope the surgon goes for pinning. I have a 3-legged Crested that gets around just great, you'd never know he only had 3 limbs from the way he moves. But of course, best case scenario is certainly to have all limbs attached.


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## Aardbark (Oct 27, 2011)

Awwww. He is such a great looking tegu. My heart and hopes go out for you. Also, I am willing to donate you some money (I dont have much) to help with the surgery.


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## BillieJeAn (Oct 27, 2011)

thats so awesome of you aardbark!

if i had any money i would donate it as well.


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## SmitJester (Oct 27, 2011)

Aardvark that is extremely generous but I have already set aside the money. I've never known someone in a forum community to be so friendly! Seriously thank you for the offer 

Grendel, it's not that I believe pinning is less traumatic but I would rather Jester have all 4 legs than just 3.

But seriously thank you to everyone for your positive comments, I'm leaving in about an hour with Jester for the surgeons consultation and surgery. We will see what happens but I will keep you all informed


SmitJester said:


> Aardbark that is extremely generous but I have already set aside the money. I've never known someone in a forum community to be so friendly! Seriously thank you for the offer
> 
> Grendel, it's not that I believe pinning is less traumatic but I would rather Jester have all 4 legs than just 3.
> 
> But seriously thank you to everyone for your positive comments, I'm leaving in about an hour with Jester for the surgeons consultation and surgery. We will see what happens but I will keep you all informed


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## Aardbark (Oct 27, 2011)

I just know what its like to love a pet, but also need money to have some kind of expencive operation or something.

No one should ever have to choose between money or pet.


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## SmitJester (Oct 27, 2011)

Yeah I know, thankfully I have the funding to cover it at the moment which is good, I'm looking at £1000 in total for everything I believe.

The good news is ...

Just seen the consultant and he has said he will try the pinning operation  it will be 4 pins, 2 in each part of the bone held together by a fixing plate, he said the amputation option is still there if the bones reject the procedure, it is much more expensive but when it comes to the ones you love the money isn't important. I've told the surgeon to do anything and everything he can and I will sort the bill out on collection  

All I can do is hope he can succeed with the pins


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## checkersthetegu (Oct 27, 2011)

Glad to hear he might be able to keep all four. How bad of a break was it? My girl recently had a fracture and is healing up good from where she started out with only a splint put on her.(her leg was pulled back and wrapped up to her body for the splint) It was a really bad fracture too i can only imagine what jester's xrays looked like. Anyway like i said i hope everything goes well for you and jester!


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## SmitJester (Oct 28, 2011)

Well the femur had completely snapped and the point where the bones had broken separated and the bones were next to each other if you understand what I mean.

It's a pretty bad break and I'm still gobsmacked as to where it all came from  

The op is at 1.25pm today so hopefully all goes well


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## Lynda (Oct 28, 2011)

Prayers to Jester today - please let us know how it goes...


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## SmitJester (Oct 28, 2011)

Thank you so much  its nice to know so many people are backing him


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## SmitJester (Oct 28, 2011)

I just called and everything is going to plan apparently


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## Orion (Oct 28, 2011)

I wish you and your Tegu a quick recovery. They are tough beasts so it should not be to bad. I had a Tegu that was impacted and needed surgery 2 years ago. I did not have much hope for her. But everyone(everytegu) deserves a chance. She had the surgery and She is doing well as I am sure Jester will. As to how it got broke it could be anything. My male (Bob) got his toenail pinched in a crack on the bathtub drain, he was stuck, so he just pulled and ripped his toe off at the first knuckle. He never even batted an eye, and just kept on trucking. Jester could have got stuck on something for a quick second when you stepped out of the room or in his cage and in a split second, SANP! I do hope he feels better soon.


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## SmitJester (Oct 28, 2011)

Thank you, and cheers for the advice and history of your tegu, helps with the worry  I just want a phone call to say he's ok but still waiting at the mo 

THE PINNING WORKED  wahooooo


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## SmitJester (Oct 29, 2011)

Jester with his pins


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Oct 29, 2011)

_Glad  everything worked out so far,.. now it's the road of recovery._


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## Aardbark (Oct 29, 2011)

He looks pretty good. I hope he recovers well.

Also, does he pick at the pins?


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## SmitJester (Oct 29, 2011)

he isnt pickin at all  and thankyou


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## DaLoaner (Nov 5, 2011)

nice to hear/see ur gu is doin good so far.im sure ur gu will be doin push-up's in no time, these lizards are strong....quick story.

about a yr ago my gu ate the inside of a petco thermometer, the niddle and hard metal back ground, noticed he was eating for a while,took'em to the vet, x-ray show a round object stuck in his belly...had surgery done on him they removed it(vet said if he wasnt such a large lizard the anesthesia and surgery would alot more difficult)...stiched him back up and has been good ever since. it cost me like $1k-$1300...his dumb a$$ still tries to eat anything i put in his cage,or anything in the room when roaming. so i gotta watch the "baby" all the time....but i dont mind and would pay another grand his he needed it. thats my boy


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## numarix (Nov 5, 2011)

Wow smity, nice to see he is ok.


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## SmitJester (Nov 5, 2011)

Eating a thermometer is a new one, but you pay the money for the ones you love, as I'm writing this the little guy is asleep on my lap  cheers to everyone for the kind messages


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