Strange Marking / Burn? Discolouration?

[Katy52]

Hi guys,

Hope everyone has had a good week!

My 2 year old panther has developed a strange patch on one area of his body - I would describe it as both white & dark.

Please see photos attached of:

- his healthy side for comparison (right side)
- left side with strange markings x 2
- close up of markings

Is this anything to worry about? It has appeared over a 1-2 day period.

There have been no changes in his environment or routine, he is behaving & eating as normal.

Thank you in advance for your help!!

Katy

 

[Sonny13]

Can't directly see anything alarming, but maybe someone else does.
Btw....handsome fella

 

[Katy52]

Can't directly see anything alarming, but maybe someone else does.
Btw....handsome fella

Ah thank you! I think he is too but he has a sad back story…

A really awful keeper advertised him on GumTree as ‘free’ ‘must go today’ because he had lost half his tail and had multiple bite wounds. He was being kept in a small enclosure with over 10 other juveniles who had been bulling him. The keeper was annoyed that she couldn’t make any money from him so she wanted him gone! I honestly think she would have put him in the trash if I didn’t collect him.

He was super defensive and traumatised at first but 2 years later he’s pretty tame and full of character <3 Although he’s a bit clumsy without a full tail and he has bite scars.

 

[ToastyCham]

Hi! Like @Sonny13 i don’t see anything to be concerned about. his colors are gorgeous though!

 

[MissSkittles]

He’s beautiful. I see the areas you’re concerned about and think it could be a light bruise, maybe the start of shedding or something like that. It doesn’t look like anything much to me either.

 

[Katy52]

He’s beautiful. I see the areas you’re concerned about and think it could be a light bruise, maybe the start of shedding or something like that. It doesn’t look like anything much to me either.

Thank you, I really appreciate your time & expertise! Wow I didn’t know chams could bruise, that’s so interesting.
It could be a bruise as his missing tail does make him quite clumsy.

I will keep a close eye on it, fingers crossed…

 

[GrannyK]

Just wanted to hop in and say, He is beautiful!!!! So happy he chose you to be his human and get him out of that horrible situation.

 

[kinyonga]

So glad that you saved him!
I don’t think the marks should be a concern…but if they change for the worse, post again.

 

[Sonny13]

Ah thank you! I think he is too but he has a sad back story…

A really awful keeper advertised him on GumTree as ‘free’ ‘must go today’ because he had lost half his tail and had multiple bite wounds. He was being kept in a small enclosure with over 10 other juveniles who had been bulling him. The keeper was annoyed that she couldn’t make any money from him so she wanted him gone! I honestly think she would have put him in the trash if I didn’t collect him.

He was super defensive and traumatised at first but 2 years later he’s pretty tame and full of character <3 Although he’s a bit clumsy without a full tail and he has bite scars.

The poor guy, there’re such horrible keepers out there with non respect for a living creature, standalone a special creature like a chameleon. We see these poor condition and chams too often here and mostly females.
I’m happy you saved and you gave him that beautiful life he deserves. He looks happy and they quickly adapt with missing limps or tail or even tongue.
Thanks again for saving him

 

[Katy52]

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend @MissSkittles @Sonny13 @kinyonga

It’s day 4 since the markings on kiwi have appeared, I don’t think they have gotten worse but they haven’t gotten any better... The white maybe seems more pronounced but hard to say given he’s always changing colour

If it were a bruise, how long would it take to fade?

I’m monitoring him daily and photographing the area to document any changes.

I’ve also studied my Govee thermostat data to see if anything unusual happened in the enclosure parameters that might explain it… There was a slight temperature spike due to weather on the 25th August but the mark appeared 29th - if it were a burn would it take that long to appear?

I’ve had chams for 5 years but I still constantly worry, they are sensitive little souls!

Appreciate the forums time & advice,

Katy x

PHOTOS:

Pic 1 - taken the day the mark appeared for comparison

Pic 2 / 3 /4 - taken today (day 4)

 

[MissSkittles]

I’m wondering - when you feed him, what do you put his bugs in? Do you use an escape proof feeding station, an open cup or just release the bugs in his enclosure? Another thing that it could be is a cricket bite. But I’m thinking now that it looks more like a burn with the way the scales around the edges are loosening. @kinyonga what do you think?

