BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hello All-

I have had this little girl, Snowy for just 5 1/2 weeks. I bought her from Petco. She is thriving...eating everyday and always exploring and playing and seems to be less and less shy each day.

A week and a half ago she had a very quick and nice shed. I had just soaked her at the end of the shed and put her back in her home. Checked in on her 10 minutes later and saw an open wound on top and sides of tail about 3/4 down from base of tail. It was not bleeding, but raw looking more like a scrape. Called vet and started soaking 2x a day with Chlorohexadine and after soaking following up with Silvadine ointment. This injury scabbed on day 4 and stopped Chlorohexadine.

Last Friday I called back vet as this wound looked more nasty around the scab. I sent him may pictures and he said bring her in Monday (yesterday). Yesterday morning I also noticed 3 scales back from her right nostril was a slightly raised scale.

Making a long story short the swollen scale was from an abscess in her mouth behind scale. Vet said good catch and popped the abscess out. As for my baby's tail, there was no question after vet took the scab off and cleaned the wound that he would amputate the tail at that time. Tail was attached by a very very small piece of skin at the bottom of tail and spinal cord. This was frightening to see and know that this innocent baby will have to have this much agony this early in her life.

Vet will do blood work in 12 days to try and see what the heck is going on with Snowy. He thinks right now that possibly she had a clot in her tail and that perhaps her genetics are playing a part in these issues.

I am soaking tail 2x a day in the Chloro. and topping off with Silvadine. I am applying Chloro. with a cotton swab to abscess area in mouth and oral abx 1x a day for 14 days.

So vet is unsure right now what the heck is going on. We thought back kover a week ago that Snowy had rubbed up against something during the end of her shed, but vet now says no to that theory.. (A new hide I bought was somewhat rough so I threw it out anyways).

I also want to add that her environment is clean and she has UVB, humidity is 45 to 70, temps are 73 cool side, 85 hot side, with 99-106 basking area.

I really just want to throw this out there hoping just maybe someone has any insight on these medical issues. I am sad for Snowy and I that our bonding time is like this. I hope she doesn't become afraid of me and hope she knows I am helping her. I am as gentle and calm as I can be around her, so hopefully that helps.

Thank you all-
Cathy and Snowy

How far down the tail is the lesion? Blueys have the ability to drop their tail if they are scared. Sometimes the process can be incomplete. It is not uncommon for blueys hit by cars to loose their tail some time after
Because the blood vessels seal off at the shear point, leading to the remainder of the tail putrefying unless removed. You should ask the vet if this is happening to your bluey. Good luck

Thanks Scott. It was like the scales came completely off, never a lesion. The tail was hanging off though after the vet took the scab off. The last quater of the tail so it was an a very quick procedure. Vet said that if it was any higher up that it would have been a more extensive operation. Does this mean she is terrified of me or does this happen depending on the Bluey? I feel bad thinking that I scared Snowy by soaking her in the bath. She is little and sometimes seems calm in my hands and a lot of times she takes off like a rocket. She is fast!!! Vet seems to think it was a clot, but I will mention what you brought up to him when I go for our follow up for sure. I will also post here what her blood work says if anything.

Is it typical for babies to be like rockets when you take them out of their home? She has been with me 5 weeks and never bites or hisses, just is wigglely in my hands unless I rub her cheeks or the top of her head.

Snowysmom wrote:Is it typical for babies to be like rockets when you take them out of their home? She has been with me 5 weeks and never bites or hisses, just is wigglely in my hands unless I rub her cheeks or the top of her head.

Very typical.

I'm not sure the proper term, but I recall Bearded Dragons having some type of fungus that deteriorates the scales, then into the tail, foot, etc, and so on. Maybe look into that? Where did you purchase Snowy?

Thanks Susann and Dakota. Snowy was purchased at Petco. My plan was to wait until the New Hampshire reptile show, but I just fell in love with her and checked her over and held her 1/2 a dozen times then finally took her home. I hope she has no more problems after this.

As soon as she heals I will be putting her in a larger home with a nice mister. I'm done spraying all day long.