Saige is dead. I spent all weekend trying my best with her. On Sunday she laid a couple of eggs but they were smashed in the process. Monday all 3 lizards went to the vet again. Otis is fine, he had actually gained weight, so he went home with me. The vet kept Saige and Cadence for the day and gave them fluids through a tiny needle directly into their little bellies. He is such an awesome guy, and so interested and helpful. He Xrayed both lizards at no charge and found that Saige still had 3 eggs inside of her. Cadence has no eggs or anything abnormal to be seen on film. When I returned to pick them up, he told me there was no way Saige would survive, and that she was too weak to push the remaining eggs out. He suggested euthanizing her and doing an autopsy in hopes he would find something to help Cadence. (He did this at no cost, also.) I agreed, it was hard, but Saige was so pathetic I could not put her through it anymore, or me, either. So I took Cadence home and left Saige with him. Yesterday morning he called with the results: Saige had very normal looking lungs, they were pink and spongy and showed no signs of infection. But her uterus was ruptured. Poor baby, she must have been in terrible pain. Had I known, I would not have been pushing fluids and bugging her. But there is no way she could have survived this, and I am glad I let him euthanize her. And he had a very nice surprise for me .. 3 eggs delivered by Cesarean Section. One was damaged getting it out but the other 2 look great. I hope they are fertile, and I know it would be a miracle if they hatched considering how sick she was, but I have my fingers crossed.
Meanwhile...the terrarium was cleaned again yesterday. Everything was removed and bleached and more new sand. Cadence is holding her own. She had lost more 3 grams Monday, that is in 5 days. She does not have any mucous in her mouth but is slightly holding her head up most of the time and is still lethargic. I noticed last night she slept with her head down, though. There is no popping or clicking or labored respirations. I think maybe she is a bit better, but she is still not eating. We are just not sure what to think, Saige certainly had no horrible respiratory infection on autopsy. Cadence and Otis spent yesterday outside while their house got cleaned and she basked in the sun all day. I'm going to keep putting her outside all day and hope the fresh air and sunshine are good for her. I am just watching things and hoping things get better. She got a lot of fluids at the vet Monday and I left her alone yesterday, but I'll have to start forcing her again today if she does not do anything on her own. The vet feels that perhaps reproduction played a large part in the death of Fawn, too, but we still don't know quite what to think about Cadence. We are continuing to treat it as a respiratory infection but I am really not sure anymore. I'm going to get the herbs Eve suggested today. I'll do anything I can. It is so weird to only have 2 lizards! I'm used to a whole handful, and I'll certainly be shopping for some new ones once this thing with Cadence resolves one way or another.
Thanks everyone, for all your prayers and support. Saige was a wild caught lizard and I always felt that she was old and wise. Maybe it was just her time.
This photo is a couple years old, but I always liked it. Yearling Fawn, Saige and Otis. Only one left, now.
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Valerie
We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.--
God bless the USA
