Dragon Tail half crushed
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traildrifterphalanx
Sub-Adult Member
What crushed the dragon's tail? Are you able to provide photos? I assume we're talking a water dragon and not a bearded dragon.
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/
Depending on the severity, you may be looking at a broken tail (you mentioned it's "hanging on") and I believe regardless a vet visit is in order. They may have to look at an amputation above the wound, but that is not my call to make as I have not seen the injury. If this goes untreated and an infection develops, you will have more than just an injured tail to deal with
Please have your dragon seen by an experienced herp vet
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/
Depending on the severity, you may be looking at a broken tail (you mentioned it's "hanging on") and I believe regardless a vet visit is in order. They may have to look at an amputation above the wound, but that is not my call to make as I have not seen the injury. If this goes untreated and an infection develops, you will have more than just an injured tail to deal with
Please have your dragon seen by an experienced herp vet
The wound is a bit bigger than what the image appeared to be. I tried to make a cast btw from bandaged. Currently the water dragon is sitting still in its favourite spot.
Also this isn't the first time my lizard lost its tail unfortunately. It was a clean cut last time. I sprayed the wound with bantenide and covered it with bandaged. I doubt my water dragon would get infected if I leave the tail on. It's cage is as clean as my room. I'm just wondering if a water dragons tail could heal itself after a trauma like that
traildrifterphalanx
Sub-Adult Member
I don't know too much about water dragons, unfortunately, but the general thing I'm seeing is they would not regenerate a tail if lost.
I have no doubt on the cleanliness of the enclosure, but the smallest things can cause an infection is my only concern.
I'd still recommend a reptile vet as the extent of the damage can be more than what is seen, depending on how badly it was crushed. Unfortunately the photo did not clear too much up for me. There could be internal swelling or an infection that could spread.
For the time being, you could apply raw honey to the wound (table honey is heated and destroys any/all healing properties it has, must be raw/untreated honey) to stave off an infection and continue to bandage the area to keep it clean. Reptiles do not heal like mammals do, so best case scenario is the scales around the area die and may end up with the tail falling off, hopefully in a clean/healed way.
I have no doubt on the cleanliness of the enclosure, but the smallest things can cause an infection is my only concern.
I'd still recommend a reptile vet as the extent of the damage can be more than what is seen, depending on how badly it was crushed. Unfortunately the photo did not clear too much up for me. There could be internal swelling or an infection that could spread.
For the time being, you could apply raw honey to the wound (table honey is heated and destroys any/all healing properties it has, must be raw/untreated honey) to stave off an infection and continue to bandage the area to keep it clean. Reptiles do not heal like mammals do, so best case scenario is the scales around the area die and may end up with the tail falling off, hopefully in a clean/healed way.
traildrifterphalanx
Sub-Adult Member
Here's an article regarding tail rot
http://www.everythingreptile.org/tail-rot.html
Basically, tail rot implies the tail is necrotic(dead) and sometimes this rot will travel up the tail or limbs, depending on where it is located. It is highly advised a specialized reptile vet see the wound and make the call if an amputation is needed to stop the spread of rot/infection or if other treatment is required.
http://www.everythingreptile.org/tail-rot.html
Basically, tail rot implies the tail is necrotic(dead) and sometimes this rot will travel up the tail or limbs, depending on where it is located. It is highly advised a specialized reptile vet see the wound and make the call if an amputation is needed to stop the spread of rot/infection or if other treatment is required.
A photo of the entire tail/entire body is necessary here to access whether it's infected, and whether it may be spreading. IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE HOW CLEAN HIS TANK IS, BACTERIA LIVE EVERYWHERE AND A WOUND THAT SEVERE IS A BREEDING GROUND FOR INFECTIONS, ESPECIALLY IF THE BONE IS AT ALL EXPOSED AND/OR WAS FRACTURED!
Any injury that results in an open wound AND a damaged underlying bone REQUIRES A CERTIFIED REPTILE VET IMMEDIATELY!!! Had you taken him when it happened they would have not only cleaned, debrided, and dressed the wound (and possibly either set the tail bone or amputated above the wound/fracture), but they would have most likely given him antibiotic injections AND put him on oral antibiotics as a precaution. And the reason they do this is because a lizard's tank is a breeding ground for infections, regardless of how clean it is kept!
Forgetting that this has happened before to the same lizard (that's upsetting and suspicious), he's in a lot of pain even if he isn't outwardly acting like it in your opinion. Any time a bone is damaged or broken it is extremely painful to any living creature. So he also needs some prescription pain meds from a veterinarian in addition to the antibiotics. Even if you think you can treat a serious wound/fracture by yourself with a makeshift cast, you need to think about the pain he has been in since it happened. And if that doesn't get you to take him to a certified Reptile vet ASAP, then the extreme likelihood of "Tail Rot"/Necrosis/Sepsis should be getting you in the car with him right now!
