What's wrong? =((((

[bjleemkuil]

I came home from a reptile show over the weekend and found my new girl to looking like this! =( Please help! I see that she has shed stuck on it, but is that the problem? I have her soaking to get the shed off.

Before I left a few days ago she jumped out of my hands and landed on the floor pretty hard, but her tail was still in tack and just fine when I left. Could this be a burn from the UTH maybe? Any help is MUCH appreciated.

Thanks,
-Britney

 

[Tony C]

That is more than just stuck shed. Get her to a vet ASAP, my guess is that she will need antibiotics and partial amputation of the tail.

 

[bjleemkuil]

Do you have any idea of what could be wrong?

 

[JordanAng420]

Yeah I agree with tony. When the vet amputates it though, if that's what he ends up doing, have him send it out for a biopsy or a culture to see what the heck is really going on. Unfortunately, he's going to have to amputate a little above where it's actually affected. So most of her tail will need to be removed. Other than a cosmetic thing, it'll be better for her in the long run rather than letting it go.

BTW, is she by herself in the tank, or is there someone else that lives with her?

 

[Tony C]

I would guess an infection of some sort, but it's impossible to specify what sort from a few pics. Whatever happened, it doesn't look like something that could be treated at home, and if she went from perfectly healthy looking to a gnarly tail like that in a weekend it is probably something aggressive that needs immediate treatment.

 

[bjleemkuil]

That stinks! I just got her on Tuesday. =(

 

[bjleemkuil]

More pictures of her after I got the shed off. I also noticed a little blue on her stomach. Is this normal?

 

[JordanAng420]

The blue spot is normal. That's the liver. She appears to be ovulating, BTW. But you said you just got her, so I wouldn't put her with any males, yet. That's besides the point. It looks a little bit better, but I do agree that there's something else going on. Maybe the vet could just take a small piece and send it out for a culture, rather than the entire tail.

 

[bjleemkuil]

The blue spot is normal. That's the liver. She appears to be ovulating, BTW. But you said you just got her, so I wouldn't put her with any males, yet. That's besides the point. It looks a little bit better, but I do agree that there's something else going on. Maybe the vet could just take a small piece and send it out for a culture, rather than the entire tail.

It DOES look better now that I've taken the shed off, but I want what's best for this little girl. =( I feel awful. TECHNICALLY she's my boyfriends.

 

[KelliH]

I've seen something similar in one of my geckos and it was a burn. One day she looked fine and the next day her tail looked like yours does. I ended up amputating the affected part of the tail and kept neosporin on the area where I had to cut it for a few days after. She ended up regenerating the missing part of the tail just fine.

 

[bjleemkuil]

I've seen something similar in one of my geckos and it was a burn. One day she looked fine and the next day her tail looked like yours does. I ended up amputating the affected part of the tail and kept neosporin on the area where I had to cut it for a few days after. She ended up regenerating the missing part of the tail just fine.

Bryan, who I got her from, suggested the same thing. I put Neosporin on it and will check up on it in the morning. I'm hoping the part that needs off will fall off on it's own. Is this possible?

 

[KelliH]

It might fall off on it's own but if it hasn't by tomorrow night I would go ahead and amputate it

Just my opinion though, I am not a vet so take it for what it's worth.

 

[Kellyr]

THe very tip, if it is due to the shed alone, will eventually fall off if all blood flow has stopped.. if there is still blood circulating.. it stays on.
Did you try to get a vet appointment to check for infection?

 

[bjleemkuil]

THe very tip, if it is due to the shed alone, will eventually fall off if all blood flow has stopped.. if there is still blood circulating.. it stays on.
Did you try to get a vet appointment to check for infection?

I'm working on that! I got home around 9 pm, so any vet office around here is closed. I will have to make an appointment on Monday. There aren't a very wide variety of reptile vets around here and I have to make sure that they will be able to treat it.

 

[Kellyr]

Any vet specializing in Herps or exotics will be able to treat it. Try to call Monday early, you may be able to get an emergency appointment, sometimes you have to wait weeks. I usually call back each day to check for cancellations once the initial appt is made- that works out best. Good luck with everything.. keep us posted.

 

[bjleemkuil]

Update

I've been putting Neosporin on her tail on and off and checking on her quite often. She's gotten a tad grouchy with all the checking on, etc. while she's sleeping. She even bit me So cute. But is it just me or does it look like she's trying to drop the tail?

 

[Khrysty]

It might fall off on it's own but if it hasn't by tomorrow night I would go ahead and amputate it

Just my opinion though, I am not a vet so take it for what it's worth.

Kelli, did you amputate it yourself or have it amputated at a vet?

 

[KelliH]

I amputated it myself.

 

[Khrysty]

I amputated it myself.

Good. That makes me feel a little better. My boyfriend and I had a similar situation with one of ours, Camille, and we ended up amputating her tail tip ourselves too.

 

[bjleemkuil]

Any thoughts?