OUR IGUANA PASSED AWAY YESTERDAY JULT 13, 2009

Question
OUR IGUANA ALSO HAD SIGNS OF KIDNEY DISEASE. SHE HAD BARELY ATE BUT DRANK ALOT. WE TOOK HER TO A HERP VET, WELL KNOWN ON LI,NY. SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR 3 DAYS. IT WAS INFACT KIDNEY DISEASE. SHE RESPONDED WELL TO TREATMENT. SHE WAS DOING FINE,WALKING AROUND THE HOUSE, WAITING BY THE BACK SCREEN DOOR TO GO OUTSIDE. WE WERE SO THRILLED SHE WAS DOING WELL. SHE SUDDENLY TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORST, WITHIN 3 DAYS SHE WAS SWOLLEN, NOT EATING OVER NIGHT HER EYES BECAME SWOLLEN, I PUT HER IN THE BATH WITH LUKEWARM WATER AND CALLED THE VET. WE RUSHED HER BACK TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT SHE HAD PASSED AWAY IN MY ARMS. IGGY WAS 6-7 YEARS OLD, WE WERE NOT EXACTLY SURE BECAUSE WE AQUIRED HER SHE WAS ABOUT A YEARS OLD. SHE WAS TRULY APART OF OUR LIVES, I SOBBED HOLDING HER ON OUR WAY BACK HOME, WE BURIED HER IN A BEAUTIFUL BOX WITH ALL HER FAVORITE THINGS, HER STUFFED ANIMAL, BOWLS, AND BLANKETS. WE WROTE SPECIAL MEMORIES ON THE TOP COVER. WE ARE TRULY MISSING HER. OUR GRANDCHILDREN CRIED, ASKING US WHY SHE WAS TAKEN AWAY SO SOON?  WE DONT HAVE ANT ANSWERS TO GIVE THEM, EXCEPT SHE WAS SICK. I TOO WONDER IF THERE WAS SOMETHING I DID WRONG TO MAKE HER LIFE COME TO AN END? MY HEART IS SO VERY HEAVY. WE WILL MISS HER TERRIBLY

Answer
Hi Susan,
I am so very very sorry for your loss.
One of the big problems with iguanas and other reptiles is that they can hide illness very well and many times before they do show outward signs, its too late to help them recover.
Just as you don't know her actual age, and any of her background care prior to you getting her, its tough to know what would have caused kidney disease, not knowing the care she was receiving.
Iguanas are bred on iguana farms, pushing out thousands of them.  The gene pool gets small, they try to make them big fast(yes, they are also raised for food) with animal protiens, etc which are very hard on the kidneys. Those same igs are sent to the states to be sold in pet stores.  Breeding, genetics, care, diet, etc all play a part in what the iguanas future will hold.  Then again, there are the most perfectly bred, cared for, etc iguanas that get diseases and illnesses....same as humans..even that perfect life doesn't guarantee a long and healthy life.
You can go through some of my other replies to other questions when I have replied with a care sheet to read the care they need.
Again, I am sorry for your loss.  If, in the future you feel an iguana is again to be in your home, there are plenty of them needing forever homes.