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Question

My iguanna, Igbo, injured his jaw a couple months ago when I put him in a new, bigger cage. He banged his head on the glass trying to get out for a while (he may still be doing it). The end result is a very swollen jaw. I have been putting him in the tub to soak, but I think it's time to see the Vet. Been about 2 months and he appears to have stopped since I give him long periods outside of the cage. I'm concerned about his jaw, it seems to be healing, but very slowly. Meanwhile, although he does eat, he eats little. Is there something I can offer him for comfort?

Submitted: 1235 days ago.
Category: Pet
Value: $15
Status: CLOSED
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Age: 2; Male

Already Tried:
giving him more time oustide the cage to prevent further damage.

Posted by Dr. Chenoa 1235 days ago.

Info Request

Hi,
Can you tell me more about his diet, and supplements, and his lighting/temp/humidity? How big is he (it does vary with nutrition) and how big is his current cage?
Thanks,
XX. XXXXXX

1234 days and 2 hours ago.

Reply

Reply to Dr. Chenoa's Post: Hi,
His diet consistes primarily of collard greens and apples, fresh, every day. He also eats turnip and mustard greens, but he seems to prefer collards. Occasionally, I also give him bananas, peaches, strawberries and grapes.

He is in a new 7'x4' cage with elevated rocks, a tree log and two light lamps which I keed 60 degree black (night) lights in. One of the lighs is pluged into a temperature gage, that shuts it off if heat gets over 90 degrees. His cage sits in front of a very big window, so he gets a lot of direct sunlight.

He's a little over 5', with a 3 1/2' tail. He is only caged when I am away from home. I have seen him trying to get out. He bangs his face up against the glass. I think this is the source of the problem. He came from a 50 gallon cage, which he outgrew.

Your advice is welcomed, Doc. Thanks,

XXXXXX XXXX

Posted by Dr. Chenoa 1234 days and 2 hours ago.

Answer

Hi Yvette,
My ig loves his collards best, too.
One of two problems is at play here, if not both. There are a couple of improvements you need to make husbandry-wise, and these may be related.
Windows filter out direct sunlight, so he is not getting UVA and UVB, which is essential for calcium absorption. While his diet is pretty good (try bok choy, chards, escarole, smaller amounts of kale, too); add in a calicium supplement that is phosphorous free once a week. The jaw is one of the first and primary places that can be softened with chronic calcium deficiency, so even butting up against the cage can cause fractures. My iguana dive bombs off his top shelves, and rams his door all the time, but doesn't have a jaw problem. A lot of sources will say "the window is sufficient for full spectrum lights" but it's not. I see these guys at work all the time. Fractures will heal will additional calcium supplementation, if this is the case, and no orthopedic repairs are done on the jaw.
Another possibility is that in ramming the cage, he gave himself a cut that became infected. Reptile pus is hard, and shows up as a huge swelling. These also are really common on the jaws. This may need to be scraped out, and antibiotics and pain medications can be very helpful.
I'm glad you're soaking him. I recommend a humidity gauge as well, and his humidity should be over 80-85% (I know, it's tough). I would also raise your temp a little so it shuts off over 95 or 100 F, as long as there's a hot end and a cool end to his enclosure.
Overall, you've got a great start for him, and from the description, these are by far the two most common and treatable situations. Cancers do happen, but far more rarely in ig's than in dogs and cats.
Good luck, and please reply if I can answer anything else or clarify anything for you.
Dr. Chenoa

1234 days and 1 hours ago.

Reply

Reply to Dr. Chenoa's Post: Thanks Doc. What about this, I eliminate the sunlight (keep blinds closed) and replace one of the night lights with a 150 Watt halogen light. If the swelling goes down, we know it was a calcium deficiency. If it doesn't, it's a wound. I've seen the pus, but he scratches it off himself. I've been cleaning the area with a swab and last night I started putting NeoSporin on the pink of his mouth that appears to be irritated. It's not an open wound, but it appears that the irritation is coming from inside his mouth.

Can I use epson salt in his water when I soak him? Will that help the swelling? If I don't see improvement with a week, we will be going to the vet. He is eating but not nearly as much as he did before I replaced his cage over the summer.

Thanks,

XXXXXX XXXX

Accepted Answer

The halogen lights are not enough. It's not that the light from the window is the problem, it's the lack of direct UVA and UVB...which takes a long time to start causing the calcium deficiency, and a long time to correct it...much more than a week.
Avoid the neosporin, the antibiotics contained within it can be toxic to the kidneys. Swabbing with small amounts of hydrogen peroxide. If you've seen pus, it would look like very thick yellow cheese or hard yellow cheese.
I wouldn't use the salts in his soaking water, that will counteract the hydration you're giving him by soaking him.
The ultraviolet lights come in long bulbs, and are in the major chain pet stores, along with the housings. Even if there is no current fracture, proper calcium balance is also important for muscles, the heart, and kidneys in addition to bone. Many ig's die at 5 years old that could have lived much longer due to calcium deficiency. The UV lamps don't add much heat, just the much needed calcium.
If you use peroxide, make sure he can't swallow any substantial amount of it...just dip the cotton swabs in the peroxide until they are wet and use those.
Again, if there is a fracture, the calcium deficiency takes 4-6 weeks to make up for once the lights, and supplements, are in place. The fracture itself would take 2-3 months to remodel the swelling back down to normal bone, if it ever did so completely.
If it is just an abscess, I have never had much luck with just topical antiseptics. The anti-inflammatories make it more comfortable for him to eat, and systemic antibiotics are a lot more effecient and helpful in conjunction with topicals.
You may have some difficulty finding a vet that routinely sees reptiles in your area, so I would suggest starting to look soon. Where I work is probably the only place in 30 miles, of a densely populated area, that is comfortable with reptiles. If you need help finding one, please let me know, and I will help you look.
I'm sorry that there isn't an easy home remedy for this. I always feel terrible when people have come in after such an amount of time that have tried a number of things, only to have the situation much worse down the line.

Expert: Dr. Chenoa
Pos. Feedback: 100.0 %
Accepts: 59
Answered: 11/1/2006

Veterinarian

Tufts University graduate, special interest in exotic medicine

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