WD Help w/mites??

[Rebecca]

How can you tell if a WD has mites or something like it?? Also can someone get a pic of their WD nose/mouth from the front. I know something is wrong with mine but I don't know what as I don't know what it's normally suposed to look like. I can't seem to get a good close up so I can't even post a shot here for you guys. It's not swollen but it has some dried blood on it. I have tried to get it to open it's mouth so I can look but it won't let me. I know it's still don't something funky because I gently with a damp q-tip wiped it off and cleaned it up but now's it's back agian. It kinda looks like the top lip has a space between the gums and the lip. I don't know if that's normal or not. It also has some little tiny bumps and some dis-colored scales. It's not like a clump or scales just one or maybe 2 that are dis-colored. So can someone help me out here please. Thanks. Oh it has only eatten twice (kinda normal still getting used to it's new digs) and it has pooped once, it was kinda runny. It looked normal to me though. It has not gone into it's water bowl at all. I have been spraying a couple times a day to keep it hydrated.

[Dark_Angel_25]

Personally if it has eaten twice (that it eats at all means it is proly used to the new place) and has runy poop, and obvious blood or something around it's mouth, there is really only one thing you can do. Take it to a vet and ASAP, blood being anywhere but INSIDE oyur pet, is a problem. and it could be VERY VERY serious!

[ohh_kristina]

if you think it has mites, treat it. I mildly treat all of my new additions, even if I don't see any mites. Better safe than sorry!

[Rebecca]

I know to take it to a vet! I do have an appointment, but if you've read any of my other posts they know nothing. And it's not alot of blood otherwise I would not be here I'd be driving right back to the pet store where I got it. Also can't treating for mites hurt them if they don't have them?? What if it's something else?? And it's by its self so no other lizard can get infected. It didn't eat much just about 5 mealworms in total. But agian it's still getting used to the place.

[Dark_Angel_25]

WEll you can treat for mites it will not hurt him. I use the NIX method for my snakes, I assume you can for your critter too.
I didn't mean to make you feel like I was attacking about the whole Vet thing sorry, it's just oyu'd be surprised at how many ppl use this forums to seek medical attention and try to use it to replace a vet..

but yeah if you have an appointment great, treat the cage and the 'furniture for mites' and if you can put your critter in a container with warn water to drown any mites it may have on it. but if it isn't soaking it may not have any on it yet. You would see gey/black dots arounf the face and belly, but then again my snake had them and I didn't see any I only knew about them because she soaked.. so... I hope this help a little...

[Rebecca]

I didn't think you were attacking me about the vet at all. I reply the same to some posts. I guess my reply to you was kinda snotty. Didn't mean it to be ;)

[dragonden]

Rebecca:

If you think your dragon has mites see http://www.icomm.ca/dragon/mitetick.htm for some ideas on how to safely get rid of them. Are you sure it's not baby crickets in your cage?

As for the blood on the mouth/nose ... sounds like snout damage to me. Is your dragon rubbing it's face on the glass- trying to get out? (or fighting with it's reflection in the glass?) If you think it's snout damage the first step is to try to stop the rubbing behaviour. The dragon can literally rub it's face right off- and once the tissues are gone they won't grow back. See http://www.icomm.ca/dragon/snout.htm for some ideas on how to get the dragon to stop doing this.

Snout damage can become infected, and it can also lead to mouth rot. I really do think you should try to see a vet if possible. There has to be a half decent one somewhere near you. See http://www.icomm.ca/dragon/canrepvt.htm or http://www.anapsid.org/vets/index.html and if your lucky you might find a herp user recommended vet near you.

As for the runny stool ... yes that could be a parasite infection. Just because your dragon lives alone that doesn't mean it could develop an infection. It might have had it when you bought it and the parasite load has become worse, or it could get it from the food it's eating or substrate etc. Runny smelly stools often mean parasite infection. If you go to a vet please take a stool sample with you and have it tested.

Hope this helps!

Tricia

[Rebecca]

I don't know how I would stop the snout rubbing. I have plexiglass not glass and it's dulled to the point of no reflections. The tank is big enough. I do plan on building a new tank for it though. The poop was not all runny it was kinda like it peed at the same time, know what I mean?? I've looked for a herp vet closet is in Edmonton/Vancouver type thing. And the closest is 5 hours away. I've tried taking one of my leo's to a vet and they knew nothing, they had to did out their school books. I knew more then them. It's not their fault small town = normal animals (cats, dogs).

[V.hb]

It sounds like basic mouth rot.... Get some Q-Tips and peroxide it daily until its cleaned up. Its very easy to treat. If you feel its a severe case, a vet may be in order.... but IMO most reptile vets dont do much better than the average reptile keeper.

If you check the corner of his mouth (by the ear) fold the skin down gently with your thumb, usually if a lizard has mites they will congregate in this area as its a soft area for them to bite. If you see none here, and none in the vent, ears etc I doubt he/she has mites. I dont agree with treating all animals for mites as a precaution as Its a stressful thing to do and should only be done when nessecary. Good luck