Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 1.5 year old male veiled chameleon has had 2 very small bumps on his head between his eyes and the end of his snout for a couple weeks. (I'd get a picture but lost my digital camera on the move to NC from AZ). They were hard and non-painful. In the past 2 weeks, they've increased slightly in size but are still hard and non painful. I lanced one with a sterile small gauge needle and only got a small amount of serum out. I've examined the inside of his mouth and the roof of his mouth is clear of redness or swelling. Today I noticed that the skin around and in front of his eyes is a bit puffy - eyes are clear, clean, mobile, lid open and close normally. He is alert, active, eating well and deficating normally.

I'm assuming I'm looking at an abcess (and have an appointment with a reptile vet tomorrow), but am puzzled by the cause and apparent lack of pus from the wound. Could it be something else - like a tumour or something else I haven't considered?

He is housed in a large screened in enclosure with live pothos plants, a mister system that operates twice daily (plus I suppliment his water by feeding him water directly with an eye dropper). He is fed gutloaded store-bought crickets, superworms and an occasional wax worm. I dust with minerall several times a week. I also suppliment his diet with wild caught grasshoppers and mantids (not dusted).

Any thoughts or advice? Anyone else had this happen to their cham?

Thanks!

Kat

I think abscesses take a long time to form. It could be he got a small cut or bite from a cricket inside the lip that just went unnoticed. It does happen. Also, pus in herp abscesses can be solid not necessarily a liquid like in mammals. Could be a cyst of some type. The key is it seems to be spreading, so local treatment won't be enough. You will most likely need a systemic antibiotic. Be careful of Baytril. It is powerful and effective, but is often overprescribed. Have the vet do a culture to get the most targeted med.