Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello I adopted a iguana named Melvina who was not wanted anymore a few months ago she had MBD with her previous owners and does not have it anymore. my concurn is her tail. she lost about 12 inches of her tail from the MBD .
and i check her from top to bottom to notice any changes
and i noticed theres this bump on it its kinda soft and was a grayish colour ( this was at the end of the tail like the roundish part sence it was cut off and is more round now. but it looks ugly now like its popped ? im thinking a infection or some sort not sure any advice is helpful ? heres a picture it sure looks nasty looking close up..
could anyone explain what happen ?
i think it needs a vet attention but i have to wait untill the end of the week when i get paid. thanks for looking everyone and advice in advance

I'm not a vet, but some things that pop into mind are abscess and wet gangrene, both of which require a vet visit. Because there is so much documentation of tail infections spreading upward and becoming systemic, I wouldn't hesitate about getting antibiotics from the doc.

In the meantime, soak the iguana in a Betadine bath twice daily for 15-20 minutes. Betadine is sold cheaply as Povidine solution in the pharmacy section. Get a container a put lukewarm water to chest level, then add enough Povidine/Betadine until it looks like weak tea. After the bath, gently dry the tail tip and add triple antibiotic cream to it. This won't stop a full infection, but it's better than nothing! Also, offer the ig some water before the bath so that it doesn't try to drink the Povidine solution.

Keeping the lizard at proper heat (95 degree basking spot) and the best UV possible with go a long way in overall healing. Getting natural sunlight as much as possible helps the skin, MBD, appetite, and overall health.