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Leopard gecko tail problem

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got brought in a leopard gecko with a tail problem

was told last shed 2 - 3 weeks ago it shed and after it seemed to have around 10mm of end of tail was a red colour

this shed the last 35mm of tail is a red colour and looks like a fresh graze

the original 10mm is now black and looks like it may be dry gangrene

anyone else had experience with this?

  • Author

the gecko is not with me

getting oral antibiotics at the moment

it looks like the top layer of skin has been peeled from the last 1/3rd of the tail

ie: it looks raw

gecko is acting normally and eating well

local vet has contacted auk zoo vet and is following their recommendations

they have said it may be bacterial and amputation may be required

i see it again on sunday so will take picks then

ok so peroxide and iodine work by being cytotoxic

peroxide is a bleaching agent

what they do is decimate the cell structure they contact and then you hope that natural cells and bacteria in healthy quanities return

if feeding abs then also try gutloading with probiotics abs will strip the gut lining and stop absorption of micro nutrients

also increase protein content of food along with vitamins D E C A to help with wound healing

You could use ionised silver...NOT coloidal silver

I have had success with a couple of Tuts that have that weird flesh rot that they get on their feet of late with good ol plane and simple UV

these animals were young...about 7 or 8 and there were 6 that had that red rash and scally lumpy rot that they get like toe jam that spreads up their legs...you know what I mean....anyway I simply built a wire grill that a box could sit over then I placed a UV lamp under the gril put the tut on the grill and left it there for about 10 mins x2 a day. Watch grill doesnt get hot but animals within UV range.

UV kills the bugs. Drys the wound. and promotes synsthesis of they above Vitamins that help promote wound healing.

UV in non UV dependant herpts in not that big a deal for this short a period.

Do not re hydrate the black area as this will cause the areas to rot as there may be inadequate blood supply to heal a necrosed area.

This may be a saving grace as no blood in = no blood out therefore no cytotoxins reaching the kidneys to cause them to fail.

The UV treatment is slow but worth a go.

failing that lop it off as per Alan ? as if sheding then ? shed is incomplete and constricture at tail is causing tail rot

If it is bacterial and does not show signs of healing relatively soon after taking antibiotics I would think the best course of action is to amputate to avoid further infection. Is the affected area quite dry or is it moist and weepy?

I personally would rather amputate the tail rather than risk losing the leo and let it finish the course of antibiotics to ensure all possible bacteria is dealt with. If the tail has turned black and is dry the chance of it eventually falling off is very high. If it becomes moist and weepy then the infection is likely getting worse.

if it becomes moist and weepy then it may be a sign of spreading infection for sure.

But it may also be a sign of returning vascularity depending on many things.

In infection it is true to make a dics of your self ( same for a Fracture actually)

Discolouration inflamation (heat swelling redness and exudate) circulation and sensation ( pain numbness etc)

I in saying this would still treat area as viable until proven otherwise until a point.

A simple cut will tell you if tissue sub integimentry is viable.

Another thing you could try is QID chlorhex or saline soaks but again risk as adding mositure to potentially non viable tissue

Is there an odour at all?

Navarre

  • 1 month later...
  • Author

outcome was good lep growimg mew tail tip quite quickly

antibiotics cleared up infection, tail tip dried up

then we removed dried up piece

after treatment the owner noticed shiny surface on skin around nose area

no sound from lungs

gave acidophilus and bifidus as thought it may have been a thrush infection

from after antibiotics

cleared up after next shed

thanks for the ideas and thoughts

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