Urgent - seriously injured blue tongue lizard!

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Gayspie

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hello all,
I am new to the reptile forum.

today our 2 large dogs that we were looking after attacked a native blue tongued lizard when we were not looking. I spotted the lizard with 5 dog tooth puncture marks and dog fur in its scales. additionally the lower bodily organs have been forced into a clump behind the diaphragm that leaves a noticeable large bump in the lizards spine. furthermore the intestines can be seen emerging from the underside of the body along about a 4cm skin puncture.

AMAZINGLY the lizard can still move all its legs and head although barely and can barely breathe, even after 5 hours from the dog attack.

the lizard was immediately moved to a foam box lined with newspaper and placed in the shed away from the naughty dogs, who were then told off. the lizard was then offered water and its puncture marks were bathed with a warm salt and water solution. we then went and purchased bandages to bandage up the hole where the intestines are falling out of the abdomen, we are now carefully bandaging up the hole in the skin after the lizard rested for 4 hours at 26 degress room temperature.

we are unsure of our next actions to ensure the lizard has a good chance of survival and recovery and would like some advice from experienced reptile keepers.


thanks for reading my long first post,

cheers, Heath Loxton. :)
 
Take it to your local vet or wildlife sanctuary ASAP, I would've done that straight up. Good on you for looking after it but it needs immediate vet attention. Where are you located?
 
Take it to your local vet or wildlife sanctuary ASAP, I would've done that straight up. Good on you for looking after it but it needs immediate vet attention. Where are you located?


Aberfoyle park, Adelaide. we don't know where the vets are as we are looking after an auntys property.


ps: the lizard only "breathes" when prodded with my finger gently to see if it is still alive. It used to move its head, legs and tail but is barely breathing. we have tried our best to use the resources that we have to save its life.


cheers, Heath Loxton. :)
 
You need to google it and find your local vet, there should be an emergency vet you can take it to, or look up wildlife organisations and carers in Adelaide. That's the best thing for it, it will probably be euthanised but at least it won't suffer any longer.
 
There's a very similar case happened here in Victoria. Lucky enough, the blue tongue was brought to a reptile vet. The punctures where so big, the blue tongue's intestines and babies (she's heavily pregnant) was exposed and hanging out. The babies were taken out and survived, the mother got a lot of stitches and also survived. The blue tongue you have would mostly likely need stitches.
 
I know you might feel as though your dogs did wrongly but it wasn't thier fault really don't punish them.

As mentioned a vet trip mightb e in order
 
A vet or wildlife carers group. They deal with these things all the time. Google them if you not sure in that area. In perth area, WA more than 200 Bobtail a year treated for dog/cat or lawnmower wounds by just1 group. There are multiple groups out there . Some pretty horrific injuries with lawnmowers . They are very tough and can survive, but a vet or experienced wildlife centre needs to make that decision and quick.
 
ok update 3:

the dogs were NOT punished.

additionaly we could not access vets because we did not have a car and the nearest wildlife carer lived several hours away. :)
 
Seriously injured wildlife like this need emergency veterinary treatment and ongoing care from experienced carers.
You should contact your nearest wildlife rescue group as soon as possible. They will drive out to pick it up if they can.
 
ok everyone, final update: when I was finally taken off hold from fauna rescue sa, the lady told me that the nearest lizard carer lived "several hours away" and was unable to make it that night. she also stated that with those kind of injuries (protruding intestines, puncture wounds and spinal damage, It is very rare for lizards to survive that. and the best option for future reference would be to immediately ring a local vet as they deal with wildlife free of charge, even it is a matter of humanely placing the lizard to sleep. after I checked her when I had finished being on hold she had sadly passed away despite our attempts with rest, bathing wounds and bandages.


cheers, Heath Loxton. :)
 
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