Growth inside beardie’s mouth

Spikerz

Member
Beardie name(s)
Spike
While lounging on the couch with my big guy (yes, he’s a bit of a chunkster), I noticed he had some sort of weird growth on the inside of his mouth. He let me take some pretty great pictures, so I’ll include those. His mouth seems to stay open a bit on the side, too, I assume because of the growth/swelling. I woke up on a Sunday to find he had dried blood in his mouth. I cleaned him up and got him into the vet on Monday. The vet, however, has never seen something like this and recommended “watching it” or putting him under for laser surgery and a biopsy. He was poking around, opening his mouth with a pen for a minute, and then took him to the back to try to see if he could use a needle to get some fluid out of the mass. When he got to the back, Spike had blood in his mouth and coming out of his nose. He explained that the blood in his mouth could come out of his nose, but I’m still worried. He cleaned him up and still managed to use a syringe on the mass but all he saw under the microscope was blood. The size did not go down at all, either. Does anyone know what this may be or a direction I can go with home treatment?

I’m really worried about him, and the vet was no help at all. I have another appointment with a different vet in two weeks, but they didn’t have anything sooner. I’m worried the mass is getting bigger, though I honestly don’t know for sure. He still drinks, eats bugs (has no appetite for fruits/veggies/greens), and moves around more than he was. You can definitely tell it’s uncomfortable for him though.

Spike was eating “sandwiches”, or greens with some pumpkin on them for a while but eventually lost the appetite for them and became incredibly lethargic; I’m not sure if it was brumaction, a reaction to moving houses, or both, but he just stopped eating and slept most of the day. Once the weather improved we found some superworms, he got his excitment back and is much more active. He’s alert more often than not, though continues to spend a lot of time in his cave.

I’m still planning to get him to another vet for a second opinion before going ahead with the surgery, as the tech mentioned multiple times that putting him under anesthesia is risky, but I’m hoping someone here may have some insight because it’s breaking my heart.
 

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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
While lounging on the couch with my big guy (yes, he’s a bit of a chunkster), I noticed he had some sort of weird growth on the inside of his mouth. He let me take some pretty great pictures, so I’ll include those. His mouth seems to stay open a bit on the side, too, I assume because of the growth/swelling. I woke up on a Sunday to find he had dried blood in his mouth. I cleaned him up and got him into the vet on Monday. The vet, however, has never seen something like this and recommended “watching it” or putting him under for laser surgery and a biopsy. He was poking around, opening his mouth with a pen for a minute, and then took him to the back to try to see if he could use a needle to get some fluid out of the mass. When he got to the back, Spike had blood in his mouth and coming out of his nose. He explained that the blood in his mouth could come out of his nose, but I’m still worried. He cleaned him up and still managed to use a syringe on the mass but all he saw under the microscope was blood. The size did not go down at all, either. Does anyone know what this may be or a direction I can go with home treatment?

I’m really worried about him, and the vet was no help at all. I have another appointment with a different vet in two weeks, but they didn’t have anything sooner. I’m worried the mass is getting bigger, though I honestly don’t know for sure. He still drinks, eats bugs (has no appetite for fruits/veggies/greens), and moves around more than he was. You can definitely tell it’s uncomfortable for him though.

Spike was eating “sandwiches”, or greens with some pumpkin on them for a while but eventually lost the appetite for them and became incredibly lethargic; I’m not sure if it was brumaction, a reaction to moving houses, or both, but he just stopped eating and slept most of the day. Once the weather improved we found some superworms, he got his excitment back and is much more active. He’s alert more often than not, though continues to spend a lot of time in his cave.

I’m still planning to get him to another vet for a second opinion before going ahead with the surgery, as the tech mentioned multiple times that putting him under anesthesia is risky, but I’m hoping someone here may have some insight because it’s breaking my heart.
Please post what your using for a uvb- coil or tube? Brand and bulb-- I am flagging your post to the vet tech
@Drache613
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Sorry your dragon is having some trouble. That does look a bit painful for him. He is able to eat &
chew without too much trouble?
I am assuming it is somewhat soft to the touch? It doesn't really resemble a tumor but it looks like a
blood blister of some sort, perhaps. Could he have bitten down on something that injured that area
in the mouth by chance?
For now, try using some raw unpasteurized honey to help ward off infection. At the moment, it doesn't
appear infected but the honey wont hurt him. As far as the risk of anesthesia, with anything human or
animal alike, there are always risks. However, as long as he is in good health & the vet gives the proper
dose of anesthesia & titrates the O2 correctly while he is under, the risk is quite low.
You could also try some chamomile herbal tea bags, making sure they are caffeine free but most are.
Get one warmed up & moistened, but not too hot. Use it as a warm compress for a few minutes. Just
gently apply a little pressure on it at night, when he is sleepy & that might help to take down some of
the swelling.
Are you looking for another vet too?

