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A specific dermatological condition has been described in the uromastyx lizard causing a chelitis associated with a filamentous gram-positive bacterium. 48 The disease is characterized by a chronic hyperkeratotic dermatitis involving predominantly the lip region, but has also been associated with dorsolateral skin folds, the nuchal region, and the tail spines. Culture and sensitivity is unrewarding and a diagnosis is made on histopathology with the presence of gram-positive pleomorphic filamentous bacteria. Treatment involves systemic and topical antimicrobials based on biopsy and culture and sensitivity. See Table 2. It is important to ensure proper humidity in the environment and for these lizards to have a very high basking temperature (110-120F).

http://www.seavs.com/case_studies/lizards/

This is basically what my uro had. He was taken to this vet about a year ago and is finally slwowly getting rid of this infection. He has been treated with silver sulfadiazine cream.

I have posted before and after pics to show exactly how bad this is. Now that his tail is halfway healed he has developed an infection on his stomach so I am taking him back to the vet next week.

Here is a picture of the infection when it started.
http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=119718

And this is now. No spikes left.
http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=353436

This has taken over a year to slowly heal up, he started shedding a couple weeks ago and most of the dead skin seems to be peeling off now. I dont think he will be completely healed for another 5-6 months though.

My understanding is that there have been several bacterium and fungal organisms associated with uromastyx tail issues such that shown in your photos. You stated that "basically this is what your uro had'. Did your vet make this diagnosis by a culture and actually grow out this bacteria or by a guess based on a description?

The paragraph you cited- was this referring to the work that Dr Pete Koplos did several years ago with bacteria in the genus Dermabacter?

All the vet told me was that it was a filamentous gram positive bacteria. I visited his website recently and the info that was on there is what I posted in the initial message.

They took a biopsy and grew it at a lab and this was what they found. I do not know the specifics of the name of the bacteria.

I initially had him on playsand and this is when he developed the infection. I have since gotten a bigger terrarium for him and moved him onto carefresh bedding.

My younger uro has never had any problems, but I had her on cage carpet for a bit and have since also moved her into a larger terrarium and carefresh.

Hopefully, he's going to be better soon. Will his spikes grow back?
Glad you got it sorted out.

Roxy is getting some weird looking skin discoloration around the outer regions of her skin, on the high sides of the folds. I should take a pic and post it. The areas are hard, like a calus(sp).
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2.1 - Rocky, Runako, and RoxyIII (my care sheets)

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Uromastyx spikes or tail end won't regenerate once they're gone.

Here is a photo of what I considered to be the typical "crusty lip disease" included in Dr Koplos description. Almost all the cases I heard of were in acanthinura.

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Lindsay Pike
Urotopia Uromastyx

Thanks for the photo Lindsay

Dr Koplos did state that this was found primarily in acanthinura but he also mentioned to me that he had seen it in maliensis as well.

I am not certain if this is the same issue that cdf7v is referring to in this thread but I am certainly curious to learn more.

cdf7v,

I would appreciate any additional data that you may be able to obtain from your vet or lab regarding the organism found.

Well I took him back to the vet today, and the lab never was able to culture the bacteria. So they couldnt tell me the exact name of the bacterial infection he had or still might have.

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>>Uromastyx spikes or tail end won't regenerate once they're gone.
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>>Here is a photo of what I considered to be the typical "crusty lip disease" included in Dr Koplos description. Almost all the cases I heard of were in acanthinura.
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>>Lindsay Pike
>> Urotopia Uromastyx
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2.1 - Rocky, Runako, and RoxyIII (my care sheets)

are her sides whitish? do you think her sides are getting bitten?
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vonnie
***The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage.
— Mark Russell***

Don't know if she is. The area seems to follow the ridge of high skin, which made me think that the skin was rubbing the sides of the hide, but why would that cause this? I haven't seen any signs of aggression or passive aggression in the 1.5 years they've been together and they've even produced eggs last year. I don't know if that makes a difference, but I know that if I was showing aggression, my wife would let me...well, you know

Here's a picture that i just took with arrows pointed the areas out. Since I was shooting it, I notice Runako, the male having three small spots as well, one that you can't see is on one of his knees. However, I wonder how long those have been there and I just didn't notice.

-Jim

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2.1 - Rocky, Runako, and RoxyIII (my care sheets)

Try using some mineral oil on those areas during their next shed. The mineral oil helps my male when he has trouble. It's possible he has trouble from the infection as my female never has any problems shedding.