Shelter sees new first: Bearded dragon surgery
Shelter sees new first: Bearded dragon surgery
(PIKES PEAK REGION, Colo.) — The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR) said it recently had a first for the society, a bearded dragon surgery to remove a lump on her tail.
According to HSPPR, Octane arrived at the shelter after her owner could no longer care for her, and from the very beginning, the team was obsessed with her. Octane was sweet, calm, and easy to handle.
During her intake exam, Octane was treated to a warm soak to help loosen some stubborn shedding scales. However, during the bath, the team noticed something that set off alarm bells: a large, hard lump on her tail.
HSPPR said over the next few days, the vet team inspected that bump from every angle imaginable. They poked, prodded, studied, squinted, and drank a lot of coffee about it. After a lot of careful thought, the vet team made the call: surgery was the best option.
According to HSPPR, just like that, the vet team was preparing for one of the wildest surgeries HSPPR has ever seen. Because Octane is cold-blooded, surgery isn’t as simple as it is for a dog or cat. She needed to be placed in an oxygen chamber and have constant warming to keep her safe. Once Octane was fast asleep, HSPPR’s veterinarian, Dr. Marisa, got to work carefully removing the mass along with the hyperpigmented scales around it. While it took a lot of skill, patience, and steady hands, Octane snoozed like a champ.
Courtesy: Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region
Courtesy: Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region
Courtesy: Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region
Recovery was not easy. Octane took some time to recover, but with lots of love, gentle care, and plenty of encouragement from HSPPR’s staff, Octane started feeling comfortable in her scales again. 12 days later, Octane was almost completely healed.
The lab results on the lump? Benign. Octane was officially cleared for adoption, and the same day she became available, a community member showed up and adopted her.
“Stories like Octane’s are why we’re endlessly grateful for our veterinary team. Their compassion, expertise, and willingness to take on even the most unexpected cases, be they warm or cold-blooded, continue to amaze us every single day,” said HSPPR.
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