Mouth Infection Gash

[GZilla]

Have a young beardie and noticed what looks like a gash and infection on and around his/her mouth. Doesn’t seem to be impacting appetite but he/she cannot open their eye very wide (keeps it closed for the most part). Took to the vet and they gave some silver sulfadiazine ointment for daily application and 10 ceftazidime injections to be given every 3 days. However I cannot tell if it is getting any better and the only diagnosis the vet gave was “some type of bacterial infection”. Has anyone seen anything like this, have any ideas what it might be, or what the healing process will look like? Thanks!

 

[GZilla]

Poor little guy. Is he eating, does it seem painful to him ? Hopefully it doesn't feel as bad as it looks. It will never look like a normal mouth but the goal would be to stop infection and live a somewhat normal life.

He eats fine and it doesn’t seem to bother him.

 

[AHBD]

Wow that's surprising , glad that Zilla at least has that going for him. And his eye looks good , too so yes that's definite improvement. We'll see what Drache has to say.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Any updates on Zilla? I hope the infection is starting to clear up for him, bless him.
Are you using the raw honey daily on him?
I think his eye looks a little better. I'm glad that his appetite is normal too!

Tracie

 

[GZilla]

Hello,

Any updates on Zilla? I hope the infection is starting to clear up for him, bless him.
Are you using the raw honey daily on him?
I think his eye looks a little better. I'm glad that his appetite is normal too!

Tracie

I am not sure… the swelling looks like it has gone down which has allowed his eye to fully open. There was what looked like a gash (which was the beginning) that now has what looks like a scab… but I am not sure. Any thoughts?

We were using the honey regularly but the last time we put it on in the eve it seemed to flare up the area by the morning then would go down by the afternoon. You can kind of see where it flares up in the image… where it’s pinkish. Not sure if he is scratching it or what.

Other than that he seems to be fine. Although, even at the height of the infection he was eating and active. He is hiding a little more lately but I think that’s because he has begun to shed.

 

[AHBD]

It looks like the tissue has grown there, honey can help with that but right now if it seems like he's scratching at it maybe leave it be for a while.
One question no one asked, what did the vet do that caused such a drastic change , the before vet pic shows an injury but afterwards it looks like it was cauterized or debrided or had too much tissue removed, do you see what I mean ? Like they tried to strip that away when it should have been treated with antibiotics and just a topical like the silver cream [ or honey ]

 

[GZilla]

It looks like the tissue has grown there, honey can help with that but right now if it seems like he's scratching at it maybe leave it be for a while.
One question no one asked, what did the vet do that caused such a drastic change , the before vet pic shows an injury but afterwards it looks like it was cauterized or debrided or had too much tissue removed, do you see what I mean ? Like they tried to strip that away when it should have been treated with antibiotics and just a topical like the silver cream [ or honey ]

Vet didn’t do much physically… a visual inspection and a swab. Gave us the silver and additional antibiotic injections and sent us on our way. The after vet image was after the silver was applied for the first time.

 

[AHBD]

O.K, the scar tissue looks odd but the important thing is that he's eating well and his eye looks crystal clear.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

It looks like the area is healing, slowly. His eye looks good, so that is very positive to
see.
I would definitely continue to use the honey
on the mouth & eye area. I hope he continues to improve!

Tracie

 

[GZilla]

Hello,

It looks like the area is healing, slowly. His eye looks good, so that is very positive to
see.
I would definitely continue to use the honey
on the mouth & eye area. I hope he continues to improve!

Tracie

Thanks for all of the advice. We have been following. He has completed his round of antibiotics injections and silver cream. Yesterday the scab (think it was a scab) fell off and now there is an opening into his mouth (image attached). Not sure if this will fill in or is something we need to manage or be worried about? He is eating fine and behaving normally.

 

[KarrieRee]

Thanks for all of the advice. We have been following. He has completed his round of antibiotics injections and silver cream. Yesterday the scab (think it was a scab) fell off and now there is an opening into his mouth (image attached). Not sure if this will fill in or is something we need to manage or be worried about? He is eating fine and behaving normally.

Have you used the honey? That is going to promote healing

 

[GZilla]

Have you used the honey? That is going to promote healing

Yes. We have been using the honey. He fights it at first and then realizes it tastes pretty good. Haha. Just want to know if we should be on the look out since it’s an opening to his mouth… or be doing anything specific to prevent repeat infections? And if it will close up or remain the same?

 

[KarrieRee]

Yes. We have been using the honey. He fights it at first and then realizes it tastes pretty good. Haha. Just want to know if we should be on the look out since it’s an opening to his mouth… or be doing anything specific to prevent repeat infections? And if it will close up or remain the same?

I hope it will heal -- Tracie would need to answer that question

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Goodness, poor thing. The opening on the area there, should fill in probably with tissue & or
scar tissue. Continue using the honey to keep it from getting infected.
He is eating normally?
It will probably fill in slowly though but with keeping it clean & infection free hopefully it will
recover into healthy tissue.

Tracie