Lump/Mass in mouth

Status
Not open for further replies.

Poxinabox

Member
Hello, everyone, me again - and an issue with Anachronos once more.

Anachronos developed a relatively sudden mass at the tip of his bottom inner jaw about a month ago. I only noticed it because it was deep red; I thought he was bleeding! I panicked and scheduled a vet visit right away. Unfortunately my regular vet was on vacation so I saw a new person, but after examining him and asking a bunch of questions said it might not be anything to worry about, and only to return if it got bigger.

Since then I've been watching it, and noticing a few things.

- The mass is a fairly stable size at about 5 or 6 millimeters in diameter
- It started blood-red but the next day at the Vet it was a mild pink fleshy mass. Most days I notice it as red; on occasion it goes pink again.
- He has a voracious appetite, and while he's usually good for eating his veggies he's been an absolute pig for bugs since that visit
- Previous pictures I have of him show his tongue to be occupying that spot, which he now no longer does; his tongue is placed behind the mass, and while I can't say if he's uncomfortable with it, he still basks and regulates normally
- He won't let me touch it, but I can't tell if that's just a regular aversion to me sticking my finger in his mouth since I don't generally do that. He has no problem eating all his favourite foods, however.
- He's been in good observable health lately except for a persistent watery-eye infection in his right eye, which despite antibiotic drops has not gotten better but hasn't gotten worse in a couple months but is prominent enough to have partly hindered his vision in that eye

The real kicker for today was that when I took him out in the sun and he finally started regulating, I noticed a new development: little black spots over the mass. I went to take a picture but he closed his mouth and wouldn't open it for me again. I don't know if it's food bits (didn't look like it) or something much worse. Anyone have any ideas what this could be? I have a vet visit planned next week because of it.

Obligatory specs: 40gal tank, T5HO UVA/UVB, outdoor sunshine time when available, basking spot of 93-97 degrees, fresh veggies daily from the prescribed list, superworms as the main bug (he's not fond of hunting crickets any more - too small, and too fast!), with Hornworms or Butterworms as treats.

full


full
 

Poxinabox

Member
Original Poster
Actually, quick update, just went to get another look at him and do more investigations, and the black spots aren't there anymore. It, uh, may have been bits of poop from a spot I didn't catch in time to clean.

The mass is still a concern of mine, though, and I still want to go to the vet, but any info would be greatly appreciated!
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

I don't think it is a tumor but some type of fleshy growth, or maybe an injury? Could an insect
have bitten him possibly & it has gotten irritated?
I have had some experience with mouth issues to some extent. I personally would consider
getting it biopsied to be sure it isn't cancerous, & maybe even get it removed. It is in a spot to
where it might start aggravating him some & it might be causing some pain for him, but it's hard
to tell.
For now, you can keep an eye on it to be sure it doesn't get any larger & continue to monitor it.

Tracie
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
I agree it looks like it's irritated and swelling up. A biopsy probably isn't a bad idea. Given the location it appears to be where a sharp lower front tooth is for some of them. If the area has just started to swell like that recently it could be from a wound of some kind. It might be worthwhile to pick up some topical cleanser like MaxiGuard gel to use for cleaning the area. It's important to keep it from getting infected if it's a wound rather than a growth. It's a good sign that he is still eating well. That tells me that it isn't bothering him *that* much. Major mouth injuries or infections can result in lack of appetite due to discomfort.
 

Poxinabox

Member
Original Poster
Sorry about the delay in update, the vet visit was postponed until this past Tuesday. We have no information on his eye; tyre vet wants me to see an animal opthamologist she knows, whose consultation will be $200 that I could only barely afford at this point (to say nothing of how much the prescribed treatment will run me). The fleshy mass on the other hand was run by a series of specialists, only one of whom responded to my vet by saying he had no idea what it was but wanted a blood test and a biopsy, both of which will cost $$$. Just the testing alone will put me out around $1K, and I just can't afford it.

I'm hoping, like his mystery bump on his leg when he was younger that went away on its own, that the mass is benign and he'll get past it. The eye infection doesn't seemto ne that kind of issue, so I'm hooped either way, but I'll keep you posted as I slowly plod along. Hopefully he'll last long enough for me to save the money needed.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

How is your boy doing?
I am sorry that is so expensive, it's frustrating that they can't cut people a break on things
like that.
The fleshy mass will hopefully go down especially if it's maybe just trauma from some type
of injury from an insect. Are you keeping it cleaned out daily with a diluted betadine to help
out? You can also try using a raw, unpasteurized or manuka honey to help ward off any
bacteria, etc.
Has it gotten any better thus far?
Let us know how things are going with him!

