Multiple shed layers will not come off

My bearded dragon's tail keeps retaining some of its shed. I have tried giving it baths and using this shedding spray on it and nothing has worked. Any one have any suggestions on what I can do?

Hi. That looks like a growth of some sort. Is it soft or hard?

It is hard. It gets bigger after every shed which makes me think it is just more skin being piled onto each other.

I think it's some kind of abscess or cancer or a parasite of some kind, you need to have an experienced REPTILE VET examine the dragon, and at the vet least take a biopsy to determine exactly what it is and come up with treatment plan - I strongly suspect the growth will need to be surgically excised and the flesh adjacent debrided.

It's good that it appears very localized.

I've been to the vet and checked for parasites. The vet said it was just layers of skin. But I've tried everything to get it off and nothing is working.

There are more than a few layers of old skin there for it to be so big....did the vet take xrays and biopsy ?

I asked as it looks like perhaps a bot fly lava , and only because I saw a program about scientist who discovered he had one and who let it stay on / in him to study it.
Info : http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/flies/human_bot_fly.htm , if it is , it appears very advanced , and close to pupation (the maggot crawls out of the hole it's made and drops to the grown where it will want to burrow down to pupate).
My understanding is they produce enzymes that act as an anesthetic and antibiotics to keep the wound from becoming infected by viruses and bacteria.

If it's botfly maggot causing this I'd let nature take it's course if it's not worrying the dragon , and seek out vet treatment when the maggot leaves to ensure the vacated "growth" doesn't become infected.

I do not believe that it is any maggot. She has had this growing on her for over a year. I just wanted to know if any of you have advice on how to get the skin off. I can say with almost certainty this is just many layers of skin.

Tyllanth":2j0n0nlc said:

I do not believe that it is any maggot. She has had this growing on her for over a year. I just wanted to know if any of you have advice on how to get the skin off. I can say with almost certainty this is just many layers of skin.

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Get an xray of the growth .... only way to know and find a new reptile vet who actually knows what he's talking about too.