Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I have a rescue Beardie that I've had for about 6 months now. She's doing great, not skin and bones anymore, but recently I've been wondering if she might have mouthrot. I tried opening her mouth to see if she has any cheesy stuff in her mouth, but can't see any. However, her mouth is not all pink. The tip of her tongue is whitish yellow and her mouth just looks a bit off. Any suggestions on how to tell, what may have caused it, and how to treat it would be appreciated. Thanks.
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-Nia =)

3 Beardies: Falcor, Trogdor, & Eliott
2 BTS: Bluey & Red
1 Nelsons Milksnake: Ku'awa (Hawaiian for Guava)
1 Tangerine Milksnake: Oni Oni (Hawaiian for Wiggle)
1 Jurassic Milksnake: Pu'ili (Hawaiian for Rattles)
2 Green Mantellas: Bert & Ernie
2 Green & Black D.Auratus: Frogger & Pac-Man
4 Cats: Niele (Hawaiian for Nosey), Corkey, Fizgig, & Gaz

a bearded dragon's mouth isn't all pink normally. Some do have paler areas. If there isn't any cheezy substance or excessive mucus (or bubbling mucus) and he is otherwise eating and healthy, it could be nothing. If concerned, take him to a vet for examination. They can run a culture on the mouth to check for bacteria etc and do blood work. As he was a rescue and in bad shape when you bought him, a vet examination (if he hasn't already had one) would be a good ideal, to get a good accessment of his health. Getting a fecal done at the same time would be a good ideal, to make sure he is not loaded with parasites.
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PHLdyPayne

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. She did have a vet visit just before I got her from the oficial that confiscated her. I made sure of that before I took her in! They proclaimed her skinny but otherwise fine. Just curious, what usually causes mouthrot?
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-Nia =)

3 Beardies: Falcor, Trogdor, & Eliott
2 BTS: Bluey & Red
1 Nelsons Milksnake: Ku'awa (Hawaiian for Guava)
1 Tangerine Milksnake: Oni Oni (Hawaiian for Wiggle)
1 Jurassic Milksnake: Pu'ili (Hawaiian for Rattles)
2 Green Mantellas: Bert & Ernie
2 Green & Black D.Auratus: Frogger & Pac-Man
4 Cats: Niele (Hawaiian for Nosey), Corkey, Fizgig, & Gaz

Mouthrot (or Stomatitis) can be caused by Metabolic Bone Disease (it's one of MBD's symtoms) though MBD isn't the only cause. Mouth rot basically is a bacterial infection in the mouth or gums. Drooling, swelling and redness of the mouth tissues are symptoms of mouth rot as I mentioned before.

A bearded dragon with mouth rot symptoms who hasn't sustained any injury to the mouth (either from fighting, too large a cricket or biting the edge of their bowl or something else in their cage to cause a wound) which may be infected, could be suffering early stages of MBD. A vet visit is almost always necessary, to find the exact cost (ie mouth injury or MBD due to lack of calcium, either from improper diet, not enough exposure to UVB rays etc). Blood work will determine if blood calcium levels are low, high or low white blood cell count (indicates infection) and other symptoms. Vets treat mouth rot with antibiotic injections, calcium injections and probably other stuff I just can't recall right now. Since I am far far away from being a vet (heck, I don't even know first aid, other than 'common sense' first aid), I deffinitely recommend a vet check whenever your dragon is not thriving as he should (or anybody else's dragon for that matter).

Doing a web search for mouth rot or Stomatitis certainly will reveal more information. It is an infection seen in many reptiles, sometimes a precursor to MBD, in other species it can be the precursor to upper respiratory infections as well.

From what you described earlier, I don't think your dragon has it. I think I have a picture of my dragon's mouth when open, will see if I can find it and post it.

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PHLdyPayne