Found out what those scabs meant

[NightRaysMoon]

I posted a wholesome photo of Dio on reddit (r/BeardedDragons) and the next day I got a comment from someone who noticed he had mouth rot (timeline is January 2nd and 3rd). They said the scabbed lips and sleeping during the day are signs of it. Back when I did my original thread here on his lips we sort of shrugged it off. Along with the scabs, his mouth kind of pale/yellow and the gums are fragile.
Dio has an appointment on Saturday. I feel pretty guilty for not getting him help sooner, as this infection was present when we got him from the previous owners. This mouth rot has caused eating problems to the point he needs to be assist fed his fruits and veggies.

If there is anything that I need to get or do, I'd be happy to hear them.

 

[MissCutiePatootie]

Hey NightRaysMoon

I just dealt with a mild case of mouth rot in my beardie recently. I'd be careful of what antibiotics the vet prescribe as it can cause issues sometimes. Like with my boy (who already has a neurological issue) was prescribed Ceftazidime. After a couple weeks of this he started flipping over on his back and I was unable to leave his side because of it until he improved. Which he did after a couple days of his last dose.

Some people use manuka honey on the mouth to treat mouth rot but I disagree with this because honey is way too high in sugar even with it's benefits. But if you feel it's a good option for your guy then by all means! Definitely safer than some antibiotics.

Instead of honey I had got myself some MaxiGuard off amazon and put a little on a qtip and swab his teeth on both sides and try to get the upper teeth as well. It seems to be doing the trick for him.

As for assist feeding, take care with how much sweet stuff you give. They do better on bitter leafy greens. My boy doesn't eat on his own for the last couple of years so I've had to assist feed via syringe. If your boy is allowing you to slip food into his mouth, try some endive. I find that endive is firm enough that it's easier to slip in than a soft leaf. Sometimes I even dip a 1/4 inch sliver of endive into some butternut squash baby food and feed it to my dragon for the extra nutrients. You can get creative. Just try to get creative with foods that are good for them.

 

[AHBD]

I just looked through your posts and saw the pics from October and yeah, that was clearly mouth rot back then and a poster suggested a vet visit. Poor Dio, hopefully the infection hasn't spread too much and he can be successfully treated. BTW, raw honey on the scabbed lips is always helpful, it's easy to think that the sugar content in raw honey is bad but it's not the same as regular sugar. Best wishes to Dio for successful treatment !

 

[Claudiusx]

Yes, Definitely mouth rot, I don't know how we didn't see your thread but like was mentioned, another poster did recommend having a vet look at it.

As long as you are using raw unpasteurized honey (the honey with all the good stuff in it still) it is actually beneficial for teeth and gum health. Here is a dental website that actually specifically mentions using honey to treat gum infections, and to prevent cavities.
https://mypenndentist.org/2017/02/27/health-benefits-of-honey/

Dextran is a polysaccaride that bacteria produce in order to attach onto the teeth. Research from Dr. Peter C. Molan of the University of Waikato, New Zealand, showed that certain types of honey are helpful in preventing cavities because of their antimocrobial potency. You can place honey directly on the site of inflammation or infection in the mouth. The antibacterial properties of the honey will effect the flushing of the bad bacteria.

So while sugar can affect gum and tooth health in a negative way, it's not an issue when using raw unpasteurized honey.

You can use what MissCutie suggested though, both work. But the honey will also help the wounds heal alongside killing the bacteria like the Maxiguard does.

Or of course, you can use what your vet recommends. You have some options

-Brandon

 

[NightRaysMoon]

Thank you for all the help.
We just to him/them to the vet and he/they has more issues and now a slow race against the clock to save him/them. Also apparently Dio might be a girl. Actually they are 90% certain Dio is a girl.
The first words I hear about Dio is “A very sick little bearded dragon” which was startling. We got medicine and special food from the vet. She is pretty skinny and possibly underweight, the tail rot 100% confirmed, dehydrated, lacking vitamin A, and some other issues. Also yeah the heated rock is going to be removed. He/She can’t climb anything that cause him/her to fall in the enclosure for now so no high up basking or hammock. The mouth rot seems to still be high up for debate even for the vet, but Dio also has stuck shed on the lips. I’m getting a long boi UVB by Arcadia, plus a ceramic heat lamp.
This’ll be a very long process and I will need a lot of help to get him/her through this.

 

[AHBD]

Oh no, Dio has a tail problem as well ? Can you post pics ? And this is how to sex them, scroll down in this link a short way to the pics :

https://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/sexing/

 

[NightRaysMoon]

So I looked at the linked thread on how to sex a beardie and yep Dio is a girl. I'm pretty sure you saw Dio's tail rot but here the link to the thread and an image anyways https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=257915

I was thinking to possibly rename her to Dolly, named after Dolly Parton in reference to the song Jolene. Although Dio is a pretty awesome name.
Also technically KarrieRee was right about the "dying" part, kind of. Although lighting wasn't the lethal part of the issue and turns out Dio requires warmth throughout the nights. :/