"Tail Rot" is a general term, not an actual disease in and of itself. To sum it up for you, the tails of lizards commonly become infected as a result from either a serious injury, such as this example, stuck shed, etc. because #1 their environments are perfect for bacteria to thrive, and #2 because the blood supply to their tails is not great, therefore their tails don't heal quickly or efficiently die to a lack of white blood cells, platelets, etc. getting to the area, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS BONE DAMAGE INVOLVEMENT, AS THERE IS A BLOOD SUPPLY INSIDE THE BONE THAT WILL CARRY THE BACTERIAL INFECTION UPWARDS! As a result of a bacterial infection setting in, the tissue BELOW the wound dies, or becomes NECROTIC. Any blackening of the tissue is NECROTIC, or dead tissue. If the lizard doesn't get aggressive antibiotic treatment with the APPROPRIATE ANTIBIOTICS (an experienced reptile vet will do a Culture and Sensitivity to diagnose the type of bacteria and which antibiotic will work to kill it), the infection will travel UP THE TAIL, TOWARDS THE BODY. The necrosis, or tissue death, will spread UPWARDS TOWARDS THE BODY as well, killing all of the tissue along its way. If the lizard still doesn't receive proper treatment with antibiotics and amputation above the NECROTIC tissue/bone line, the infection then spreads into the lizard's bloodstream. This is called Sepsis, or a Systemic Septic Infection. At this point it's extremely difficult to treat the Infection, and typically the lizard dies a horrible, painful death. Now, in your lizard's situation, where there is exposed, damaged bone, the Infection will spread up towards the body and into the bloodstream much more quickly, because the bone has its own blood supply, and the bone will become NECROTIC and die right along with the tissue. So to sum this all up, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR WATER DRAGON TO A CERTIFIED REPTILE VET IMMEDIATELY, LIKE YESTERDAY. NOT BECAUSE THE TAIL MIGHT BE FRACTURED, NOT BECAUSE IT MIGHT NOT GROW BACK, BUT BECAUSE EVERY HOUR THAT GOES BY WITHOUT GETTING HIM ON APPROPRIATE ORAL ANTIBIOTICS AND MOST LIKELY ANTIBIOTICS BY IM INJECTIONS AND AN AMPUTATION ABOVE THE WOUND, YOU'RE MAKING HIS TAIL MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO TREAT.
Trust me, you'll end up spending a hell of a lot more money if you wait to get him to an experienced reptile vet any longer. Typically what I see in this situation is the owner refusing to take the lizard to a Herp Vet because they don't want to pay for it, so they use Betadine and Raw Honey and Neosporin and Colloidal Silver etc. and they think they're fine because the lizard is still eating and acting normally. Then one day the lizard stops eating, stops moving and becomes extremely lethargic, and they start trying to force feed it and they still refuse to take it to a Herp Vet. Then they finally break down for one reason or another and they finally take the lizard to a reptile vet, and what would have been a bill for an office visit, an antibiotic injection, a round of oral antibiotics, oral pain meds, and possibly a small amputation that amounts to between $100-$200 is now well over $1,000 because the lizard has to stay in the hospital for tube feedings, subcutaneous fluid injections, IV antibiotics, treatment in an oxygenated brooder, and actual serious surgery to remove the entire tail along with tissue in the lower abdominal area. And over 50% of the time at this point THE LIZARD DIES ANYWAY! Happens ALL THE TIME! I'm tire of seeing it, so I'm not pulling any punches anymore. What I just wrote can be verified by searching for "Tail Rot" or "Broken Tail" and reading the hundreds of posts that I just summarized. It's so preventable, not expensive if you just act like a responsible pet owner and take him to an experienced reptile vet now rather than later.
Take your pet to the reptile vet immediately. Stop playing doctor and do the responsible thing. If you or your human child had this same thing happen to a finger, toe, hand, foot, etc. you'd be in the ER within the hour, if for no other reason than the pain. You need to think about that.
Any injury that results in an open wound AND a damaged underlying bone REQUIRES A CERTIFIED REPTILE VET IMMEDIATELY!!! Had you taken him when it happened they would have not only cleaned, debrided, and dressed the wound (and possibly either set the tail bone or amputated above the wound/fracture), but they would have most likely given him antibiotic injections AND put him on oral antibiotics as a precaution. And the reason they do this is because a lizard's tank is a breeding ground for infections, regardless of how clean it is kept!
Forgetting that this has happened before to the same lizard (that's upsetting and suspicious), he's in a lot of pain even if he isn't outwardly acting like it in your opinion. Any time a bone is damaged or broken it is extremely painful to any living creature. So he also needs some prescription pain meds from a veterinarian in addition to the antibiotics. Even if you think you can treat a serious wound/fracture by yourself with a makeshift cast, you need to think about the pain he has been in since it happened. And if that doesn't get you to take him to a certified Reptile vet ASAP, then the extreme likelihood of "Tail Rot"/Necrosis/Sepsis should be getting you in the car with him right now!
