Tail Issue

[Betty53218]

Smaug just developed a darkening on the end of his tail in the last couple of days. It is only dark on one side. There was an injury to it a few years ago, hence the small bend at the end of it. It healed up very well. Last spring I noticed a white ring near the tip. It looked like a stuck shed, so I was putting cocoa butter on it. He went into brumation in June, and it still hadn’t changed. After he woke up in September, I started putting cocoa butter on it again occasionally. The very tip of his tail looks a little dried out also. He has had no recent incidents to his tail. Could this be tail rot? Just as a precaution, I have started putting Neosporin and soaking it in Bedadine solution. It doesn’t seem to bother him at all. No tenderness. Maybe a slight swelling though. His vet is in Milwaukee which is 200 miles away from me, so I’m trying to self treat before I go that route.

 

[CooperDragon]

It's possibly the end of the tail not having enough blood flow and shriveling a bit. It could be an oncoming shed that is giving the area an odd color. If the wound has been closed for a while it's less likely an infection I'd think. I would keep a close eye on it for now and if the dark area or shriveled bit seems to be traveling upward it's probably worth a vet visit.

 

[coloradodragon]

Is the end hard like a stick? If so, it's dying. It could fall off on own.

 

[Betty53218]

This was a couple months ago, but it was not hard then. The very end after the light part did eventually dry up and fall off. It was only about 4mm. Now the tail looks fine. Still a little weird looking, but better than what the pic shows. Smaug is now brumating again. He does whip his tail around when I touch the side of it where it’s a little wavy, even in his sleep. That’s puzzling to me. Never did this before.