Vet is telling me to wait until tail falls off.

[Ma.hamilton]

My senior bearded dragon has been having an unexpected fight with tail rot. He gets baths, an antiseptic solution and a topical antibiotic after the bath almost daily. The end of the tail is completely dry, black, and brittle. It’s beginning to split off and my dragon is very dark but still eating and drinking. It seems the dead part of the tail is just hanging by a small patch of healthy scales. I called the vet and they told me to just let it fall off and that it may take weeks. It seems like my dragon is in a lot of pain. He is losing probably 1/3 of his tail, it’s not just the tip. Does anyone have experience with this? I worry he won’t survive an amputation due to his age.

 

[KarrieRee]

My senior bearded dragon has been having an unexpected fight with tail rot. He gets baths, an antiseptic solution and a topical antibiotic after the bath almost daily. The end of the tail is completely dry, black, and brittle. It’s beginning to split off and my dragon is very dark but still eating and drinking. It seems the dead part of the tail is just hanging by a small patch of healthy scales. I called the vet and they told me to just let it fall off and that it may take weeks. It seems like my dragon is in a lot of pain. He is losing probably 1/3 of his tail, it’s not just the tip. Does anyone have experience with this? I worry he won’t survive an amputation due to his age.

Yes please post a pic of the tail

 

[Ma.hamilton]

 

[Claudiusx]

Go to a different vet. That is incompetence on the vets part.

Tail needs to be amputated slightly above the rot to prevent the rot from spreading and becoming systematic.

-Brandon

 

[KarrieRee]

View attachment 78609

Please get some raw unpasteurized honey on that right away --- no crickets in the tank -- I am flagging your post to AHBD here is a website to find a vet in your area if your in a small town type in a bigger cities zip code www.arav.org

Honey - Bacteria's Worst Enemy! | Health | Bearded Dragon .org

Some of you might have seen the suggestion on this site every once in awhile to put some honey on an open sore, or to place it over an infection. This might sound strange, but honey truly is a great anti-bacterial. It can really come in handy in a pinch while you wait for a vet visit, or simply...

www.beardeddragon.org

@AHBD

 

[AHBD]

I agree with the others, the tail will not fall off, even if it does the infection is spreading up under the scales. That's why when they DO amputate, an experienced vet will cut a little way above the obvious trauma. It's very important to get it done, there's little to no chance of survival without it.

Here's one short video, slightly graphic at about the halfway point but not bloody.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh yes that does need to be amputated,
because there is infection present. As
already stated, the infection will continue
to spread upwards.
This is a low risk surgery but with all
surgeries there are always slight chances
of problems with anesthesia reactions.
As long as the vet gives the proper dose
& oxygen intake during surgery, he should
be fine. How old is he?

Let us know how things are going. I hope
you are able to find another vet.

Tracie