My chameleon has a black and green mouth lump. Can it wait for vet?

Thanks for reaching out about Regin. The black skin could be either a sign of skin trauma or skin necrosis. Reptiles have black pigments (melanin) that is part of the immune system, that responds to infections and inflammation. If the skin has lost the blood supply and died, it could turn black also. You should contact your veterinarian for a recheck. If there is a persistant infeciton, antibiotics are warranted again. Good luck.

This kind of lump/growth needs to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Differentials include skin cysts, infections, benign or more sinister type of tumors. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

That is certainly suspicious for an abscess. Harry will need to see a veterinarian for confirmation. Without proper veterinary care, the infection may spread. Ask your parents again to make an appointment with a veterinarian experienced in treating reptiles. Discuss a payment plan with your parents. Agree to do more chores or special projects around the house to pay off the debt.

This could be due to a trauma and or a bacterial or fungal infection. Swab the infected area of the shell with a diluted povidone-iodine solution twice daily. Scrape away the infected area gently with a blunt tool or a cotton pad. If this time of first line treatment does not help and you do not see any improvement in 48hours a check up at your local veterinarian would be required as antibiotic ointment and more aggressive treatment may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Poor little guy! I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian for a good physical exam. These guys can get bacterial and fungal infection of the skin. It’s important to look at the lesions and possibly run a few Test to determine why the lumps are present. Hope that helps

Thanks for reaching out about Noli. Yellowish lesion are often infections, so a stomatitis is likely. Gently cleaning with a Q-tip and hydrogen peroxide might help, but will not penetrate into the lesion. Systemic antibiotics are needed and a veterinary visit is recommended. Check and correct any husbandry deficiencies. Good luck.

Your suspicions are likely correct for Red - the mass could be related to stomatitis, or mouth rot. This disease often has a husbandry related component, so I would recommend taking a close look at Red's enclosure and its components to ensure that all parameters are perfect. Often temperatures and/or lighting are the culprit - please ensure your UVB bulb has been changed within the last 4-6 months and that it is appropriate for bearded dragons (i.e. it is for desert species). Please also ensure that it is appropriate for the height of Red's enclosure - if it is too close or too far away, Red may experience problems related to it. Temperatures should be measured using digital thermometers located at Red's level, and not elevated in the enclosure. You can find parameters online using a bearded dragon care sheet, such as one found on Reptiles Magazine. Please ensure that Red continues to have an appetite, and that his diet is appropriate. The majority should be made up of a salad of dark leafy greens, with protein supplemented two to three times per week and fruit once per week. Diet can also be involved in cases of stomatitis. It would also be advisable to weigh him every other day to ensure he is not losing weight. This can be done using a digital gram scale (found in the kitchen section of most department stores). If you appreciate a decrease in appetite or weight, I would recommend having Red visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. Until your veterinary visit, I would evaluate the husbandry as outlined above, and make adjustments as needed, and monitor him as outlined above. Your veterinarian will closely evaluate Red and his mouth, and may take a sample of the mass to confirm that it is an infection and not another process. They will also ensure that the jaw is stable, and they may recommend radiographs (x-rays). Treatments may include antibiotics and pain medications, depending on the findings. Please do not give Red any human medications, as they can be harmful for our scaled friends. I hope this gives you a place to start, and good luck!