Retained shed or Tailrot?

[mysterysock]

How can you tell the difference in tailrot and if my dragon has just retained the skin from his last shed. Its about the last 1/4" of his tail, it has shrank and turned black. However, it appears to be blue where it begins, and his tail was blue before his last shed due to the awful blue vitasand. This leads me to believe its only a retained tail shed. I put olive oil on it as a temporary remedy until I can see a vet. If this is tailrot, what could have possibly caused it? His cage is clean, he appears healthy, and nothing has fallen on his tail. Thank you very much

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Can you post a picture of that for us, it would really help to see it. Thanks.
Most of the time, tail rot is caused by something which encouraged infection to start & spread. That usually occurs with tail bites not retained sheds most of the time. Does there seem to be any discoloration traveling up the tail?
You mentioned that it is just dried up & has turned black which means that area is necrotic or dead & will eventually fall off. What you can do now is to just get some ointment & put that on the end of the tail & surrounding areas to keep any viable tissue moist. You can take him to see the vet to just to make sure there are no complications, as well.
You have taken the blue vitasand out of the right?

Tracie

 

[nikkicostello89]

Hi,

Tracie, can i just ask, what cream would be ok? Is sudacrem ok? Fidget had a piece of retained shed on, which i managed to coax off, but it's black and shrivelled, the vet says that he doesn't think it will fall off, but it looks dead, however if you gently pinch it, he reacts...

Sudocrem ingredients are:
Zinc Oxide Ph.Eur. 15.25%, Benzyl Alcohol B.P. 0.39%, Benzyl Benzoate B.P. 1.01%, Benzyl Cinnamate 0.15%, Lanolin (Hypo-Allergenic) 4%(W/W), Also contains:, Purified Water, Liquid Paraffin, Paraffin Wax, Beeswax, Microcrystalline Wax, Sodium Benzoate, Linalyl Acetate, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Butylated Hydroxyanisole, Sorbitan Sesquiloleate, Lavender Fragrance

Thanks, and sorry for hijacking the thread, but we don't have any of the creams that are usually suggested for it!

Nikki

 

[mysterysock]

Sry for the delay, I've been having internet problems. But YES, I removed the vitasand long ago. Way too many problems with that stuff. The area doesn't seem to be spreading but it is black on the very tip, like the last eighth of an inch. I've been keeping it moist with ointments and am hopefully getting him to the vet tomorrow. Is tailrot usually immediately curable or at all? And does it cause them any discomfort? How is it treated, amputation or antibiotics or what? Thank you very much.