Mouth injury/rot

[Minkness]

Soooo, my new rescue leo has either an injury/infection, or mouth rot.

I have never dealt with this before and just need a bit of guidance. (No pics yet, he's very squirmy). It looks like a dmall swelling that pushes out a bit and when he bit a tissue (i was trying to see if it was bleeding or pussy) it was indeed bleeding. There's no real discoloration, just swelling, what looks like a separation between the lip and gum, and some blood.

He has not been eating and he's in a steril tank with a hide, hot spot, cool spot, and large, full water dish.

I cleaned it out last night with a bit of listerine on a cotton swab just to be a bit proactive, but I'm sure that's not the beat way to go about this.

So...help?

[Albert Clark]

Sorry to hear about this Mink. Did the staff give you any info about this injury/ stomatitis condition when you picked him up? How long has it been present? What are your husbandry numbers? How are you heating the enclosure? Do you have the heating element on a thermostat? With reptiles, you won't see pus in the liquid form. The pus substance produced is a hard solid type of material that usually has to be scraped away. That is of course if there is any present. I am not suggesting at all that that is what you should do. I do think that chlorhexidine (Nolvalsan) is a more appropriate rinse / disinfectant for the oral cavity in reptiles. Listerine is ok too but contains alcohol so it should be diluted.

[Minkness]

I got him from a college kid off CL, doubt he even knew anything was wrong.

I got him alreadysick with an eye infection, stuck shed, and noticed his mouth wasn't set right. Not sure how long the swelling has happened as I haven't had the guy more than a week and other than offering a worm every few days and addressing the eye once a day, I have been hands off and busy woth work, packing, ect. It may have started a few days ago but I just really noticed it last night while tending to his eye.

I used an alchole free listerine btw, I personally hate the burn lol.

Temps are standard and haven't changed. ITH at about 90-92, cool side between 75-80 depending on weather. Currently on paper towels so not caused by substrate and a brand new water dish with clean water, so nothing fron a soiled bowl.

If listerine is ok, then that will be what I do for a few days. If swelling isn't doen by friday, I'll take him to the vet. (Because it's not like I don't have a bazillion other things on my plate...damnit....)

[Albert Clark]

Sounds great!

[Tiny Boidae]

I don't really have any advice I can lend. Sorry Minkness :(

But I did want to wish you luck with him. Hopefully he pulls through okay without needing veterinary attention, although it looks likely from the way you've described it. Do you know if he's even drinking? I know it's just one more thing to look out for, but an animal can go downhill pretty quick if they aren't well hydrated.

Here's to a speedy recover!

[Albert Clark]

I don't really have any advice I can lend. Sorry Minkness :(

But I did want to wish you luck with him. Hopefully he pulls through okay without needing veterinary attention, although it looks likely from the way you've described it. Do you know if he's even drinking? I know it's just one more thing to look out for, but an animal can go downhill pretty quick if they aren't well hydrated.

Here's to a speedy recover!
Good call TB! You are absolutely right that the hydration status will be important.

@Mink: I also wish you good luck with him and hope your interventions will help in a turn to better health for Leo. Kudos to you for all your hard work.

[Minkness]

He is not showing signs of dehydration and is inshed again. I spray him every other day to help keep everything a bit more hydrated to aid in the healing and shedding process.

[Albert Clark]

That's great too! Kudos for your hard work.

[jpsteele80]

Good for you for saving that little guy, he probably surely would have died had he stayed with that other guy

[Minkness]

The sad thing about hardy species like leos is that because they are hardy,they will just suffer longer and probably not die. =(

[murrindindi]

Hi, if the animal does have stomatitis you absolutely MUST refer it to a vert, a swab will need to be taken to determine which bacteria/fungus is involved and also for antibiotics. I recommend you use a diluted iodine solution to swab the mouth, 10 (ten) parts water to 1 (one) part iodine.