Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a beardie that i just bought from a college student. the dragon is apparently ill, and I'm going to take it to the vet in the next few days but I urge anyone here to help me with any information to aid the beardie as much as possible in the days pending his vet visit. The current state of him is-- he has a black infected lip, that is, he has some sort of wound on his lip that has be exacerbated into a black scab. On top of that, he has swollen lump under his eye and when i touch it he apparently doesn't like it and flinches. Please dont tell me to take him to a vet, as I have an appointment and am going as soon as humanly possible. All I want is possible ointments, treatments anything that can assist my little buddy until I get him to a vet.

All answers are appreciated!
-Cheers

TO be honest, there isn't much to do but take him to a vet. The black lip could be infected scabs from nose rubbing in his cage, the swollen area can be an abscess that will need to be drained by a vet.

He may have mouth rot as well which can cause similar appearances. If there are open wounds about the only thing you can do is add a little antibiotic ointment to the spot. But this will only affect surface injuries, it won't do anything for internal infections. best thing to do is ensure his husbandry is perfect, encourage him to eat and bask, and eliminate as much stress as possible so his natural resistances can fight the infections till you can get him to the vet.

However, if he is listless and underweight and looks like he may need medical attention, it may be necessary to rush him to an emergency vet right away. If still active, eating a little and not noticeably underweight, he should be ok till you can get him to the vet in a few days for the already arranged appointment.
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PHLdyPayne

Yikes!!! Sounds like a bad infection - possibly with some necrosis and an abcess too? He will likely need systemic antibiotic treatment, but of course the vet will be able to give you more specific info.

The best thing you can do in the meantime is make sure the set up is PERFECT. Your dragon is going through a lot of stress right now and good husbandry will be critical for him to improve and pull through this. Could you describe his set up as of now? - Tank size? - Basking temps? - Type of UVB bulb? - Substrate? etc etc?

How is his physical condition otherwise - is he alert, active? How is his appetite?

Some other general tips...

Keep him hydrated, he is probably stressed and a little dehydrated. Soaking daily in warm water can help with this.

You can also order some acidophiliz (www.reptilesupply.com) - if your dragon gets placed on antibiotic therapy you will want a probiotic to help stabilize his gut flora and keep him feeling okay and eating well.

Really though, important husbandry along with proper medical treatment is going to be key

I hope this helps!!
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