infection i think. what can i do NOW?

[Drache613]

Hello,

Those spots do look a bit raw. Does he walk on the heels of his feet all of the time since the toes are tender? Keep treating those areas, but just be very gentle. The tannish material that came out was just a discharge either from the infection or just cellular type of fluids.
Are you fully soaking his entire body in the diluted betadine & using the tea tree oil or witch hazel as astringent? Which topical ointment are you using, lamisil or monostat?

Tracie

 

[outrank17]

The tests came in--negative. The vet left a voicemail on my phone basically saying the culture detected no growth, meaning that it is not fungus. He of course still thinks it is necrosis then. If I got a blood test, about how much that would cost, and what else is it that Jean could have?

Also, Jean doesn't really seem to walk on his heels anymore than usual. I've used all the antibiotic up, and I know the vet would probably want me to get some more, but do y'all have an opinion?

 

[outrank17]

Jean just ate crickets for the first time in a few weeks. He ate 10 or so and I guess was stuffed. His feet still look crummy, and since it's not yellow fungus I guess it's just necrosis? I'm still bathing him in betadine and using witch hazel as an astringent in order to keep the area clean, but I laid off of the Lamosil (i think that's the name of the athletes foot cream).

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Well, no yellow fungus ok. It will be some type of infection, but, without a bloodtest you don't know what type.
So before just medicating him you do need to know the type of infection he has, in order to give the right type of antibiotic. You don't know if the infection is gram positive or gram negative which makes a difference in the type of antibiotic. Unless the vet gave a broad spectrum antibiotic which should hit both positive & negative bacteria. That is an option, but do not give antibiotics long term. We do need to figure out what is going on.
The necrosis is due to the swelling & the tissue being constricted from the swelling & it is or has lost circulation.
If you do get a blood test, we can test for gout. I do not think it is gout, but, with the swelling, it can't be ruled out.
How much oral fluids are you giving, daily?
At least he ate though, that is good. How is his mouth looking now?
Continue to soak him though, but you don't need to use the lamisil anymore no.

Keep us posted on him.

Tracie

 

[outrank17]

I give him betadine baths daily, and before I put the betadine in I let him drink if he wants. Other than that, I don't make sure he consumes any fluid orally. Before I was giving him fluids with the reptiaid, but since he has begun eating I haven't been giving him any oral fluid. Do I still need too?

Yeah, he finished up the crickets and I'm gonna have to go get him some more soon.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Yes, he needs oral fluids, daily at least, just in case he has gout. I don't think that he has gout, but, if he has an infection, extra fluid definitely will not hurt him.
How is he doing today?

Tracie

 

[outrank17]

He's doing good. However, his mouth seems to be better & worse depending on when I look at it. He's eating like crazy though. Also, it's been like this for awhile, but when he poops, it seems their is like a remnant of stuff hanging from his vent. It is a whitish color (tanner than urate), solid, and kind of attached to his vent, but I am able to gently pull it off before he closes his vent. Is this something any of y'all have seen before? or know of?

If need be, I'll get a pic of it next time I can.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Good he is eating well right now.
Does he have a hard time going to the bathroom then? How are the urates, hard or dry or moist? That almost sounds like a urate plug, or built up urates which happens sometimes. Try getting some extra oral fluids into him daily to see if that helps him out.
So his mouth appears to be getting better right now? Are you still treating it daily?


Tracie

 

[outrank17]

He has an easy time going to the bathroom. I give him daily baths so he'll just go in there. I treat his mouth just by moistening it with that betadine/water mix. Also, I sometimes swab it with just a bit of iodine as well.

 

[outrank17]

I go to the vet in a couple hours. The infection on Jean's back two feet seems to have spread and it covers most of the feet. One of those feet is getting swollen...

I'll ask the vet about a blood test and stuff. I think his mouth is looking a bit worse today in comparison to the last set of pics I took.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh sorry he is not doing better today. I am glad you are getting him to the vet. Please let me know what happens & how he is doing, I am concerned about him. Did you get a bloodtest this time?
It still "could" be gout, but a bloodtest will determine that or it should rule things out one by one.
Can you think of anything at all, that could have kicked all of this off, did he get a mouth injury when he was younger or something that you can think of? I was looking at the picture you posted when he was younger, & his mouth looked normal.
Did you ever keep him on sand before?

Please keep us posted.

Tracie

 

[outrank17]

Contrary to what I said, the vet said that his mouth is looking better. My girlfriend said the same thing, too. But either way, the redness is spreading on his leg. The vet told me he wouldn't feel comfortable doing a blood test himself, but he could refer me to someone that could--someone 3 hours away.

Can you think of anything at all, that could have kicked all of this off, did he get a mouth injury when he was younger or something that you can think of? I was looking at the picture you posted when he was younger, & his mouth looked normal.
Did you ever keep him on sand before?

It may have looked like his mouth was normal when he was a baby, but it never was. It was certainly better looking, but from the first day I got him from Petsmart, my girlfriend and I both saw his mouth injury and figured it was just a cleft palate or something. I wish I had more pics of him when he was young, but I don't. But I've NEVER had him on sand--only paper towel and tile. And of course, Petsmart keeps them on repti carpet.

Oh yeah. I started up one more round of antibiotics... mainly because I don't know what else I can do, and it at least seemed to halt the infection last time.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Hm, try looking at http://www.herpvetconnection.com to see if there is someone closer. The only way you are going to determine the type of infection is to get a bloodtest done. Man, so he has had this almost his entire life? We need to figure out what is going on with him.
Is he still eating?

Tracie

 

[outrank17]

Tomorrow I'll call one of the places in Houston, and try to make an appointment for Thursday. He has a small spot on his tummy now.

Also, there seems to be some type of small ant infestation in Jean's cage. The cage is in my room, and my dad and I built it this summer (AFTER he had already started experiencing a little swelling in a few of his fingers). They are only small, harmless, piss ants, and they don't sting. BUT! could they be harmful to Jean or indicative of anything? And is there something to get rid of them without hurting him?

Again, it's a small infestation. I see ants occasionally in his house, but they aren't superfluous or anything. He is still eating though, and also I am still giving him betadine bathes and cleaning his sore spots after with witch hazel.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

He has a spot on his tummy now?
It was not yellow fungus right? This is SO frustrating to me, I can't figure this out.
The ants could be some type of culprit I suppose. How long do you think the ants have been in there for? What kind of substrate are you using right now? I would clean it all out & get rid of all of those ants. Maybe they have had some type of a bacteria they are emitting or something strange, you never know.


Tracie