What's up with this extra hole

[Grendel]

How do you think this happened? This blackthroat monitor has a hole that opens up at top of his head into the sinuses.

[murrindindi]

Hi, have you fed live rodents at some stage (it`s definitely looks like an injury)?

[smy_749]

It looks like you can see bone...that looks like a straight hole....

[MDT]

Infection causing tissue destruction? Or a blow hole so it can breath when it surfaces from the depths...

Seriously, If you have bone erosion (I can't say that's what that is, but it doesn't look good), you need to consider osteomyelitis which can be devastating.

[Grendel]

Well I got him yesterday, so it's not something I did ( I did not feed
Live pray last night). It is not an active infection, but a well healed injury. I also think it may have been an old sinus infection or traumatic
Injury ( the rodent is possible). The previous
Owner has not been able to give me an explanation.

[murrindindi]

If it`s fully healed it shouldn`t have a negative effect on the monitor`s future health, it doesn`t look like any bone has been damaged, just the tissue on the snout (there are large spaces under the skull tissue, particularly towards the snout tip).
Edit: The bit of bone you can see is the pre maxilla, the spaces are the nasal processes.

[formica]

hmm exposed bone isnt good, even if it seems to have healed, bone just isnt ment to be exposed to the elements, a hole like that could easily get sumthing stuck inside which could lead to infections - i'd get him checked by vet - can reptiles heal up wounds like that? seems strange that no scar tissue of some kind has started to form, but i dont know anything about reptile wound healing so maybe they just cant do it...

[murrindindi]

hmm exposed bone isnt good, even if it seems to have healed, bone just isnt ment to be exposed to the elements, a hole like that could easily get sumthing stuck inside which could lead to infections - i'd get him checked by vet - can reptiles heal up wounds like that? seems strange that no scar tissue of some kind has started to form, but i dont know anything about reptile wound healing so maybe they just cant do it...


Hi, there is scar tissue, the scales around the "wound" are missing but the skin underneath has already darkened which takes a few months. They cannot regrow lost scales, it`s doubtful the holes will close together completely, but they might slightly over time (we shall see)!?

[formica]

i see what you mean now I am looking more closely, i didnt notice the missing scales. damn that looks like it was bad

[Amadeus]

hmm exposed bone isnt good, even if it seems to have healed, bone just isnt ment to be exposed to the elements, a hole like that could easily get sumthing stuck inside which could lead to infections - i'd get him checked by vet - can reptiles heal up wounds like that? seems strange that no scar tissue of some kind has started to form, but i dont know anything about reptile wound healing so maybe they just cant do it...

Reptiles have amazing healing powers. I was watching a show on crocs a while back and a small croc got its whole front snout broken off from another's death roll. It lived and lived long.

[nepoez]

that looks quite gross :(