Bearded Dragon Jaw Surgery?

[lexieviolet]

Hello All-

My 2 1/2 year old guy- Lizard Boy has had it rough the last several months. All the way back in June of 2019, I spotted a small lump underneath his jaw. Ever since he had that surgically opened he has had issues ever since. I was referred to a University Vet and we they said that he had an infection in his bone, they have done several CT scans and all of the medicine that we have tried haven't helped but also done any harm. Well now his mouth is swollen and he tries to eat but gives up. His aim is off. I have gotten him baby food which he likes and have been getting him to eat Nutrigrubs. The vets have always said jaw surgery may be an option but now it's looking like the only one left. He has been different antibiotics since June, which I know cannot be good. The surgery would involve removing part of the jaw which they said would hopefully take the infection right out. They said he would adapt and be able to eat just like normal.... I have two options try another different kind of antibiotic or do the surgery. I have tried googling partial jaw removal surgeries in Bearded dragons and have come up with nothing.... I am scared of course of the possible complications of surgery. Have any of you had a similar surgery done in your Bearded Dragons? If so what was the outcome and how was recovery?

Thank you to anyone who replies as I need to make this decision ASAP, as if I don't do the surgery this week I would have to wait another 2 weeks before the vet returns from a vacation.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Do you have any pictures we could see? It sounds like some type of abscess poor thing!
When are you considering surgery? That does seem like the most reasonable thing to do
in order to get it removed since the medication hasn't helped much.
Which antibiotic is he on or has he been on?
Just exactly how much of the lower jaw are they thinking of removing & would his jaw dexterity
be affected much? I would hope that he could still eat on his own. It isn't a real common type
of surgery but there have been a few cases such as that which have been successful.
Do you know what caused the initial growth, an injury of some sort?
My main concern is how much they want to remove & what recovery rate he will have. The area
would probably fill in some with scar tissue though.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Beardie ER

 

[lexieviolet]

Thank you so much for the response. I am needing to make up my mind whether to try another round of different antibiotics or to the surgery fairly quickly. The vet who performs surgeries is in this week but then gone for two weeks on vacation so for the surgery it's either now or wait 2 weeks, in which time he may get worse.

The first vet I went to in June thought it was an abscess so he opened him up to test the lump for cancer. After the result came back negative for cancer he determined it was scar tissue. Which is odd because he has had no trauma. He also tested the lump for infection which came back negative as well. But after another xray showed some lysis in the jaw bone near where I found the lump. At that point my original vet again tested for infection which this time came back positive. We have tried 4-5 antibiotics in the 9 months since then. I am at work at the moment so I can't remember all the names some oral daily and some shots that had to be given either every 3 days or every 10. My original vet didn't see any improvement so he referred us to the University vet. He had been absolutely fine as far as eating and drinking goes the past 9 months. He even weighed 840 grams and was told to that he's on the heavier side and could lose a little weight. I don't have any of the pictures the vet took as far as xray or ct scans on me. The University vet said the infection is in the bone so it takes even more time to see an improvement, but now we have been working with them so long and the infection hasn't gotten worse but it hasn't gotten better either. They always said if we wanted to see faster results to do the surgery in which they would take probably 1/3 or up to 2/3 of one side of his bottom jaw out. But the best solution would be for the antibiotics to clear the infection.The last time we took him which was Thursday the vet said swelling in his mouth has gotten worse and she thought his salivary gland may have been blocked so she expressed it which just clear liquid came out. A previous time she had done that puss came out. The next day I go to feed him superworms and he tries to aim for them multiple times and just gives up. He is able to lick up baby food and I am able to get him to lick up BSFL. Surgery is looking more like the only choice, they aren't telling me anything other than there can be complications and that he would learn to adapt, also he may get another infection by simply doing another surgery. I guess I just am so scared of the possible complications but he is a strong guy. The vet hasn't done this surgery before which I guess I understand because it's unique, but that doesn't help my concerns any. I guess I am asking what would you do if he was yours?

Sorry if my details are a little foggy- we have gone to a vet at least every 10 days for 9 months so the appointments get a little mixed together.

Hello,

Do you have any pictures we could see? It sounds like some type of abscess poor thing!
When are you considering surgery? That does seem like the most reasonable thing to do
in order to get it removed since the medication hasn't helped much.
Which antibiotic is he on or has he been on?
Just exactly how much of the lower jaw are they thinking of removing & would his jaw dexterity
be affected much? I would hope that he could still eat on his own. It isn't a real common type
of surgery but there have been a few cases such as that which have been successful.
Do you know what caused the initial growth, an injury of some sort?
My main concern is how much they want to remove & what recovery rate he will have. The area
would probably fill in some with scar tissue though.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

 

[AHBD]

Aw, that's so sad and such a difficult predicament to be in !! I'm not sure what I'd do, it seems like all the antibiotx have not done the trick and so the newest one may end up with the same result. Hard to say what I'd do but I'm leaning toward surgery if the dragon is in good condition. His ability to eat afterwards would be affected but once he recuped he might do well on soft foods only.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Wow that is just too bad this has happened. It sounds like a possibility of a salivary
gland that was infected previously might have caused some issues. This isn't a real common
problem but things like this do happen.
I agree with AHBD, if he is healthy otherwise, I would likely opt for the surgery too if they are
confident he would pull through surgery. He would just be able to eat soft foods but he could
still have a good life with you though.
Is he doing pretty well today?

Tracie