Update on Luther... *graphic pics*

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Well, Luther's tail is all healed up, but he will not leave his side alone! I've had him on Baytril and a topical antibiotic for several weeks, but every time he gets a scab forming on the wound he just rips it off and keeps chewing on himself! It is 100% worse now, and I just don't know what to do.

The first pic is what it looked like when I took him to the vet, and the second pic is what it looks like tonight:

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

i'm sorry to see that with Luther. Is there anything that you can get for possible local anesthetic to kinda numb the area?

 

[Halley]

Wow, he’s totally mutilating himself.

I hope for both your sake, that you figure out a solution to the problem soon.

 

[Baoh]

Man, that's tough. You could create a makeshift "collar" to place limitations on his ability to reach the area, but then I don't know if he could feed and, more importantly to this process, he surely could not shed. Maybe load him up with a lot of food, create the gecko collar, and just wait until he's going into shed and do it for him, feeding behavior impact be damned. Supervised feeding sessions with the collar off for a few minutes a day could help, too.

That's what I would try. Poor guy. He's lost a number of toes, too. Luther's nickname could be Nubs.

 

[thestack510]

Oh man! One of mine recently chewed up his front feet a little during a shed. It's nearly healed now. I wish I knew how to help Luther's situation. Maybe some sort of soft cast to prevent him from doing further damage and give it time to heal. I bet it itches like mad and that's why he keeps reopening it.

 

[jemjdragon]

Don't laugh at me when I say this, but what about a make shift "t-shirt" for him to cover up the wound so he can't get to it? You would have to make it though...and I'm not quiet sure how you would keep it on. Maybe a pull sting thing around the neck area...or velcro. But then that has disadvantages too.

OR. What about "bitter apple"? Its a spray (in cream form too) that helps dogs, cats, and horses not to chew on items they're not supposed to along with themselves. It tastes awful...The only thing I would be worried about then is he might not eat his shed ever again. and it might be bad for reptiles.

Other than that I hope Luther gets well soon.

 

[JordanAng420]

Owchie...at least that nasty necrotic looking section isn't there anymore...and his tail does look much better. The pink section is big, but doesn't look too horrible IMO...have you sent these updated pics to your vet?

 

[2bacop]

I would try the make shift collar. We have put one on a chincilla and a Sun Conure, im sure you could do it on Luther. They were made out of x-ray film.

 

[Alusdra]

Oh my! That looks horrible. I'd say he needs to go back to the vet to get a culture on the wound- it's possible that your bug is resistant to the antibiotics that you are using. Possibly some bloodwork would be good too, see what else might be going on and if it's gotten systemic.

And the collar idea is a good one, as is the T-shirt one. You need to prevent him from getting at it for sure. A cone would probably work best- the vet probably has the plastic and gauze or something to make one. For all the exotics basically you have to custom make them. Probably he won't be able to eat unless you hand-feed him, I would imagine.

It is a bit worrisome how extensive it is... at least with some mice I've seen something similar... and if it did heal, it scarred down to the point that the animal was contracted into a "c" shape. Which is definitely a quality of life issue.

 

[Lena]

Marcia, have you considered trying to make a gecko-sized no-bite collar for him?

EDIT: Oops! Someone else suggested it. Well, anyway.. It's worth a shot, maybe?

 

[Baoh]

I just remembered something. Avian vets have tiny collars for wee parrots, such as lovebirds, which can mutilate themselves when stressed or neurotic. You could probably get one from an Avian vet and trim it to size if needed.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I have tried the 'cone' thing, and he cannot even lie down with it. I found him in his tub laying on his back with his feet in the air unable to move. I tried putting a large, stretchy gauze wrap around his mid-section, but he rips it to shreds. He has not eaten in almost 2 months.

I had him on antibiotics as well as a very expensive topical medication, and his tail is completely healed... just his side is a mess. He simply cannot leave it alone! I will be getting some of that bitter apple stuff today to see if that helps.

This is what my vet wrote in response to my email with Luther's latest photo:

Marcia,
Cortisone or other steroids topically are not good, as they don't work in reptiles to stop self mutilation, and may be absorbed systemically.
You can try Bitter Apple spay, sold OTC at pet stores, with the hope of tasting bitter, may deter his chewing somewhat. It may sting his open wound, though.
Cases like this, usually don't do well, I'm afraid. May be some underlying vascular or perhaps central nervous system disorder.
Don't give up yet as his tail has responded to treament well.
KAH

 

[peppered...leopard]

do you know what caused this? I have never seen anything like it!

 

[Alusdra]

Perhaps then, you could get some of that fake skin stuff that they use on burn patients to increase healing? It's some sort of plastic with these tiny little holes in it that I believe can get glued on. Maybe that would make him leave it alone?

 

[StinaKSU]

perhaps you could try wrapping with the gauze but then also wrapping a piece of plastic or cardboard or such on top of that?...just make sure the edges are covered with something. It might at least keep him from bending enough to reach the area

 

[theclean1]

ouch

 

[BettaDragon]

This may be a slightly crazy idea but what about fitting a cone around his mid section and having it face the opposite direction of his face. Try to get it loose enough so that when he lays down it goes flat down with him and make sure it's made out of something flexible enough that it doesn't dig into his skin. Maybe make it into an irregular shape that's roughly like a cone but can easily be laid down in. I'm not sure if what I'm thinking is coming off right. Hope it is. If you need me to, I can illustrate this somehow.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Poor Luther was found laying on his back, unable to move, with the 'cone'. He chews off his bandages. When the wound starts looking like it's is forming a good scab and healing, it either cracks and pulls away from the healthy tissue, or he bites it off.

I got some of that Bitter Apple spray, and I tasted it... ruined my tastebuds for about an hour! The only problem is, that it contains alcohol, and I'm woried that it will sting him and make him go ballistic. Right now I am letting some of the liquid sit so the alcohol will evaporate, and I will apply it around the wound with a Q-tip.

 

[Lena]

Have you tried scotch taping over the bandages? The stuff is so slippery, maybe he won't be able to get a hold of it?

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I'm afraid to try anything esle. If he canchew off his skin, he can chew off anything! Besides, if he swallowed some of the tape, it could be bad news.