Skin infection? Help !

[KellyCotton]

Hi there ! I have a female Panther (Sammy) who is having some troubling skin problems. A couple of weeks ago I went to the vet for a lump at the top of her arm with a scab on it. It is/was quite large. The vet found puss inside, swabbed it and gave me oral drops (Clavamox) and also Betadine solution to bath her with daily. These meds did NOTHING and Sammy’s skin seems to be getting worse, with little blotches appearing all over her body now and one on her eye.... Most seem black on the inside and surrounded by white and others are just like pimples. She’s currently having a shed but having trouble because the dead skin seems to hang on to the blotchy patches... and when it comes off it seems to pull out small bits of scab or puss.

Her energy seems to be low for the last two days. But she has eaten and drank and poops look fine (although it’s been two days since I’ve seen a bowel movement)
I have attached pictures below and will take her to the vet ASAP but can anyone tell me in the meantime what they think his might be?

 

[KellyCotton]

****^ not Bernadine solution ... betadine (autocorrect ‍)

 

[CharlesYamaguchi]

This looks to be fungal. Did they test it?

 

[KellyCotton]

This looks to be fungal. Did they test it?

Vet took th scab off the top of the big one and looked at it under a microscope... then gave me the meds I posted above...
I’ll have to go back but it’s irritating cause I am by no means rich and I wish she would have been able to identify it the first time! Also, my Sam has to suffer for longer

 

[Brodybreaux25]

This looks to be fungal. Did they test it?

Why do you say this looks fungal? I’m asking for my own knowledge...

 

[CharlesYamaguchi]

Well Clavamox is a broad spectrum antibiotic for treating bacteria. I do not know if it works on various fungi IF that is what it is. If she thought it to be bacteria, she should have asked you to do a total and complete cleaning of the cage from top to bottom. Every leaf, the screen. All of it.

I only say fungi Brody as I have seen similar instances of this before and it did turn out to be fungi. Fungi are very hard to particularly name unless you have experience with the particular as there are several kind. It would take a trained eye in my experience. I could be wrong.

Bacterial or fungal or not, I highly recommend you spray down the cage outside with an ammonia/water blend and then rinse with a water hose. If infection is external, it must be dealt with.

You say though that she has been sluggish. Was this before the treatment? Antibiotics can make chameleons lose appetite among other things as you are seeing. Otherwise, skin lesions or infections can spread internally and begin to cause issue. I would mention the vet that she was sluggish before or that the lesions are spreading and she is now sluggish. The vet should then draw blood for bloodwork.

I wish she would have mentioned WHAT she thought it was to you and what she saw under the microscope! haha As her initial treatment is not working. Personally, I would recommend a topical antifungal cream. A good one Flamazine you would have to get from her for placing on the lesion sites.

If a vets visit is several days away, I personally would get go to walgreens and get some silver sulfadine cream and just keep it in your arsenal anyway. Apply it to the affected area two times a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening and clean the cage completely as mentioned earlier.

I only mention you take these precautions as if it is fungal, it can be lingering. haha

 

[CharlesYamaguchi]

Also, mention to us humidity levels and misting times/lengths if you do not mind

 

[CharlesYamaguchi]

And may we know your supplement schedule and what of as well