ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 18, 1997 TAG: 9703180013
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER THE ROANOKE TIMES
The Governor's School in Pulaski County could not afford surgery for a pet iguana named Puff. That's when a Dublin veterinarian came to the rescue.
Puff may not be a magic dragon, but she's a lucky iguana.
She has been a resident iguana at the Southwest Virginia Governor's School for several years, serving both as an instrument of learning for biological sciences and a pet of the juniors and seniors.
But Puff fell ill recently for no obvious reason, and Margaret "Pat" Duncan, the school's director, took her to Dr. Mary H. May at the Dublin Animal Hospital.
Blood work showed no physical problems, and laboratory agents failed to clear up the illness, which apparently stemmed from a stomach blockage.
It became evident that Puff had swallowed something indigestible.
An X-ray showed the iguana impasse to be bits of a bark-like mulch sold as a liner for iguana cages. Apparently, Puff had swallowed a bunch of it while picking up food that had dropped to her cage floor.
Astroturf, cut to fit the bottom, is the best thing for such cages, May said. She advises iguana owners to avoid the bark mulch.
Duncan had paid for the preliminary diagnostic work, but now the choice came down to an operation or putting the iguana out of her misery. And the Governor's School budget had no money for operation.
But May offered to attempt the operation as a learning experience for herself, at no charge to the school, if Duncan would approve the procedure - which, with nothing to lose, she did.
May explained that she has little opportunity to operate on exotic animals. There are few people who, after paying $40 or $50 for a lizard, are about to pay something like $400 for an operation, so veterinarians have little practical experience with the anatomy of something like an iguana.
"I appreciate Ms. Duncan giving me the chance to do this," May said. "I learned so much from this case."
Before, May had no way of knowing whether an operation was likely to succeed in such a case. "I'll be able to recommend it now with more confidence because I know they do survive," she said.
It does take longer, because cold-blooded animals heal more slowly, she said. But Puff definitely seems on the mend.
Iggy, the school's newer iguana, had a less severe version of the problem. Duncan was just going to suggest that Iggy be put down, rather than impose on May for another operation. May would not hear of it.
"I know the kids in the school just adore those things," she said. "So everybody's benefiting - even Puff."
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: PAUL DELLINGER THE ROANOKE TIMES. Dr. Mary May withby CNBPuff, one of the iguanas from the Governor's School. color.