Update on Rescue Tegu With Bad Scales

[MaeganV]

Ok, so I have my guy that I took from the animal shelter I volunteer set up and he is doing a lot better! He has the proper husbandry now, especially humidity and the front half of his face shed completely off.

This is what he looked like before:

And I have attached more pictures of him now. As you can see he is doing a lot better. My cam isnt the the greatest but there is no more red on the front of his face at all.

I took him to another vet a few weeks after I got him because the first was pretty much a waste of time and money. They suggested it could be scale rot but they didn't have anything I could give him at the time. They said that there was on place I could go that was kind of far from here so I thought I would ask before making the big drive.

I am really doubting it was a burn as other people said, as it is on the side of his head and too uniform on each side.

It is strange there are these brown sort of scale type things on the sides of his head that look like they want to peel off. They are very thick and leathery feeling on the tips. I don't really want to peel them incase.

Any more help would be great!

 

[slideaboot]

Wow! Is it me, or is his head HUGE compared to his body? I'm guessing he was malnutritioned when you took him in? That, or he's got the biggest dome I've ever seen on a tegu.

 

[herpgirl2510]

I have no idea what it is but I would not peel the scales. I would see a herp vet that has experience with reptiles not all vets know what they are talking about. Especially if there is an infection under the scales. I am glad to see he is in a good home now.

 

[reptastic]

Definately looks better than before, has he been to a vet?

 

[MaeganV]

He has been to two vets already, one was an exotic vet near my home that was a complete waste of time. Another was one a little further out that wasn't completely sure so they gave me the card and location for a better reptile vet. It is going to be about a 6-7 hour drive if I do end up taking him.

I never noticed his head to be that big lol! It might just be the angle of the camera when I take a shot.

 

[laurarfl]

It could be come sort of dermatitis related to old stuck shed or poor nutrition. I still vote for Silvadene. It deals w bacterial and fungal infections as well as promoting healing. A herp vet prescribed it for my ig years ago when he had a nasty dermatitis that was eating his skin and we decided not to do cultures. Plus, Silvadene is also used on horses so it is available via mail order.