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Old 01-23-2007, 09:40 PM   #4
Cegninedorf
Thumbs up $170 later...but I highly recommend this vet!!! :)

I posted on Reptile Rooms and Leo Land (which I will never post on again...I hadn't posted in a long time, and most of my experiences there were exasperating...)...

Ok, so here's the scoop...I went to see Dr Byron de la Navarre on Lawrence & California, and while the visit was pricey, I felt that I got my money's worth as far as the vet's attention, ear and expertise are concerned.

Problem 1: Flaca's parotid glands are storing extra calcium and not allowing it to flush out like it should be...those are the glands that are stored in that area of her head (retro-something the vet called that part...basically, the back of her head...) and most likely due to her seasonal desire for reproducing, she's probably ingesting more calcium to prepare for egg laying. Or, as the vet said, just because she's a gecko and she'll lick anything she can, no matter what because it just so happens to be there...

Problem 2: Flaca's got a bit of pharyngitis going on, most likely due to the increased amount of calcium stored in her head, which seems to have irritated her sinus cavities... Her white blood cell count also seemed to be a bit high, too, but the vet thinks that that's related to her body trying to fight off the irritation...

I discussed my husbandry habits & set-up with the vet & tech and both said that I'm doing wonderfully -- in fact, because of my initial concerns over MBD and the status of health with which Flaca came to me this past July, I'm doing too good of a job now. I'm to remove Flaca's calcium and just give her one dusting a week...I'm also giving her extra UV light at night to hopefully help the calcium absorption/movement along. Flaca was prescribed two medications. One is an oral antibiotic and the other is some eye/nasal drops. I watched how the vet administered both and I will admit: I'll be nervous as hell giving them to her for the first few times, at least!!! She's just a wee lil'squishy thang! (But, one of the techs said that Flaca's got the fattest tail that she's ever seen on a leo! )

But, her prognosis seems to be good and I'm to give her the meds for the next 10 days and we'll see how it all goes then...however, the vet wants me to call in within 2-4 days to report on her, and in 10-12 days, return for a follow-up.

So, with that...hopefully my next photo of the lovely will be with a normal head.