Barrie's medical emergency!

[Catherine]

I cleaned out Barrie's tank and made it a hospital tank. He is big and  he needs the room. I have him on clean paper towel which I can change as soon as it gets dirty.

I soaked Barrie and changed the water and then soaked and changed a couple more times. He definitely feels better and there is some improvement. There is still a lot that could go wrong. In the short term if he tears something he could bleed. Long term he could develop an infection. His body is able to deal with this as long as I keep him clean. I think things can't go back to normal, but reptiles can "drop off" body parts that are in trouble.


I know someone is going to suggest a veterinarian. Most vets would have no idea what the problem in or how to deal with it. I am consulting an experienced reptile breeder. This breeder has dealt with these issues before. A vet would want to amputate and that would almost certainly be fatal. Sometimes nature, with some experienced help can do more. 
I am worried because Barrie is an older lizard and this could be the beginning of the end. He also could make a good recovery and be his old self again. It will take a while.