Mouth Rot?

[Emz3]

Hi All,

I haven't posted in a while. Stubbs and Elouise continue to do well and I feel like I know what I'm doing more and more. They still aren't super friendly, but they tolerate being picked up and cuddled. I've been really busy lately and haven't had enough one on one time with them. Today however, I spent the day cleaning their tank and and switching their environment around.

Living in Colorado, it's getting colder. I feel like their tank temps are staying pretty good, even though the temps outside are dropping. (Hot End: 95-100 F Cold End: 75-85 F Night: 70-75 F Humidity: 16%) They both tend to hang out on the hot side of the enclosure. Today was a really beautiful day so I took them outside for some sunshine and UVBs while I cleaned their enclosure. While I had them out I noticed Stubbs has some red areas around the right side of his mouth. The right side of his face also looks a little swollen to me. (He was also "bubbling" at the corners of his mouth while I had him out, but I think it was just because he was excited. I haven't noticed any more bubbles since earlier today.)

Since I still consider myself a novice, I just get paranoid easily. I wanted to see if you all thought this looked like mouth rot or not. He also let me look in his mouth with a q-tip. (good bloke!) The right side of his mouth was only slightly red and I didn't get any mucous or blood on the q-tip when I was done. I'm not too worried, only because his mouth looked worse when I got him and just by keeping him clean and wiping his face after meals it slowly healed. He just finished a shed too. He's what I consider a "dirty shedder" His sheds are always really oily and thick. Also, I must admit, because of this the tank really got dirty and gross, including the water dish.

I'm hoping now that the tank is clean and the water is fresh, he will slowly start to heal, but wanted to check with those of you that have more experience than I.

One other thing I've been worried about (don't know if it's connected) is that his belly scales feel raised to me. I thought it was because he was getting ready to shed, but now that he is done, his belly scales still feel lifted to me. For example when I pick him up, if he moves backwards in my arms I can feel his scales. They're not smooth. Is this a problem? Could this simply be because he is so active? Is this due to low humidity? I don't think he has mites.

As always thanks for your help!

[Linnea]

Hello

I do not mean to frighten you. i am not very educated in treating skinks at all so i might be very wrong D:

I think this needs a short vet visit. it doesnt look entirely well, specially with the yellow crust near it. sometimes their mouth scales are dented a bit, but not with yellow crust or bubbles. if you say it has healed since you got him then it probably has gotten much better, but it cant hurt to take a closer look if its worsening again.

i dont know much about the sheddign process in this case, i have never heard of a very oily shedding process...sorry.

wait for the others who have actually treated such cases and know more. but as said, i think he needs a small treatment process since there seems to be a small infection.

in winter the hmidity goes down quite a bit very easily, so raised scales in winter time can indicate the humidity is too low. my skink got this last year and a bath with a drop of oil can help magically. However, if your skink is ill then wait with such things till any other treatment is done, id say.

[Joey1983]

DEF LOOKS LIKE THE EARLY BEGINNINGS OF SOMETHING. iS THERE ANY WAY U CAN SEE INSIDE THE MOUTH? USUALLY MOUTH ROT WILL PRESENT INSIDE AND CREEP OUT TO THE PERIPHERALS.

[Emz3]

The inside of his mouth is a little red on the right side. Slightly irritated. I swabbed his mouth with a q-tip and did not get any puss, mucous or blood. Just normal saliva. He is eating and drinking normally. Thanks for the insight so far!

[Rani-May]

I take my pets to the vet whenever the tiniest of things are not normal. better safe than sorry

[Emz3]

Absolutely Rani, I'm the same way to an extent. I was a vet tech for 8 years, so I'm with ya there! I might take him to the vet toward the end of the week if his mouth doesn't look any better. I was just really hoping that some of the experts would chime in before I did so. I added some new pictures from today and from when I got him. I think his mouth actually looks a little better. It's less red at least, but I'm keeping a close eye on him! Would still love it if others would chime in!

[Karen]

My juvenile Northern had some funky mouth scale issues when shedding a month or so ago and his mouth is still healing. There wasn't any irritation like you're describing, but it looks like the scales did something similar, maybe pulled the lip too much. I had to keep it free of any food debris, but it should be pretty much gone the next shed from how it's looking today.

DSCN4914.JPG

This was taken about three weeks ago.

[Joey1983]

It wouldent hurt to use iodine or a chlorohexidine rinse on it twice a day. Keep it clean and dry. ALso keep him out a tank with substrate only use paper towels. Monitor it and if it gets worse take to vet straight away.

[Emz3]

Thanks Karen! You have quite the cutie! Oh man!

...and thank you Joey1983! I am monitoring him! I called my herp vet and will take him in at the end of the week in necessary! I like the iodine idea! I have some in the first aid kit. I will try that tomorrow!

Thanks for all the feedback, I'll keep you all posted!

[Emz3]

Good news! Stubb's mouth has healed! (I will try and post pictures tomorrow!) It must not have been mouth rot but damage from his shed possibly. Thanks for all the feedback!

[Rani-May]

Yay, what good news look forward to healed up pictures!

[Emz3]

Actually, I just went to take a picture of his healed face and now it looks bad again. I made a vet appointment for tomorrow!

[Rani-May]

Actually, I just went to take a picture of his healed face and now it looks bad again. I made a vet appointment for tomorrow!

be sure to let us know how it goes. All the best!

[Linnea]

i wish you the best of luck!

and no matter what, continue to keep him clean and happy, i think youve done great work with him so far.
judging from the original photo he wasnt kept very sanitary, having substrate everywhere isnt unusual, but the mouth area points to there having been a problem already, maybe even for quite some time (if its been kept unsanitary then such problems build over much time, one tiny wound is enough to start it off).

[Spindown]

I've had touches of irritation around the mouth, but that was when I was feeding their food a bit differently. It always cleared up though, and I used Betadine solution to wash it with. If its re-occuring, then its a good idea to go to the vet (like you said) because he/she could have more issues that arent easily seen.

gorgeous skink though
Good luck!