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Post by rocmills on Apr 20, 2004 9:00:19 GMT -8
We all know, I'm sure, how easily iggies bruise. Well, a month or so ago when Bailey tried to attack my husband, he got whacked on top of the head for his efforts (Bailey, not my husband). The next day, the scales on top of his head (toward the front where the rostral horn would be if he had one) had turned black as if bruised. I've seen this before so I didn't think much of it.
However, instead of slowly healing - the black patch has gotten worse. The scales appear to be dying, sunken, and now little bits are peeling off. Also, now the female, Mary, is developing the same thing on the same part of *her* head! And she was never smacked.
I still have an antibiotic cream that the vet gave us when Bailey had his tail amputated last month - and I've been putting it on both of them. The amputation cost us close to $500, so we aren't going to rush back to vet for anything short of a life-threatening emergency.
I will try to get some pictures to post, but does anyone here have any experience with this sort of thing? It kinda looks like dry rot, but I've only ever seen that on a tail, never on the top of the head.
--Roc
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Post by Tesa on Apr 20, 2004 9:50:37 GMT -8
Uhmmmm....this doesn't sound good! It sounds to me as if it would almost have to be systemic....( ) sorry to say it, but it sounds like you are gonna need a vet/anitbiotics... any chance its mouth rot?
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Post by Merlin on Apr 20, 2004 11:32:53 GMT -8
I agree doesn't sound good, especially since it has spread to the other ig.
Mouth rot usually shows up inside the mouth and has a yellowish, sort of cheesy look to it. And it is a secondary infection anyway so there would still be something else to have to deal with.
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Post by rocmills on Apr 20, 2004 13:06:16 GMT -8
It's defnitely not mouth rot. The scales turned blackish like a bruise, then turned scab-like, then they "sank" or "collapsed" down a tiny bit, and now the dead scales are starting to peel off. This is all on Bailey... it could be that Mary's nose is just very dirty from the last time she went outdoors. When I get home tonight I will wrap them both in towels and try to get a decent macro photo... and I'll wash Mary's nose. And I reckon I'll give the vet a call and see what she can tell me without charging me another arm and leg.
--Roc
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Post by dominick on Apr 20, 2004 13:25:35 GMT -8
Hi Rox- This is interesting. I have to ask, forgive me, but could the "smack" have been hard enough to cause damage under the skin? Is the area sensitive to the touch? Does he exhibit pain-response when you touch the area? "Iguanas bruise easily" is not something I'm aware of. I believed their skin was much tougher than our and could take a good deal of abuse. Is it possible that the "smack" opened the skin and allowed an infection in? Or is the skin intact? I'm gonna point you to AIML with this. The Advanced Iguana Mailing List is an offshoot of the original Iguana Mailing List. These are the supposed Igsperts in the field. Maybe a posted message there can give you some clear answers. Just a warning though, the folks on this site tend to be pretty serious and straight forward. Try not to take offense to their posts and questions. Choose your wording carefully. they have a tendency to "jump" all over folks. But the info you get there is the best available. groups.yahoo.com/group/AdvancedIML/?yguid=161089826
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Post by VegasIguana on Apr 20, 2004 19:47:28 GMT -8
just thinking about it from the fact that both igs have the same symptoms in the same nose area...here's some questions to help investiagte....
in their living area, have you noticed instances of nose rubbing against anything.....
is it possible that their living area accessories, or area in general, are not disinfected??
is there something that the igs could have gotten into, that shouldn't be there?
just ideas to help figure out your situation and not making assumptions about anything. i'm not very good on keeping tracking of everyone's igs or environment...so pls forgive me on that. i'm under alot of pressure and stress at work with schedules and tasks, so unless i write things down, i forget.
i hope this helps with your investigation, des.
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Post by rocmills on Apr 21, 2004 7:48:53 GMT -8
Dom & Des,
Thanks for the suggestions. I inspected Bailey closely for injuries when he had the fight with my husband... other than some darkening of the skin on the top of the head (what i refered to as bruising), there was no sign of injury. The darkened area stayed that way for a week or more, then slowly started to turn scab-like, etc.
Is the area on Bailey's nose sensitive to the touch? Very difficult to tell. He's still *very* *very* orange and quite violent. When I can get him calmed down by rubbing his neck, and I apply the ointment left over from the tail amputation, he does not seem bothered by my touching the area. However, there is one small scale or bit of dead skin that has started to peel and is sticking straight up in the air. The urge is to tear it off, like a peeling sunburn, but I know better.
As for the possibility that they injured themselves in an enclosure - nope. They were not living in a cage or enclosure at the time. And I'm pretty sure that Mary's nose is just dirty, she bathed last night and now there is no darkness on the top of her head - though she is starting to rub the *tip* of her nose raw trying to find a way out of the new reptarium. Hopefully this behavior will stop when they get used to being in a "cage".
I had a raging headache by the time I got home from work last night, so no pix this morning. Will take nose pictures when I clean the cage tonight.
Thank you everyone for your support, concern, and suggestions.
