Baby Mountain Dragon tail injury

[Tassie Dragon]

Hi everyone. I have had a regretable accident with a young mountain dragon rescue.

Was second clutch in the wild (so born around Christmas). Was given to me to help it survive brumation as it was severely underweight.

Was feeding well on crickets and putting on weight. We thought we had removed all crickets as we always do. I even had a unattacked fresh green pea in the tank as further reptile attack prevention as well as a indicator if a rogue brown cricket.

This tank is in the loungeroom so we can keep our eye on it. I was horrified to see a cricket climbing on the MD's tail. I quickly removed it but the damage had been done.

Having never had this happen before i am unsure of how best to proceed. We currently have the patient in a sterile container within the tank, keeping the temperature in the high 20s and providing UV as normal.

We are following standard wound treatment with twice daily 10 to 15 minute warm diluted povidone iodine (bentadine) diluted to mid tea colour. Due to the size and diameter of the tail i can't tell if it has gone through the bone although from certain angles it appears to be more than halfway through.

My instinct tells me the best option would be to amputate the tail just above the wound. I am in Hobart and we don't have any herp vets in Southern Tassie. Their is an avian vet but i am unable to get a appointment until early next week due to his regular cat and dog clientele.

My question to you guys is should is, should i
A)keep current wound bathing routine and see avian vet on Monday?

B) As above but use a better infection prevention technique than i am currently using?

C) With a sterile scalpel amputate the tail myself just above the wound and proceed with wound care. The tail would only be between 1 to 2mm thick immediately above wound location.

 

[Sdaji]

It looks like a lot of tail was already missing before this injury, and I don't think that looks like a cricket bite. It might just be a continuation of whatever caused the original tail loss. The original tail would have been much longer, around twice the current length.

Dunking part of the lizard's body in chemicals will be doing more harm than good. Reptiles are extremely resilient to infections, but not always so resistant to chemicals.

The lizard should be fine without the long tail, for the most part it'll just be cosmetic.

I wouldn't bother going to a vet for something like this, and I wouldn't amputate. Just let nature take its course. Yes, it looks like that part will come off. It's almost certainly already dead, but the section already lost was much, much larger (compare yours to pictures of others and look at the total length of the tail compared to the body - it's generally more than twice the length of the body).

Good job on getting him fed and in better condition

 

[Tassie Dragon]

Hi, thanks for your reply. It was stumpy tailed when i got it over a week ago but it is definately a new wound and i did witness the cricket chewing it.

I have used this diluted solution previously. I originally discovered it on this site.
http://www.anapsid.org/emergency/firstaid.html

When we got it, it tail was shorter than our previous captivity bred ones at same size.

I will keep it clean and keep my eye on it. If it doesnt drop off i am worried about shedding issues on the scar tissue. I would like to be able to release it back into the wild next summer if possible. If not he can join our resident MD pack

 

[nuttylizardguy]

I think a small tube or tub of F10 antiseptic barrier ointment will help stop the injury from becoming infected.

Was thinking a drop of Activon MediHoney (Manuka Honey) but I think the feeder insects will go for the honey and make the injury worse and everything loose in the tank will stick to it.

Betadiene made up as I can see you are trying is OK , but will kill off new flesh cell growth too. Try PQ Tasmania Health (look them up in Google) and ask they send you packet of Inodine (these are very good and are betadiene impregnated tulle dressings that can be cut to size - not sure how you'd dress the tail to keep the little bit of Inodine in place.

If the injury hasn't completely cut the circulation, the wound is likely to heal, if the circulation has been cut , the tail below the injury will die and become necrotic, might just fall off , if it doesn't and the infection spreads up towards the body the infected part of tail will need a vet to attend to it.
I'd never contemplate amputing at home , that's a job for a vet, being a rescued injured dragon the vet is obligated to render vet and surgical assistance at no cost (to you) and I expect the vet wont mind if you take it back home afterward to rehabilitate it. I am told the vet charge NPs for their services in these cases.

 

[Tassie Dragon]

Thanks for that information. There wasn't a stockist of F10 germicidal barrier cream in Tassie. I have ordered some online to keep in case it is ever needed again. I was able to briefly speak to avian vet on phone today. She recommended maintaining diluted Bernadine baths twice daily and she was able to squeeze me in late Friday arvo. Will let you know what develops.

Thanks again for all of the help.
[doublepost=1559293089,1559094258][/doublepost]Hi guys, just back from the vets. They predict the rear part of the tail will fall off itself in the next couple of days. The wound has sealed nicely so Skipper as it has now been named can have the full run of his tank and can enjoy a soak in his water dish again. If the tail doesn't drop in the next 2 weeks it will be surgically removed. Again thanks for the help