"Tail Rot" is a general term, not an actual disease in and of itself. To sum it up for you, the tails of lizards commonly become infected as a result from either a serious injury, such as this example, stuck shed, etc. because #1 their environments are perfect for bacteria to thrive, and #2 because the blood supply to their tails is not great, therefore their tails don't heal quickly or efficiently die to a lack of white blood cells, platelets, etc. getting to the area, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS BONE DAMAGE INVOLVEMENT, AS THERE IS A BLOOD SUPPLY INSIDE THE BONE THAT WILL CARRY THE BACTERIAL INFECTION UPWARDS! As a result of a bacterial infection setting in, the tissue BELOW the wound dies, or becomes NECROTIC. Any blackening of the tissue is NECROTIC, or dead tissue. If the lizard doesn't get aggressive antibiotic treatment with the APPROPRIATE ANTIBIOTICS (an experienced reptile vet will do a Culture and Sensitivity to diagnose the type of bacteria and which antibiotic will work to kill it), the infection will travel UP THE TAIL, TOWARDS THE BODY. The necrosis, or tissue death, will spread UPWARDS TOWARDS THE BODY as well, killing all of the tissue along its way. If the lizard still doesn't receive proper treatment with antibiotics and amputation above the NECROTIC tissue/bone line, the infection then spreads into the lizard's bloodstream. This is called Sepsis, or a Systemic Septic Infection. At this point it's extremely difficult to treat the Infection, and typically the lizard dies a horrible, painful death. Now, in your lizard's situation, where there is exposed, damaged bone, the Infection will spread up towards the body and into the bloodstream much more quickly, because the bone has its own blood supply, and the bone will become NECROTIC and die right along with the tissue. So to sum this all up, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR WATER DRAGON TO A CERTIFIED REPTILE VET IMMEDIATELY, LIKE YESTERDAY. NOT BECAUSE THE TAIL MIGHT BE FRACTURED, NOT BECAUSE IT MIGHT NOT GROW BACK, BUT BECAUSE EVERY HOUR THAT GOES BY WITHOUT GETTING HIM ON APPROPRIATE ORAL ANTIBIOTICS AND MOST LIKELY ANTIBIOTICS BY IM INJECTIONS AND AN AMPUTATION ABOVE THE WOUND, YOU'RE MAKING HIS TAIL MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO TREAT.
Trust me, you'll end up spending a hell of a lot more money if you wait to get him to an experienced reptile vet any longer. Typically what I see in this situation is the owner refusing to take the lizard to a Herp Vet because they don't want to pay for it, so they use Betadine and Raw Honey and Neosporin and Colloidal Silver etc. and they think they're fine because the lizard is still eating and acting normally. Then one day the lizard stops eating, stops moving and becomes extremely lethargic, and they start trying to force feed it and they still refuse to take it to a Herp Vet. Then they finally break down for one reason or another and they finally take the lizard to a reptile vet, and what would have been a bill for an office visit, an antibiotic injection, a round of oral antibiotics, oral pain meds, and possibly a small amputation that amounts to between $100-$200 is now well over $1,000 because the lizard has to stay in the hospital for tube feedings, subcutaneous fluid injections, IV antibiotics, treatment in an oxygenated brooder, and actual serious surgery to remove the entire tail along with tissue in the lower abdominal area. And over 50% of the time at this point THE LIZARD DIES ANYWAY! Happens ALL THE TIME! I'm tire of seeing it, so I'm not pulling any punches anymore. What I just wrote can be verified by searching for "Tail Rot" or "Broken Tail" and reading the hundreds of posts that I just summarized. It's so preventable, not expensive if you just act like a responsible pet owner and take him to an experienced reptile vet now rather than later.
Take your pet to the reptile vet immediately. Stop playing doctor and do the responsible thing. If you or your human child had this same thing happen to a finger, toe, hand, foot, etc. you'd be in the ER within the hour, if for no other reason than the pain. You need to think about that.
This isn't too help but this is just to give some background on my lizard.
This is her cage with some safety changes (her tail got stuck between the door)
This is where she is currently. She was originally on the other side of the wookie coat but I switched her around for the photo. She's not too happy today because of what happened to her tail
This is her cage with some safety changes (her tail got stuck between the door)
This is where she is currently. She was originally on the other side of the wookie coat but I switched her around for the photo. She's not too happy today because of what happened to her tail
kingofnobbys
BD.org Sicko
You need to keep your (Asian) water dragon in a dry tank while this injury is healing , irrespective of whether you get it seen to by an experienced reptile (HERP) vet or try to heal the soft-tissue injuries yourself (incredibly unwise if you don't involve a good HERP VET)..
