bloody gums

[markb]

HI All,

Have any of you Varanid keepers seen bloody gums in your animals? Ive seen it in V. jobiensis, V. niloticus, V. komodoensis, V. salvadorii and V. indicus. It does not seem to happen all the time, during handling, feeding, times of stress?
The culprit for this in V. niloticus seems to be Sambonia lohrmann, a penstatome worm that is known to V. exanthematicus too, but obviously in the Indonesia, another organism/culprit is the cause??
Thanx

[Steeve B]

Hello Mark here a photo showing bloody gum syndrome in Jobiensis, must be a very resilient bacteria as this male is a long term captive. Cheers

[Ravi]

Hi Mark

I've seen it in indicus I've had as too. You're right that when they are at rest (read undisturbed) they don't bleed but once excited, they do.

Have you noticed the bleeding to be foamy or just regular blood?

--Ravi--

[markb]

Hi Ravi,
Ive noticed the foamy bloody syndrome when they're highly agitated, usually from being held/restrained; otherwise just plain blood oozing from gums/ = gingivitus/scurvy looking condition, but unlike that malady, caused by vitamin 'C' deficiency, this one seems to be on 'command' when they choose to ooze the blood and not a side effect of malady/injury via the teeth to gums.

Cheers Ravi,
mark