HELP! Black Spots on Juvi Beardie

[jelxxx]

Hi everyone,

It's been a while since I last posted. I just noticed this afternoon that Custard has two black spots: one on his elbow and a very faint one on his back next to the elbow with the other spot. I am not sure if these are buises, cricket bites, retained shed, or some type of fungus (this would be the worst). It could be a bruise, because he randomly freaked out the other day by running around his cage and shoving himself under a cardboard box that I have in there.

I have arranged with his vet to drop him off in the morning before my classes so that she may have a look at him. He has seen her recently for a checkup where she found that he had pinworms and coccidia through a fecal test. She put him on Albon and Panacur for a few weeks. Unfortunately, the second fecal exam showed that he still has coccidia, for which he is now on Ponazuril as prescribed by his vet. I told his vet that I was concerned about putting him on "the stronger medication" as she put it, because the Albon and Panacur diminished his appetite. I was also worried about yellow fungus, as I have read that the risk of contracting it increases when beardies are put on antibiotics. I went ahead and did it anyway, because what other choice did I have? The Ponazuril hasn't affected his appetite at all (he eats like fifty crickets a day), and I've given it to him for five days now.

I soaked him and squirted some aloe vera in the water as well as directly on the spots. I also rubbed the spots in circular motions with some olive oil applied on a soft bristle toothbrush. He actually seemed to enjoy that part, so I do not think that he is in any pain. Still, the spots persisted.

He is in a 10 gallon tank, which I will be replacing with a very large viv once I get one for my birthday on the 16th. I use newspaper as substrate and a 65 watt spotlight for heat along with the Reptisun 10.0 tube for UVA/UVB. He also has a tree branch in there that I've baked and frozen. I give him different greens like collard, mustard, and kale. He gets catcus pear and blueberries sometimes. He doesn't seem to enjoy squash.

Here is a photo of the spots:

What do you all think that it is? Any suggestions?

Much appreciated,
Jessica

 

[warnisha]

not sure maybe post a pic of him all over it could just be his colors changing!

 

[jelxxx]

Hm... You know I didn't think of that. I'll post a pic of more of his body so you can see his colors.

 

[jelxxx]

 

[warnisha]

Looks like he just had a shed right? or is getting ready to....could just be the colors he is having now. Mine has a darker spot similar also. It doesn't' look abnormal But I don't know for sure either. Hopefully someone else will know better.

 

[jelxxx]

He sheds in the pattern of body, feet, tail, head. He is getting ready to shed his tail, yes.

Yes I hope someone else knows. I will probably still take him to the vet, but the visits really add up.

 

[warnisha]

He is very handsome!!!!

 

[jelxxx]

Aw thank you! I think so too

 

[jelxxx]

Does no one else know what it could be?

 

[jelxxx]

So Custard is now on clotrimazole 1%, as prescribed by his vet. The spot on his back has gotten darker The one on his elbow appears lighter. Some scales around his back have turned black. I put the liquid on him morning and night, and he hates it. He scratches at it with his hind legs while I apply it. I'm not sure if this is because the treatment hurts him or tickles, like when he rubs his nose on his tree branch when I drip water on it.

My vet says that she does not know if it is yellow fungus. She says that a sample test would be too expensive for now.

Does anyone know if it could be yellow fungus? The scales are intact, but are just dark gray or black. I hope it isn't. I have read about Novalsan soaks. Should I add this? What else can I do?

I'm already treating him for coccidia too

I feel like everything that could go wrong, has.

 

[beardie parents]

That's something to ask Tracie drache613 is her screen name and she's one of our moderators. She might have an idea.
Also, she has said it's not possible to tell if it's yellow fungus without a culture.

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

It looks to me like a bruise, but I'm not 100% and I would always advise consulting a vet. Have you noticed it spreading, or has it just appeared over a day or so?

Hyphen got into a bit of a tangle with one of my other dragons a few days ago and has a rather nice bruise across his nose as a result. He's a leatherback and, combined with his pale skin, he shows up knocks and dings quite frequently

 

[jelxxx]

Beardie Parents, I just pmed Tracie. Thanks for the reference.

TheDragonKeepers, I kind of hope that it is a bruise. Last week, when it started first showing up, I did bump him against his terrarium lid when I was taking him out. I can't wait until he sheds his body. It shouldn't be too long, because he's starting to get that gray sweater look.

I don't think his coccidia is getting any better though His poos have gotten stinky and runny again.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

It doesn't appear to be fungal but a skin culture would definitely reveal if there was any fungal issues going on. When did the vet prescribe the clotrimazole for him? I hope it is just a bruise too but normally they don't really bruise quite the same way that mammals do. Since he is a leatherback I would think he might show up injured skin & or muscles differently.
Is there anything that could have caused a bruise such as that?
The fungus, if it it fungal in nature will spread & be quite evident if left untreated.
How long has he been on the Ponazuril? Do you know what his counts were of coccidia?
You can do a diluted betadine bath daily. Make sure the bathwater looks like very very weak tea almost clear really.
Are you giving probiotics as well to help balance out his normal flora in case he does have yellow fungus?

He is going to shed so maybe some of it will shed off so you can better determine what is going on with his skin.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[jelxxx]

Hi Tracie. Thanks for your response.

I asked for a skin culture, but Custard's vet said that would be too costly to jump to right away. She prescribed him the clotrimazole two weeks ago tomorrow (since 1/28). The spot on his elbow is lighter, but the one on his back is larger and darker in the center. I will post pics.

Like I said, he could have bruised it when I bumped his back on his terrarium lid while picking him up, or I do remember that he randomly freaked out a while ago by running frantically around his terrarium and squeezing under a thin cardboard box that I had in there as a basking spot. He used to have a tree branch in there that he liked to get under and rub against. Perhaps he got too carried away? Anyway, that's gone. I've been discarding the carboard boxes whenever he poos on them to combat the coccidia. All he has in there now is a cardboard packaging piece, a lid (for his greens), his thermometer, the lighting fixture and reptisun 10.0, and newspaper.

The reason I think that it is a fungus is because it has been spreading, even when I put the clotrimazole on him morning and night.

He has been on the ponazuril for nineteen days (since 2/2). All I know about his coccidia counts is that the vet said that they were very high, so she had to treat him for it. I can ask her what they were though if you think that is a good idea.

Where do I get betadine? Can I get it at the drugstore?

I ordered acidophiliz last night. I read somewhere that it has no effect on beardies, and other places that it does. I figure it can't hurt. I'm desperate.

Also, how often should I steam his terrarium? Is that the only disinfectant I should use? I am kind of scared to use ammonia.

I will keep you updated. Thanks again!