snout issues

[Duane Howell]

Hi hello .
I need some reassuring or advise to a problem I've got with a rescue beardie. he is 8 years old, but I've only had him for three months now. I got him with what looks like a hard protrusion on the lower jaw tip. It is not really a lump, but looks rather like a old injury he might have had which has formed a hard scar tissue spot/area. There is no discharge or bleeding from it. It is discoloured a bit and tried cleaning with chlorahexadine a few time which he doesn't mind me doing, but still looks the same darker brown than the rest of the jaw line.There are scales on the area, and I think or hope the discolouration is due to him snout rubbing for most of his life at the previous owner. I've been reading allot and asking various "experts" regarding this, and most say metabolic bone disease. He gets calcium supplements more than he should be getting for his age, He's under a the correct lighting ect... temps are fine... the only problem could be humidity as I stay on the coast. Goes up to 70% sometimes. I'm busy sorting that out. Apart from this hard area there is no other signs/symptoms of mbd. He is very healthy and active apart from this worrying spot on his jaw. Does anybody have or might have had something similar that turned out to be nothing? Any advise will be greatly appreciated. And feel free to ask questions about the dragon....

 

[bearwolf]

If you could post a pic that could help identify the issue

 

[Duane Howell]

will do..... just need to take one as soon as get home.

If you could post a pic that could help identify the issue

 

[PatsyB]

Pictures would help. It's possible that he injured the tip by bumping it on the glass of the tank. My boy has a dark almost like scab on the tip of his snout because he would run around his tank and rub it on the glass.

 

[Duane Howell]

Pictures would help. It's possible that he injured the tip by bumping it on the glass of the tank. My boy has a dark almost like scab on the tip of his snout because he would run around his tank and rub it on the glass.

Yes PatsyB. It almost looks like I've got the same issue here. He is a 8 year old rescue. had been snout rubbing most his life. So I hope this is just healed scar tissue and not mbd. Will try and upload a pic today so you can see. He hasn't got any other symptoms of it. So I'm hopefull.

 

[PatsyB]

I bet that's what it is. It should start looking better each time they shed. My boy just has a little mark on his nose now. Since he's been in and out of brumation lately, it's had some time to heal.

 

[Duane Howell]

Here

 

[Duane Howell]

I bet that's what it is. It should start looking better each time they shed. My boy just has a little mark on his nose now. Since he's been in and out of brumation lately, it's had some time to heal.

Hi PatsyB. I've uploaded two pics of the snout I'm worried about. The lump is on the bottom front of snout. Its like there is a hard lump or scales. Plz could you see if you recognize this problem. Thanks alot

 

[Duane Howell]

Ok... Ive read that to much of calcium with d3 can cause similar symptoms as mbd. Could this lump be hypercalcemia?

 

[PatsyB]

Hmm, I've never seen anything like that before. I'm really not sure what it is.

Do you dust all his feeders with Calcium with D3? You really should be using Calcium w/o D3 and a multivitamin. If you have a working UVB light, he should be getting his UVB from the light and there is no need for it in your calcium.

 

[Duane Howell]

Hmmm. Yes I do use calcium with d3. But don't dust all of his feeders with it. He has learned to lick a rock dusted with calcium. Previous owners taught him to do that. Just bad they never taught him to eat veggies. And I hope the uvb is working... Its 3 days old hehehehe. I went home last night and saw a piece of this lump peel off. Im hoping its a shed coming on.... will keep you updated. Thanks alot

 

[PatsyB]

Yes keep me updated, I'd like to know how this turns out.

 

[Duane Howell]

will do. thanks again

 

[Duane Howell]

Yes keep me updated, I'd like to know how this turns out.

Ok so I've been monitoring his snout issue closely for the past few days. Its starting to "peel" of layer by layer. Not like a normal shed. Its just the one big scale involved and seems to me was from all the snout rubbing "bumping" during his life. It looks like "impacted" shed and is starting to come loose at the moment. Could have some inflammation but I don't see any signs of that. Will keep a eye out for any negative progression. thanks again for your input.

 

[Duane Howell]

Just to let you guys now how his snout is doing. I had to take Larry to a specialist vet to have a emergency gastrostomy. Had the vet check out the snout at the same time. I'm so relieved that his snout issue had come from chronic snout rubbing and not any infection of any sorts. He will have this dark scar tissue for the rest of his life. Good news that its nothing to worry about.

 

[PatsyB]

That's good news about the snout but tell us more about the gastrostomy...what happened?

 

[Hdrydr31]

Goodness what happened??

 

[Duane Howell]

took him for a check-up, had x rays done to see the condition of his bones....... turned out he had more in his stomach than food. a 10 cent coin (that's about same size as a penny for the people that doesn't know south African currency) was found stuck in between his stomach and intestine. previous owner never told us about that hahaha. That explained the fact that he wasn't eating much. Previous owner said he was a picky eater, and never gave thought that something might be wrong. Surgery was done and he is recovering very well. He is on antibiotics and pain meds now. And soft food for another three days before he can start solids again. My worrying about nothing turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Not many vets around me that could and would be able to do the operation, and most of them I took him too said he would be able to pass it. Got a well know professors specializing in herps phone nr after pretending to be a vet and got told by him that its very unlikely to have larry pass it by himself and he referred me to a surgeon that did it for me. a 3 day hospital stay and thousands later he is fine.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Wow! glad to hear that he is doing well now..

 

[PatsyB]

That's crazy! Glad to hear that he is better and is going to be okay.