Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi guys,
A couple of friends have an injured Desert Iguana, (posted about it on the Collared forum) and were hoping you could give some advice before they take it to a vet. The animal has a very deep laceration near its neck/upper arm region that was present when it was collected. It appears to go through the muscle. They have cleaned the wound with peroxide, and quarantined the Iguana (inside tank with papertowel substrate) but the wound continues to ooze a strange puss. No blood, but puss.... The lizard still acts normal, alert, a bit stressed if anything, and has a small appetite. Can a bandage of some sort be applied? and if so, would it be worthwhile? any other suggestions? Thanks for always being so helpful.

regards,
-Phil

PS Eve, I gave the Collared Lizard incubation info to Luke and he said thanks.

I don't know if this helps, but I had a deep wound on my foot a couple years ago. The doctor didn't close it but instead, I had to have it packed with medicated sterile gauze every day. He didn't want to sew it up because the puss would be sealed in. It healed from the inside out and it's fine now. Cleaning out the hole and packing it was about all the pain I could handle without any pain killers.
We had a jackson's chameleon that had a mouth sore and the vet had us do the same thing, along with injectable Baytril. It's a good thing my wife is in the medical field! I get too queesy about those kind of things.

I would suggest the vet ASAP. They will likely give some Baytril in one form or anotherl. Animals can make some amazing recoveries though...that's for sure.

John E.

Hey John,

Well from the pics I've seen I'd agree. I forgot to save them though, so ooops. heh. I imagine it was probably attacked by a Coyote or a Kestral, with a gash like that, and somehow managed to escape just in time to find my friends. Good for it I guess. =)

-Phil

go to a drugstore and buy some provodine iodine solution NOT plain iodine but its an iodine solution, AMAZING for soaking and cleaning REALLY bad burns and cuts, keeping from infection.

I used it on a 3d degree burn that was OPEN and oozing for a year, and it kept it clean and infection free.

Pour some in a small container and dilute to a light TEA color, and soak cotton balls or some rag and just squeeze it on the cut or even pour it on.

Then apply neosporin( or triple antibiotic ointment all over it.
Keep doing that 3 times a day.

Hey best wishes with that lil guy hope he does okay and heals. Let us know!
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PHEve/ Eve

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