 

[BleuSaphir]

I wonder if something in the past of some sharp/pokey object scraped his skin? Perhaps it was around of to the previous owner.

 

[kinyonga]

I’m wondering - when you feed him, what do you put his bugs in? Do you use an escape proof feeding station, an open cup or just release the bugs in his enclosure? Another thing that it could be is a cricket bite. But I’m thinking now that it looks more like a burn with the way the scales around the edges are loosening. @kinyonga what do you think?

I have to agree…it looks like it might be a burn. If you’re really concerned about it, you could take it to a good chameleon/exotics vet to ease your mind.

 

[Katy52]

I have to agree…it looks like it might be a burn. If you’re really concerned about it, you could take it to a good chameleon/exotics vet to ease your mind.

Thank you both! @kinyonga @MissSkittles

He is cup fed but I don’t give him crickets, he has dubia & silkworms as his staple bugs.

If it is a burn, will it heal on its on own or is medication needed?

The other unusual thing he has is no pigment on the inside of his front two hands. It’s been like that since he got his ‘adult’ colours (he’s 2 yrs old now).

Is that anything to be concerned about/related? Pics attached

Thank you again for your time & help!

Katy

 

[MissSkittles]

Generally silver sulfadiazine cream (by Rx only) is used for burns and other open wound areas. I’m not a vet so I don’t want to risk giving you bad info…so will tell you to make a vet visit to have that area properly evaluated and treated if needed. Personally, I would give it a day or so and see how the area might change. If it is a burn, the damaged skin is dead and will start getting darker and harder, like a scab almost. Infection is the biggest concern with burns…or any open wounds.
For his cute mittens, the pale color looks normal to me. He might be getting ready to shed. Some panthers, for reasons I don’t yet understand will undergo a total body paleness for a couple of months. It’s like they just fade. Just as their colors faded away, one day they start to return and they’re fine thru it all.

 

[Raymond1412]

Maybe he is starting a shed? What a sad story!! I'm so happy he went to a loving home!! <3

 

[Katy52]

Hello lovely Cham owners,

Kiwi is no closer to a diagnosis, he has been seen by an exotic vet (with Cham experience) but they are undecided and therefore kiwi hasn’t been given any treatment so far.

It is day 8 since the marking appeared, it seems to be more white & defined but it is difficult to measure colour change given he is always changing his colours. Please see dated photos attached.

The vets have presented me two options but as they are unsure I would really appreciate a second opinion from here - especially as one option seems a bit extreme with anaesthetic?

Kiwi is still eating well, actively and lively. He last shed 2.5 weeks prior to the mark appearing.

As ever, THANK YOU for your time & help.

Katy


Vet Feedback

Not obviously/definitively presenting as a burn or a fungal infection.

To better determine cause & treatment:

Option 1: Non Invasive Skin Swab

• Swab sent to lab for bacterial & fungal culture
• ‘a chance that we may not get a diagnostic sample as there are other commensals that live on the skin’ Vet report

Option 2: Sedation + Biopsy

• Injected anaesthetic, 24 hour vet stay
• Biopsy sent to lab for tissue histology (thermal burns would show if present) + bacterial & fungal culture
• ‘While there is still a chance we may not a get full diagnosis- tissue culture is generally speaking more likely to give us more representative results of what might be going on with Kiwi compared to a superficial skin swab‘

 

[MissSkittles]

I doubt that a swab culture would show much of anything. It’s hard to tell if the area is getting better or worse, as often skin issues will appear worse as they are healing. It doesn’t seem to be spreading though, which is good. I would say to give it a bit of time to see what it does and how it changes…maybe heal. If it persists or starts to spread, I’d opt for a biopsy. But @kinyonga has so much experience with all sorts of issues and let’s see what she thinks.

 

[kinyonga]

I doubt that a swab culture would show much of anything. It’s hard to tell if the area is getting better or worse, as often skin issues will appear worse as they are healing. It doesn’t seem to be spreading though, which is good. I would say to give it a bit of time to see what it does and how it changes…maybe heal. If it persists or starts to spread, I’d opt for a biopsy. But @kinyonga has so much experience with all sorts of issues and let’s see what she thinks.

I agree with what you’ve said @MissSkittles !

 

[MissSkittles]

I agree with what you’ve said @MissSkittles !

You’re teaching me well.