Tracie
 

Poxinabox

Member
Original Poster
Hi Tracie,

He's doing just as well as usual. No real change in behaviour, nor in the lump, except that for the first time since his brumation he refused hornworm and butterworm treats. Mind you, this is about the time he started brumation last year, and the female is already into hers so he just might be that way. He's not lost any weight at all, and is just as alert out of his left eye as he's always been.

I'm saving up to treat his eye first, since blindness will affect his eating but I'm going to have to go step by step. Between my new baby daughter and the sudden medical expenses for myself, my income just doesn't cover this much stuff at once.

I can try putting raw honey on the lump in the meantime; it hasn't become worse at all and still doesn't impede his eating or apparent comfort.

I'll keep you posted.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

That sounds perfectly reasonable to me. It seems that it isn't affecting him & since it isn't
growing larger right now then you can focus on other things. Getting the eye taken care of
first is definitely important.
The raw honey is something easy you can try & keep on hand for pretty much anything.
Our male has always started going into brumation or tries to against my wishes....in May
to Jun/July time frame. Darn lizards, they definitely have a mind of their own, don't they?
I hope everything goes more smoothly, things can get rough! Let us know how things are
coming along for you & your crew.

Tracie
 

Poxinabox

Member
Original Poster
Hi again, Tracie,

Just a quick update on the honey: he was absolutely PISSED when I got some in his mouth. I don't know if its the flavour or what, but he's had it before when we were troubleshooting his gums (before it was positively identified as plaque) but this time he went absolutely ballistic in his tank when I got it on him. I'll try again tonight, but I'm a little wary since he was so spastic he was on the verge of hurting himself.

I have no idea what would have caused such a protest.

-J
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
That's odd, they usually enjoy the sweetness of honey. You might also try some MaxiGuard gel. I can't say that you'll have better results in regards to his reaction, but it's another product that is good for oral cleansing and may be worth a shot.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Wow, he had such an adverse reaction to that! LOL
I wonder why, do you think that it hurt him, because it shouldn't have. Did you use raw honey
or manuka honey?
You could try thinning it out some if you can with warm water to see if that helps. I am pretty
surprised, it should taste pretty good to him!

Tracie
 

Poxinabox

Member
Original Poster
So to continue on updating, three times he's had honey and three times he's been completely weirded out by it. It's raw, unpasteurized honey from my local health food store, not manuka.

Having watched it for quite some time now, I can safely say that it does get irritated with action. When he has a good amount to eat (especially his bugs) it gets more red and it looks swollen, though it doesn't actually grow in size. On days that he doesn't eat his bugs and has little, if any greens, it 'shrivels' into a pale pink-with-purple-spots brain-looking mass that honestly just looks like an 'old' injury.

He has an appointment with the ophthalmologist June 5th to determine the issue with his eye. After that and the subsequent prescribed treatment we'll see how fast my finances regenerate so that we can remove this lump.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

That is very plausible since it really hasn't gotten bigger, etc that it's from some type of injury. A
bug may have pinched him & it didn't show up right away.
That is odd he doesn't care for the honey. As suggested, you could look into trying the maxiguard
for oral care which is usually well tolerated.
Is his eye doing better yet, is he using his eye normally?
I know, things are really expensive. Anytime there is any type of procedure, it runs the prices way
up.
I'm glad to hear he is doing well overall. Sorry he doesn't care for the honey though!
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie
 

Poxinabox

Member
Original Poster
Update: Anachronos had his visit with the animal ophthalmologist and they determined that while he's definitely favouring the eye she could see no issue that would point to the retina being anything less than healthy and what it should be looking like. She determined that whatever is causing him to lose sight in his eye and cause him to keep it closed isn't a problem with the eye itself, but more likely something behind the eye. The even better news is that she was very empathetic and, citing that she wasn't actually doing much more than examining him and could not see doing anything on her side of things to make them better, waived the fee so it didn't cost anything. Best of all is that she personally phoned the supposed top reptile person in the province and despite my trying to get my lizards in to see them earlier (they said they weren't taking any new patients), that he would waive the restriction himself and accommodate Anachronos & me.

On the bump on the mouth thing, Anachronos has begun brumating and effectively stopped eating much of anything the past couple of weeks and when I opened his mouth to show the vet the lump had reduced in size. While that's great news, I was still kind of hoping to get an answer to what it actually was before it recedes entirely.

Anyway, eye prognosis is still in the air, but lump on mouth seeeeeeeeems to be getting better.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

Forum statistics

Threads
155,899
Messages
1,255,684
Members
75,965
Latest member
williamyoung
Top Bottom