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Our pretty Utah girl had been sick for almost a year now. At first we thought it was possibly a treatable respiratory infection, but aggressive veterinary care including several rounds of (different) antibiotics and steroids failed to help her. I think she had a chronic lung or heart condition. Sometimes she seemed to improve, but after a brief rally she would always end up worse than before. She used to have some good days, but none lately. She has been really struggling to breathe, and we decided to have her euthanized. It's really sad, but I think we made the right choice for her.
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Valerie Rae

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.--

God bless the USA

I just got the report and Chimera had heart failure. Her heart was quite enlarged and flabby. Her liver was also abnormal looking, in a way which generally happens along with heart failure. Her lungs and other organs looked fine, and there was no indication of infection.

So we know what got her, but not why it happened. This is the second collared that I have lost to heart failure, but the other one, Otis, presented with entirely different symptoms.

Unfortunately the the answer to why they died leads us only to more questions!

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Valerie Rae

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.--

God bless the USA

I am so sorry, Valerie. Heart conditions, in any critter, including humans, can be the result of certain viral infections. Unfortunately even Human doctors are only beginning to detect and understand the viruses linked to some kinds of heart disease and how the process works.

I am really sorry. I know that it is crushing to lose a buddy like that, but seems even harder when you have struggled with them.

Sorry about your lizard

Sorry to hear that, Valerie! Euthanasia is hard, but sometimes it's just the right thing to do. I had to have one of my uros put to sleep and it was awful, even though I know it was the right choice. Thinking of you!
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, and Tank)
1.1 Ornate Uros (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
1.1 Collared Lizard (Ripcord and Rorschach)
2.0 Green Anoles (Bowser and Sprocket)
1.1 Chubby Housecats (Roscolux and Jenny)

We're doing ok with it. Chimera had been sick for a long time and we didn't want her to suffer anymore. The pathology report made us feel better about ending her treatment.

Life goes on. All of the others are healthy, the first two clutches of hatchlings that we raised this summer have all found great places to live, and we get to see their photos here. Plus 2 new hatchlings arrived this week and there is still one more egg that I think will hatch. If one of these is a female, we might actually keep one of our hatchlings for the first time.

Chimera, with her cute upside down heart on her upper leg.

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Valerie Rae

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.--

God bless the USA

Hey Val, No words can express my sadness and sorrow for your loss of Chimera, I know you have ben goign through this with her for quite a long while now, such a beautiful creature, such a dang shame.

I'm so sorry, and understand how lousey it feels, hope you feel better soon.

** I'm glad shes up top page for us to look at and remember how lovely she is.
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PHEve / Eve

Chimera has not looked like that in a long time. The illness just sucked the color and life out of her. I've enjoyed logging in and seeing her photo here every day, but even before I read your post I was thinking that it should be time for another photo contest soon. I bet people have a lot of great photos to share with all the new lizards acquired this season and the herping trips we've heard about.

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Valerie Rae

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.--

God bless the USA

She looks gorgeous there and will stay until there is a new contest. She looks awesome and that's the way we will remember the lovely, yellow lady Chimera.
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PHEve / Eve

I LOVE that pic and think it should stay there, too, unless it is too painful for Valerie.

It isn't painful. I was just thinking it had been there over a year now. Plus, the contest was fun and I'm looking forward to the next one.
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Valerie Rae

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.--

God bless the USA