Leo with small hard lump on the side of her mouth - help?

[IsisGecko]

Hi,

A few days ago I noticed that my 9 year old Leopard Gecko had developed a small, hard lump on the side of her lip. It's not red - just a hard, swollen lump. She's still eating and drinking, and acting normally (active, alert...etc.). I cleaned the area with hydrogen peroxide, and she didn't seem to pull away, so I don't think she's in pain. Any ideas? No pus, so I don't think it's mouth rot...

She's on a diet of crickets and meal worms, if that helps at all. Substrate is reptile sand.

Thanks!

Cheers,
Jenn

 

[Daylight_Thieves]

I've had several leos with that over the year. It is just a spot where there is a slight infection that the body attacked and the hard lump is the white blood cells that solidified.(<-- info was gained through multiple vet visits for my leos.) Over time she will most likely push it out either through the cheek or if it is in her mouth you might try running a q-tip along her teeth to pull it out for her.

Hope this helped. Good luck!

Victoria

 

[IsisGecko]

Thanks! That does help!! I didn't want to rush to the herp vet (which cost me $250 last time just to tell me she was gravid), if it's not something of too much concern. I'll keep an eye on it, and try running a q-tip over it as you suggest!

How long did it take to clear up in your leos?

Thanks again!

Cheers,
Jenn

 

[Pinky81]

could you take a photo? My concern would be that its a abcess that is pus filled like a boil if you will. Most of the time those aren't resolved without antibotics and possibly small incision and drainage. Since it is around her mouth...my thought process is maybe one of her feeders cut or bit her and it has now become a abcess.

What feeders do you use?

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Thanks! That does help!! I didn't want to rush to the herp vet (which cost me $250 last time just to tell me she was gravid), if it's not something of too much concern. I'll keep an eye on it, and try running a q-tip over it as you suggest!

How long did it take to clear up in your leos?

Thanks again!

Cheers,
Jenn

I'd be looking for a new vet.

 

[Pinky81]

+1 Laney I didn't see that first itme around $250? Yikes!

 

[IsisGecko]

I know! I nearly fell over backwards! She hadn't been eating for a month (I started supplementing her water after a week or so), and while I knew that geckos sometimes fast, I was concerned, so I took her to the only herp vet I could find. Turned out the eggs were pressing on her stomach, so she thought she was full, and that I should keep doing what I was doing. Either way, "a couple of small tests" turned out to be a friggin' big bill!

I'll take a picture of my leo and post it when I get home from work - thanks for all your help!

Cheers,
Jenn

 

[IsisGecko]

Hi,

Okay - here a couple of pictures. It was difficult to get a good shot, as it's hard to shoot in macro when your subject is moving!

Thanks again for your input!

Cheers,
Jenn

 

[Daylight_Thieves]

That looks like what mine had. If it is completely solid when you press on it, it should work it's way out on it's own. It could take a couple of months depending upon how adamant the leo is about getting rid of it.

However, if it is squishy at all, I would agree with the others and take her to a vet to get it properly lanced, drained and medicated.

 

[IsisGecko]

Hi,

Thanks! It's definitely hard, so I'll keep a close eye on it for the next few weeks, and if it changes in texture (or doesn't go away), I'll call up the vet. She's still active and feeding normally, so I think she's okay otherwise. She did shed nicely nicely yesterday, with the exception of that side of her face, which is not coming off as easily. Again, I'll keep a close eye on it.

Thanks for all your help!

Cheers,
Jenn

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

It looks like an abscess to me. Reptiles do not have liquid pus... it is hard, and encapsulated in a thin sac of skin or membrane. Geckos can get these infections from a superworm bite, or even a cricket or roach leg fragment that imbeds itself in the gum or inner mouth tissue, kind of like a foxtail that gets in to a dog or cat's skin and can only move one direction.

The gecko needs to see a qualified vet to excise it, and probably a cycle of antibiotics.