Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just purchased a new 3ish month old green iguana from a local reputable petstore in upstate NY. Upon inspection, he seemed very healthy, but once I brought him home, i noticed something strange about his front right foot. It seems very swollen. The claws and phalanges seem to be fine, but the metacarpal part of his foot seems to be quite enlarged. It also appears to be very firm. He seems to have full use of it, it just looks different. Could this be a symptom of metabolic bone issues? PLEASE HELP

My thoughts are that MBD usually presents with swollen forearms if you are going to see front leg swelling (radial area) and mostly bilateral. Could it be an earlier injury such as a broken bone or an abscess?

It's hard to say over the Internet, but I would treat it with corrective measures such as a proper calcium rich diet, a good quality UV, and exposure to natural sunlight if at all possible.

If you are still concerned and the issue does not seem to resolve itself, a vet check would be a good idea. Of course, a vet check always beats internet advice.

Thank you for your advice, and the quick response. I found a few things out last night after I returned home from work. One; the foot is not fully functional at all. Two; the issue is almost definitely a contusion (contrary to my original belief) because A) there is actually some purple bruising on the hand, and B) I called the pet store I purchased him from and they said he jumped out of the cage and landed on the floor from about shoulder height right before I got there.
So now I have a dilemma: in the short time I have had him, I have already grown quite attached... he is a beautiful little guy who seems curious and interested in everything. I also picked him out because he was the most attractive and healthiest specimen that I was almost positive was male. Having said that, the pet store offered to replace him and have him rehabilitated by professionals (and it is a very reputable pet store that seems to take top notch care of its reptiles).
I feel this could be the best option for both of us, but I am having trouble with the thought of parting with my new friend. Would it be unwise to assume that I (and my vet) can nurse a broken foot on a juvenile iguana back to full health? Is there a risk that it will never heal right and he will have a permanently under functional foot? I'm having a tough time with this decision. He is my first iguana and I have wanted one for longer than I can even explain. I'm feeling really bad about this. What should I do?

>> I feel this could be the best option for both of us, but I am having trouble with the thought of parting with my new friend. Would it be unwise to assume that I (and my vet) can nurse a broken foot on a juvenile iguana back to full health? Is there a risk that it will never heal right and he will have a permanently under functional foot? I'm having a tough time with this decision. He is my first iguana and I have wanted one for longer than I can even explain. I'm feeling really bad about this. What should I do?

With a good vet on your side this is very easy to do. One side note, there is a small chance of amputation. This is also very manageable. I recently had a young green in my rescue who lost his foot and and doing quite well with his nub. Amputation cost was around 200$. It will cost money and take some time, but if you are willing to put forth the effort, it is something you can easily do.
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Cindy
PHFaust

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