Beardie 1.5 years old lump under jaw

Our Pumpkin has been very healthy and still is eating and piping normally but has recently developed a dime sized palpable lump on the exterior/underside of his jaw. He is in a 40 gallon long tank with a carpet. We have UVA/heat and UVB. I had brought him to the lizard specialist vet a few months ago before Christmas because he was not eating as much...realized later definitely a little brunation. The vet did his labs and they were great. The vet said he looked healthy and alert and saw no health issues. I added more lighting UVA heat lights to bring up the warm side of tank to 101+. We also use a small blue heat light for added warmth at night. I am wondering if I should switch to ceramic. I am also thinking I should switch the UVB to a hood light so he is getting more UVB across the whole tank. The UVB is a spotlight. Years ago when I had my iguana I had a hood. We feed him collards, grated carrot, zucchini, yellow squash, dandelion greens, sometimes I bake acorn squash which he loves. I sprinkle his veggies with a bit of calcium and soak Beardie pellets and sprinkle that on his greens daily. I give him crickets daily and a hornworm 2-3 times a month. He is a good eater. I have a vet appointment in Tuesday but I am hoping to shed some light on this swelling under his mouth. We opened his mouth with a popsicle stick and the inside looks good, no exude or pus. Clean. The lump looks like it is on the exterior. I am careful to remove any crickets he doesn't eat but occasionally there is an escapee. Could it be a cricket bite? I am worried about him...I try so hard to take good care of him. All veggies are organic. We take him out daily and he loves to watch his beardie TV in the sunny window. Any suggestions or thoughts? ‪ http://s50.photobucket.com/user/Glamamama1/library/?src=pb‬

Hello,

If you could post some pics that would be helpful, so we could see the lump.
How long has the lump been there?
Is it hard or soft?
It could be a cricket bite that got infected somehow. It is probably either an abscess or cyst but you could get him to the vet to have them drain it or try aspirate any fluids out of it.
Does it seem to bother him?

Tracie

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I added pics...it is very early kinda dark. FYI he has a 50 gal breeder tank with a proper UVA/UVB heat and cool area. I took him out to take pics and he is sleepy because he just work up.

Drache613":1olvcyvy said:

Hello,

If you could post some pics that would be helpful, so we could see the lump.
How long has the lump been there?
Is it hard or soft?
It could be a cricket bite that got infected somehow. It is probably either an abscess or cyst but you could get him to the vet to have them drain it or try aspirate any fluids out of it.
Does it seem to bother him?

Tracie

Click to expand...

Hi there, could you get a few pics in better light ? And from a few angles ?

AHBD":z15i5565 said:

Hi there, could you get a few pics in better light ? And from a few angles ?

Click to expand...

The site is a little clunky with photos it let me upload last time no problem with my iPhone this time no. Hopefully these are better. The lump doesn't seem to bug him, he is strong and walks, runs and holds himself normally. He just ate a bazillion crickets and ran after them faster than a kid on wheels. If I touch it or run it he seems mostly unbothered. Eating and pooping normally.
‪

Nice photo shoot. It looks like regular jawline/beard structure that is within normal range. In those pics it looks the same on the other side from what I can see, is that so ?

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AHBD":1bhv3uha said:

Nice photo shoot. It looks like regular jawline/beard structure that is within normal range. In those pics it looks the same on the other side from what I can see, is that so ?

Click to expand...

So here is the area where there is a small dime sized lump that feels cyst-like. It is a new presentation...my guess is response to cricket bite but iDK.

I can see that it's raised there. And you're sure other side is not like that ? I doubt very much that it's a cricket bite, you'd usually see a red spot , not really swelling.

AHBD":1f5mccj0 said:

I can see that it's raised there. And you're sure other side is not like that ? I doubt very much that it's a cricket bite, you'd usually see a red spot , not really swelling.

Click to expand...

No it is palpable. Not there in other side. I don't know...I have seen in pop up with other beardies when I search but usually other issues and beardies were not cared for with good husbandry. I hope the vet will have some ideas, rats I know this is gonna be $$$. That lizard specialist charges through the nose but I don't want to ignore it if it is something correctable.

It may be some type of cyst or abscess, that can happen regardless of proper husbandry though. Best wishes that it's something easy to fix or might even g away on it's own.

AHBD":3rua2g4b said:

It may be some type of cyst or abscess, that can happen regardless of proper husbandry though. Best wishes that it's something easy to fix or might even g away on it's own.

Click to expand...

Yes that is my guess, it feels cyst like. My guess is that if it were abscess infection would be causing other issues. I will update when I get more answers Thank you!

Hello,

I can definitely see the lump, poor guy.
It is likely a cyst. Perhaps a scale got infected & caused infection underneath of a scale. It should be able to be drained though, pretty easily.
At least it doesn't seem to be affecting him or his appetite any.
Let us know how he is doing & what the vet said.

Tracie

Drache613":3w3n104s said:

Hello,

I can definitely see the lump, poor guy.
It is likely a cyst. Perhaps a scale got infected & caused infection underneath of a scale. It should be able to be drained though, pretty easily.
At least it doesn't seem to be affecting him or his appetite any.
Let us know how he is doing & what the vet said.

Tracie

Click to expand...

I don't know. We really take great care of him...I try to buy all organic fruits and veggies for him, crickets are from clean supplier...sanitary viv, baths a few times a week. Maybe infected scale is a possibility. Will update after vet.

Hello,

You can do everything right & things can still happen that are out of our control. I hope you can get it all taken care of for him.
Definitely let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

Saw the hero vet today. He looked at the cyst-like growth under his jaw and thought maybe cyst or abscess. I was not surprised because that had been my guess though I had waited to see his thoughts. He still eating and behaving normally and it doesn't seem to bother him. I don't want it to get worse though so...We started him on Baytril. He didn't like the injections but he was so good. They kept telling how adorable he was. Grammy is not looking forward to injecting him q5d with those other 4 syringes in his little tricep under the scale but I do what I have to do. I know he gave me the option for oral but he will get a more defined dose sub-q. Hoping he responds and the problem is eradicated or then he said maybe he tries to aspirate it to see what is in there. One step at a time. I will keep you updated.