No more swimming and soaking in her water pond for a while as this will be a perfect medium for germs. \\
FROM NOW and after the vet has seem her injured tail , unless the vet tells you otherwise :
Daily soaks in dilute betadiene for the tail (about 20mins) to help kill of any biofilm forming on the tail at the injury and near it.
Even better if she will sit still long enough , get hold of a wound care kit
http://www.brightsky.com.au/BrightSkyProducts/SageDressingPackBasic.aspx
, and a 10ml syringe and drawing up needle (blunt steel needle) , make up 1/4 strength betadiene (in sterile saline or boiled water) , soak a gaus surgical swab with this and place the soaked swab around the injury (let it sit there for 15 mins ,do this daily) and then wrap the injury site with a piece of INADINE or
http://www.brightsky.com.au/BrightSkyProducts/InadineNon-AdherentPVPIodineDressing1.aspx
held in place a piece of Atraumen soaked in Betadiene or raw honey or both
http://www.brightsky.com.au/BrightSkyProducts/AtraumanNon-AdhesiveTulleDressing.aspx
with a piece surgical paper tape (low strength adhesive)
I would definitely be keeping him a large tote (plastic storage tub) and on clean (replaced every day AT LEAST) paper toweling until the skin has healed , this may take several months.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO GET HIM IN TO SEE A GOOD HERP / REPTILE VET AS A MATTER OF URGENCY , the tail needs to be
>>> xrayed
>>> the injury cleaned and sterilized
>>> stitches may be called for
>>> a partial amputation may be needed of the blood flow past the injury has been cut or severely compromised (you risk not only having tail rot / gang-green setting in but also a lifethreatening systemic infection)
>>> to have injury properly dressed
>>> to have him started on pain relief (he'll be in agony) and to start him on antibiotics to help fight any infection.
I do not think home treatment is going to be even remotely adequate.
No more swimming and soaking in her water pond for a while as this will be a perfect medium for germs. \\
FROM NOW and after the vet has seem her injured tail , unless the vet tells you otherwise :
Daily soaks in dilute betadiene for the tail (about 20mins) to help kill of any biofilm forming on the tail at the injury and near it.
Even better if she will sit still long enough , get hold of a wound care kit
http://www.brightsky.com.au/BrightSkyProducts/SageDressingPackBasic.aspx
, and a 10ml syringe and drawing up needle (blunt steel needle) , make up 1/4 strength betadiene (in sterile saline or boiled water) , soak a gaus surgical swab with this and place the soaked swab around the injury (let it sit there for 15 mins ,do this daily) and then wrap the injury site with a piece of INADINE or
http://www.brightsky.com.au/BrightSkyProducts/InadineNon-AdherentPVPIodineDressing1.aspx
held in place a piece of Atraumen soaked in Betadiene or raw honey or both
http://www.brightsky.com.au/BrightSkyProducts/AtraumanNon-AdhesiveTulleDressing.aspx
with a piece surgical paper tape (low strength adhesive)
I would definitely be keeping him a large tote (plastic storage tub) and on clean (replaced every day AT LEAST) paper toweling until the skin has healed , this may take several months.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO GET HIM IN TO SEE A GOOD HERP / REPTILE VET AS A MATTER OF URGENCY , the tail needs to be
>>> xrayed
>>> the injury cleaned and sterilized
>>> stitches may be called for
>>> a partial amputation may be needed of the blood flow past the injury has been cut or severely compromised (you risk not only having tail rot / gang-green setting in but also a lifethreatening systemic infection)
>>> to have injury properly dressed
>>> to have him started on pain relief (he'll be in agony) and to start him on antibiotics to help fight any infection.
I do not think home treatment is going to be even remotely adequate.
kingofnobbys
BD.org Sicko
AdrianHo":14dbruqd said:This isn't too help but this is just to give some background on my lizard.
This is her cage with some safety changes (her tail got stuck between the door)
This is where she is currently. She was originally on the other side of the wookie coat but I switched her around for the photo. She's not too happy today because of what happened to her tail
<<< I observed she has a red coloured (basking light) .... this is NOT APPROPRIATE for a water dragon ( ie Asian , Australian Eastern , or Australian Gippsland Water Dragon). I STRONGLY RECOMMEND replacing the red globe with either an MVB or a par38 clear colourless incandescent spot globe).
I do not see any UV unless it's in a dome and is a CFB , my understanding is waterdragon require AT LEAST 5% UVB, I'd be upgrading to a 10% T5 in a reflector hood , as she's going to need the extra UVB to help her heal and regenerate new soft tissues and repair any breaks in the tail bones.
You can search Amazon but I found Dr Fosters online pet supplies are shipped fast,and packaged very well nothing broken. I got my light fixture for $60 and uvb 10.0 for $21
http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=25696
http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=25696
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