Tracie
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Using a Tube: Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO Reptile Lamp, 24-Watt

Thank you!
Good UVB where is the UVB and what type of screen are you using? If its a fine mesh it needs to be in the tank directly over the basking decor piece 12-15 inches please
 

Spikerz

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Spike
Good UVB where is the UVB and what type of screen are you using? If its a fine mesh it needs to be in the tank directly over the basking decor piece 12-15 inches please
UVB is inside the tank because the screen is a fine mesh, probably closer to 10-12 inches from the basking decor (can't get it any further away). We were concerned this had something to do with it because we hadnt noticed the growth until we moved the UVB inside the tank, but really, we're not sure when it happened
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
UVB is inside the tank because the screen is a fine mesh, probably closer to 10-12 inches from the basking decor (can't get it any further away). We were concerned this had something to do with it because we hadnt noticed the growth until we moved the UVB inside the tank, but really, we're not sure when it happened
The UVB would not of caused the growth - if it did that is the first I have heard of this happening - you have a good safe UVB bulb -- its the China clones that are not any good -- and they are causes of eye issues most of the time along w/ insufficient UVB
 

Spikerz

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Spike
Hello,

Sorry your dragon is having some trouble. That does look a bit painful for him. He is able to eat &
chew without too much trouble?
I am assuming it is somewhat soft to the touch? It doesn't really resemble a tumor but it looks like a
blood blister of some sort, perhaps. Could he have bitten down on something that injured that area
in the mouth by chance?
For now, try using some raw unpasteurized honey to help ward off infection. At the moment, it doesn't
appear infected but the honey wont hurt him. As far as the risk of anesthesia, with anything human or
animal alike, there are always risks. However, as long as he is in good health & the vet gives the proper
dose of anesthesia & titrates the O2 correctly while he is under, the risk is quite low.
You could also try some chamomile herbal tea bags, making sure they are caffeine free but most are.
Get one warmed up & moistened, but not too hot. Use it as a warm compress for a few minutes. Just
gently apply a little pressure on it at night, when he is sleepy & that might help to take down some of
the swelling.
Are you looking for another vet too?

Tracie

Hello! Thank you so much for responding!

He seems to be able to eat bugs (prey drive, I assume), and yesterday I got him to eat a blueberry with honey (trickery), but he wont he much else besides the super worms. I've been limiting those to every other day in hopes he may eat a salad or something. You can tell it's uncomfortable though, because he'll open his mouth and lick around a bit, like a human would if they had a popcorn kernel stuck to the roof of their mouth, I imagine.
When I've managed to poke it, it feels firm but pliable. It's not like a popcorn kernel where it doesn't move.

I thought blood blister too, actually, especially since he's bled twice since I've noticed it, but when the vet used the needle to extract the contents of it, he said it didn't go down any. I'm not sure how a blood blister would act in a reptiles mouth though, especially considering where it's at. There's a chance he could have bitten down wrong on a super worm? Or maybe even had his head on the side of the (plastic) cave he sleeps in he's been digging in there. He'll let me put the honey on it and I'll keep trying to put some fruits in his tank with honey on them in the event he does get hungry, thank you for that! I'm so worried it might get infected, especially if it pops open even a little again! I did not know that about the tea bags, I'll definitely be getting some today and trying this! I'm worried it may be getting larger.

Thank you SO much for the information about putting him under, the vet tech scared me even though I know she was obligated to tell me due to their being any risks, lol.

I have an appointment with the previously mentioned vet on 5/26 (I was able to get him in for an emergency appointment sooner because of the bleeding) that I have yet to decide if I should cancel or not (maybe to see if they can drain it since it is not reducing in size?).

I found another vet from arav.org's "find a vet" and we have an appointment the day she returns from vacation, 6/3. I'm hoping he'll be okay until then but I'm so worried.
 

Spikerz

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Spike
The UVB would not of caused the growth - if it did that is the first I have heard of this happening - you have a good safe UVB bulb -- its the China clones that are not any good -- and they are causes of eye issues most of the time along w/ insufficient UVB

Oh this is so reassuring! Thank you so much for that!
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Ok, you are doing all you can do right now. At least right now, he is active & eating some even if it
isn't a lot.
It may eventually need to be lasered out to be removed. If it gets larger that would definitely be a
hindrance to him & likely become more painful, too. It is possible he bit down on something the wrong
way & it's an injury. It doesn't look like an abscess or aneurism. It is very hard to know for sure what it
is but hopefully they can try to get it analyzed & then just remove it before it gets out of hand.

Tracie
 

Spikerz

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Spike
Hello,

Ok, you are doing all you can do right now. At least right now, he is active & eating some even if it
isn't a lot.
It may eventually need to be lasered out to be removed. If it gets larger that would definitely be a
hindrance to him & likely become more painful, too. It is possible he bit down on something the wrong
way & it's an injury. It doesn't look like an abscess or aneurism. It is very hard to know for sure what it
is but hopefully they can try to get it analyzed & then just remove it before it gets out of hand.

Tracie
I really appreciate this! I’ve been trying to wait until the second opinion vet appointment by using honey and I just got some of those tea bags, but it would seem it’s getting bigger and he’s been glass surfing and only expelling soft urate (I think that’s what it’s called). He still eats his worms of course, and thankfully has been drinking water in the bath, but I’m not sure what to do anymore 🫤
 

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Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Very strange, poor thing! I know that has to bother him. It would be a good idea to try & find a
vet who has exotics/reptile experience & certification. It is difficult to do so!
It really looks like some type of injury but just not sure. It doesn't look like an abscess or cyst
though.
Has he eaten anything at all?
Yes, the white portion excreted is the urates.

Tracie
 

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