Wound on tail getting bigger

[Momswims1]

We need urgent advice for our beautiful Rosie. She had what looked like a hang scale weeks ago. Her tail has deteriorated since then. It developed into a wound that goes half way through her tail. Obviously she is going to lose over an inch. I have been soaking it in beta dine for weeks. It is not infected but is deteriorating.
It had a scab on it until last night, but the scab came off and now it is just frightening.
Other Betadine and raw honey, what else can we do? My husband wants to amputate. help
I love her so much.

 

[Momswims1]

[
My sweet Rosie is the leatherback and Kitty is the cream color. Aren't they cute?
I can't stand the thought of Rosie suffering.

 

[Brezzy99]

They are both absolutely stunning!

Did she injure it somehow? If you have tried the betadine with no help for weeks and seen no difference I would take her to a reptile specialist. There are some very knowledgable people on this site that can offer some other advice.

 

[davem]

2 lovely dragons. i hope rosie has a speedy recovery.

 

[Momswims1]

Yes, I also really wonder if someone in the family dropped the lid on her tail. She doesn't eat in her viv, so I know it did not start with a super worm or cricket bite. I don't know but it is becoming quite serious. She means so much to me. I totally adore her.

 

[diamc]

Oh dear, that looks deep & painful. How long have you been doing the diluted Betadine soaks and using the raw honey? Seems like if those treatments haven't helped, it's time for a vet visit before it gets worse.

PLEASE don't let your husband amputate as it could cause bleeding if he cuts through an artery or vein, also the pain for her would be unbearable unless she was anesthetized.

She needs to be seen by a vet and possibly have the end removed. If you don't have a herp vet near you, any vet could assess it and make recommendations.

 

[AHBD]

I agree with Diamc, if you've been treating it with the betadine + honey but it's not getting better then it should be removed. How long have you been treating it, did you use only betadine or did you try honey ? The removal can be done perhaps with local anesthesia and should not be too painful or traumatic....many beardies, including a few babies I've hatched + raised will get the end bitten off their tail and never miss a meal...in other words, it is not too hard or painful on them, and she will do just fine. They generally don't bleed very much from the tail end, and beardies are tougher than mammals in that way so it should not cause very much pain. But you don't want to let it spread....now is the time for it to be a simple procedure.

 

[Momswims1]

I have been treating for a month now. It started very small, but just keeps getting bigger. She is still eating good, basking, etc.

 

[diamc]

Since you've been doing that treatment for about a month, it's time to get it checked by a vet. It shouldn't be covering a larger area now or getting deeper if the treatment helped. The sooner you get her to a vet, the better so that the possible amputation of the end will remain a simple procedure. You also have to get her assessed for a possible infection. Please don't wait any longer.

 

[Momswims1]

Agreed.

 

[diamc]

Please be sure to let us know how you make out, good luck.

 

[Tonja]

I am going to throw my 2 cents worth in here. If she has rough branches or logs in her tank to climb on I would cover them with a soft cloth like a soft washcloth or fleece. The roughness of the logs may be part of the problem with it not healing. <Just a guess on my part> She could be snagging or rubbing her tail on it causing irritation and keeping it raw or even to the point of pulling scales off the edges of the wound.

 

[Momswims1]

She was missing toes when we first got her as a hatchling two years ago, which is why the guy gave her to us when we bought our male. Lucky for me he did because she means so much to me, I can't imagine being without her.
I have all half logs and perches in her viv covered in soft cloth because the toes that are short get rubbed raw if they are not covered. They have been covered for months. I have no idea what happened to her poor tail to cause this, other than someone accidentally closing the lid on it. I suspect that May have been the cause.

 

[Tonja]

Are you using a triple antibiotic on it also with the betadine soaks?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh poor girl, that looks a little painful!
It sounds like you have been doing everything possible to get it cleared up.
Do you have a vet you can take her to just to get the end removed so it doesn't spread? It doesn't appear infected but a local antibiotic wouldn't be a bad idea.
Let us know how she is doing & how things go at the vets.

Tracie