Topics Forums Leopard Geckos Please Help Reply To: Please Help

#47612

Zoodulcis
Moderator

You have a right to be worried. It’s hard for me to be certain, of course, but since there was a difficult shed and the little guy lost his tail, it’s possible that this is a form of necrotizing or ulcerative dermatitis. This ailment can be caused by bacteria or fungus. When it begins at the tip of the tail, it advances upward and can eventually be manifested elsewhere on the body. Loss of appetite is typical, as is tail loss. Topical application of antibiotic ointment is helpful only if the cause is bacterial. Without a cell culture, you can only guess at the cause. If you hesitate to take him back to the vet, then you should use both an antifungal cream and an antibiotic. Raising the humidity is contraindicated if the cause is fungal. Until you know more, it’s best to keep the humidity within its normal range. If the topical alone works, and often it doesn’t, you should see improvement in a week and the ailment should disappear in approximately 30 days. Thorough sanitation of the enclosure now, and your hands after each handling will help prevent reinfection. Hope this helps and please let us know how he progresses.


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