--Roc
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GHOST
Junior Member
Posts: 8
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Post by GHOST on Apr 21, 2004 10:33:52 GMT -8
Hello, I reread your post several times and the same thoughts keep coming to mind. I am not accusing anything here,I am just asking.
How hard was this iguana hit? The wound you are describing could be several things,but the sunken/collapsing of the tissue leads me to believe that there could be a fracture. Its also possible that the hit caused some minor swelling and now that the swelling is going down,it appears sunken.
The dark coloration signifies broken blood vessels. (Not a guarantee as it could also be a form of rot.) Now it it were indeed any sort of rot,there is an entry wound of some sort. Was there a small laceration? Does your hubby where rings? The smallest laceration could have become infected.
This leads to my next assumption,in regards to the scabbing. If the skin is indeed scabbed,there had to have been a laceration. Scabs form when there is an open wound.
Using the antibiotic cream you have would be useless unless there is indeed an open wound that is healing.
I naturally suggest a vet visit. Especially since the symptoms have increased opposed to reverting. Mouth rot is very likely if there is any type of infection currently present in the iguana.The proximity of the current wound makes mouth rot almost a guaranteed secondary infection.
You may want to quarantine this iguana until you have determined the ailment. If it gets worse,you will have no other choice but to see a vet. It will be cheaper to treat the one iguana than it will be to treat both of them. If mouth rot sets in,it will quickly spread to the second Iggy.
Wish I could be of more help.
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Post by rocmills on Apr 21, 2004 16:04:47 GMT -8
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Post by dominick on Apr 21, 2004 20:29:34 GMT -8
Hi Rox-
Good call. A vet is in order. I'm at a loss to explain the apparent "damage" that has occured to the area.
Hopefully it will just be an injection of antibiotics and cage-rest.
Please let us know how it turns out.
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Post by Tesa on Apr 22, 2004 3:11:20 GMT -8
Heya Roc.... Dang! That looks nasty! I'm sorry ya'll are going thru this. I'm not still looking for a possible diagnosis cause a vet is DEFINATELY in order, but trying to satisfy my curiosity. (I'm still leaning toward advanced stages of ulcerative stomatitis) Have you considered that the place on Bailey's chin might be the same thing as what's on his head? Also: What do the insides of their mouths look like? And how have they been eating? Good luck and let us know asap please. Those pics have caused my level of concern to be heightened.
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Post by Merlin on Apr 22, 2004 4:18:22 GMT -8
Roc that does not look good! I've never seen anything quite like that. I agree that a vet trip is in order. Hopefully it will get straightened out easily! Let us know what you find out.
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Post by rocmills on Apr 22, 2004 5:36:13 GMT -8
Hi All!
Bailey has a vet visit scheduled for Friday afternoon. I figure we don't have to take them both because they obviously both have the same affliction. On closer inspection this morning, the wounds do look like they are healing... they were worse than the pictures last week.
Tesa - the chin injuries on both iggies didn't start until *after* they were moved into the reptarium and started rubbing against the walls trying to get out. That doesn't mean that an infection hasn't travelled from one area to the other, though.
As for their eating habits, both of them seem to be eating with their usual enthusiasm - especially if you offer them a banana. And since Bailey just loves to show off his open mouth lately, I can attest to the fact that the inside of the mouth looks perfectly normal.
Also, in rechecking the dates and other pictures to pinpoint when this started - Bailey had the black splotches on his nose *before* he was smacked by my husband! For us, this is cause for rejoicing because hubby was clinging to a mighty big helping of guilt until I showed him pictures taken before the smack. And we both know that Mary wasn't ever smacked...
Again, I want to thank you all for your help and support. I will post again on this topic as soon as we get back from the vet tomorrow.
--Roc
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Post by dominick on Apr 22, 2004 8:42:04 GMT -8
Hi Rox- Rejoicing right along with you and hubby! While his defensive reaction was certainly justified, none of us wants to think that we caused harm or injury to our Igs. Rex carries a "scar" on him from our care. When he was an Iglet (or keychain, I just LOVE that, LOL) he escaped from my wife's hands outside. In an attempt to capture him, she broke his long toe. He was vetted and the vet casted it, but it died and fell off. So that is a constant reminder to us that he is IN our care and that care really has an impact on him. So glad to hear of some improvement. That's a very positive step. Let us know how it turns out. Rex sends happy head-bobs to Bailey and "hugs" to Mary.
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Post by rocmills on Apr 22, 2004 8:56:38 GMT -8
(or keychain, I just LOVE that, LOL) When Bailey was just a wee thing, he went *everywhere* with me. Usually he rode on my shoulder or neck, but he also liked to cling to the back of my left hand. There was a gas station/mini mart that I frequented, and Bailey was always with me... when I made a little chirping sound to him, he knew that meant to be very still and behave himself. Well, one day I nearly forgot he was there and moved something into my left while I was at the checkout - this startled Bailey and he ran up my arm. The cashier, a male, screamed and lept backwards knocking over a display. Then he started laughing and told me that all these months he had thought Bailey was just part of my keychain. --Roc
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