Dragon's problems with elevated white blood count may be related to her deformities from her bout with severe Metabolic Bone Disease. I posted about it at the Yahoo group Advance Iguana Care.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Advanc...re/message/323

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Jan. 25, 1963 - Sept. 10, 2006 (R.I.P)

Dragon has been treated for various infections for most of her life. July she just stopped eating one day. So I took her in and had blood work done and xrays. Everything from those things looked great except her white blood count. She was put on Baytril for two weeks and metacam daily as needed. Well I waited 3 weeks after the Baytril to take her in again. Her count doubled and the other number had changed. She quit passing any urates right befor I took her back in and then quit passing the fecal matter after that. Dr Wendt said that normally the numbers would make her think nutritional deficiencies. But since she knew Dragon had been on slurry all this time she referred me to a more specialized vet to get an ultrasound. I took Dragon down and had various tests done. The doctor was surprised she was able to walk as well as she did. We talked about her back and the extensive spinal deformities. He suggested going with a stronger antibiotic--Fortaz. Also he said that besides metacam that it be good to add an opiate. From reading Dr. Mader's book I found the opiate is used for acute pain and preoperative. And metacam is used for chronic pain. He said that may stabilize her even more for the endoscopy. I called him a few times and he said she seemed to responing well to the new meds.

Dragon has been in the hospital for 5 days now and had the endoscopy today. Dr Riggs said that he found extensive and numerous areas of infections and possible abcesses. He also mentioned possible problems with ovarian follicles. I let him know she was spayed and that they had removed her ovaries in 98. So he asked me if she had been eggbound, which she had been. I also mentioned to him about them finding an egg from the previous year. He said that all that could be related. He is most likely going have to go in and remove all of the infections/abcesses. He wants to continue her on the meds though for another week to make sure she is stabilize enough. I decided to leave her in the hospital tonight since she just went through this procedure. Then I'll pick her up. Dr. Riggs is still waiting on the blood culture also. He says that may give him some more answers. From what he was telling me this this could have been going on since her spay which that probably would explain her never regaining her weight after her last egglaying/spay I guess. I asked to be sure and he said that could be possible. Her previous treatments could have lowered her blood count only temporarily each time and not actually cured the infections. So it looks like she has been living with chronic pain and these chronic infections for the majority of her life. I still need to talk to him about her back. She must be very strong willed and have very good genetics to have lived through all of this for all these years.

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Jan. 25, 1963 - Sept. 10, 2006 (R.I.P)

I hope she gets to being much better, I'll be thinking about you and her on this end, she sounds bull headed and stubborn enough that this will all start looking better sooner than later, she is in the best hands by the sound of things, you and your vet obviously care a lot about her.

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“The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ (I found it!) but ‘That’s funny…'"
- Isaac Asimov



TKE:TT:118

She goes into surgery tomorrow afternoon. Dr Riggs says she's a fiesty girl. He has been calling me with updates every day this weekend.

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Jan. 25, 1963 - Sept. 10, 2006 (R.I.P)

Good luck!

Best of luck for the surgery Marie - we will be thinking of you both