bump / lump on back of beardies head

[kingofnobbys]

Just spotted a lump on the back of my boy beardies head . It's about the size of a finger nail.

Appeared all of a sudden (overnight) and doesn't seem to be any injury or lost scales, is not hard when pressed gently, and doesn't seem to be painful or bothering him in anyway, and he is acting completely normally and eating OK and pooing like clockwork (every day).

Yes I know reptiles are very good at hiding the fact they are sick unless they are extremely ill.

He does a lot of head banging when he sees our girl beardie when he's in his enclosure and when he's out for a roam on the floor, other than that he is very laid back and rarely runs about, just mossies about with his tail up in air tasting stuff and looking about or just likes to sit on the lounge next to me or my wife and admire his girlfriend from a distance.
He's not had a tumble (as far as I know) or a fall (we never let our lizard climb down from the lounge without assistance) and he's not been attacked by his girlfriend or one of the bluetongues (only one lizard is out at any time).

His energy levels seem be normal for him (no sign of any being lethargic at all). He's basking heaps after feeds, and is just being a normal adult boy beardie as far as I can tell.

Anyone encountered a similar problem with their beardies ? what was it ?

I'll be keeping a close eye on him and to see how the lump develops (hopefully it'll reduce in size or at least not get bigger over the next few days) and if he shows any signs of illness he'll be off the local reptile vet. I'm hoping the lump is something that is not an issue and will resolve itself and disappear over time.

Haematoma (resulting from a misadventure inside his enclosure) ?
Abscess (from being bitten back by a large cricket he was eating the other night - he did rearup suddenly but was fine afterwards) ?

I've never encountered a similar problem before.

 

[Thyla]

Its hard to see the bump from those images. It's a little too close up for me. A few photos from further away including ones from straight on but above a little bit, and birds eye view angle would be helpful.
From your photos, I'm guessing its towards the left anterior section of the head?

 

[kingofnobbys]

I've used a permanent marker since taking the photos to mark the extent of the "lump" , missed a bit of it's extent but I can't think of better way of monitoring it's "development" , if it grows or shrinks. (He didn't like the smell of the ink and I don't think the ink will harm him and will simply come off with his next shed).

As far as I can tell it's not changed size or become harder and is not tender (the beardie doesn't seem be worried about my touching and gently pressing it) and still no change in how he is behaving or his energy levels.

Am I just being an over protective beardie's adopted daddy and worrying too much.

From what I've read if it's a haematomia it'll be reabsorbed and not be an issue unless he's got an underlying SI and it becomes infected and turns into an abscess.

and if it's the result a bite (in the back of his mouth by vicious large live cricket he was eating) it could be an abscess , but it appeared very suddenly . Do abscesses develop overnight ?

I can't think of anything else it could be.

- - - Updated - - - Been 4 days

No noticeable changes in the size of the lump (I think it could be slightly bigger (?) but is still soft) .
He's still behaving perfectly normally as far as I can tell and seems completely oblivious to the lump's existence (doesn't bother him in any obvious way) and he don't react at all when I touch the lump (so it seems it's not tender or sore). He does all his usual things and he seems healthy and happy and active as normal.

Think it is just going to be one those of wait and see health / injury issues that will be very hard for a vet to work out what is going on without having to do an invasive procedure if non invasive tests don't clearly identify what it is ( don't really want to put him through potentially dangerous / life threatening and expensive invasive procedures - such putting him under to open it and drain it and take a swab for testing of the liquid in it).

If it's a haematoma , it'll eventually be absorbed .
If it's an abscess , he'll probably need it drained and a course of antibiotic injections eventually if he become obviously ill.
if it's an amorism , opening it to drain it could prove fatal if the vet can't stop the bleeding , and if it's left alone it will eventually go away (from what I've read , unless it ruptures , in which case it becomes a bad situation).

In the meantime I've removed his opportiunities to climb (and potentially fall again) in his enclosure and lowered his UV and spot globes so he still gets the right amount of UV and heat for basking and am going to monitor him very closely , if I observe any changes in him , I'll take him to the vet.

 

[Thyla]

I haven't seen anyone else reply to you so I thought I would give you the courtesy of a follow-up reply.
I have no veterinary experience or have ever kept beardies.
I cannot even see a lump from the photos. I think your making mountains out of molehills. My opinion would be if it's not effecting his feeding or behavior in any way, then don't worry about it.
I wouldn't be removing opportunities to climb. Has he shown imbalances in walking or climbing. Let him be, he is probably fine.

 

[kingofnobbys]

He's showing no difficulties in walking or climbing up his big bit of gumtree bark or ontop his face hollow log , still not effecting him in any way that I can see.

Been no change in the size or shape or texture of the lump ..... Definitely a wait and see thing and maybe I'm being overprotective and worrying too much and it may be much ado about not much.

I'll give him back all his furniture on the weekend I think.

 

[kitten_pheonix]

If your worried take it to a vet for a biopsy. Considering the length of time the lump has been present for id be concerned,especially on the location of the lump.