Help! Crested Gecko Leg Issue!

[Buttons]

Hello, I recently and I mean very recently found this issue in regards to my crested gecko!.

So every night before bed and every morning when I wake up I check on my crested gecko. Well last night I noticed something odd regarding his leg so I took a closer look and idk what could have happened but his leg like I can see skin he isn't moving it properly and I find this so strange because again I check on him a lot and I pay attention to him a lot so I don't know what this is or how this could have even happened! I really need advice on this asap if anyone can help me please let me know right away.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hello Buttons' dad ~

I don't know what has caused the lump on Buttons' left rear leg.

I hope some experienced crested gecko breeders will chime in and help us out.

Liz

 

[Buttons]

Update Photo!
So I managed to get a better photo of the area although yeah.... So far I am getting a lot of mixed answers. Some people are saying it isn't worth the vet visit as he should heal up fine. Others are saying that the Vet visit might answer more of my questions and maybe worth it just incase it is more serious. Generally speaking no one that i've spoken to including the guys at Pangea have seen this and its hard to tell if infected or not but the wound is very clean although I do not have anything to put on it and Reptilesrus plus amazon seem sold out of everything? Pangea gave me 2 links for amazon which on my end says "SOLD OUT" and on Reptilesrus the other product I was recommended is also sold out.... So I really don't know what to do but at this point Vet might be the only option and I'll be some upset if the vet says its nothing to worry about as the drive there and back is about 35 dollars then the visit was originally supposed to be 200 but I spoke with them and they said it would only be 139 after taxes in the end for the visit. Still I really hope to get some answers before tomorrow morning so if anyone has seen this before on a crested gecko or could help ease my mind or even give me some sort of information that would make it so a vet visit wouldn't be needed and instead I could get something to help etc please all information right now would be so helpful.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

What exact products have been recommended to you for Buttons' leg problem?

Buttons may need a prescription antibiotic cream.

 

[Buttons]

Veternus Derma GeL & Some other Gel thing.

Which sadly both are out of stock in all locations that I checked. Pangea even provided some links but they are out of stock as well in a sense so.. My options again back to visiting a vet which I hope they don't slap me with loads of stuff to pay for tomorrow as I only get paid Thursday so tomorrow is mainly to diagnose and then on Thursday if anything is required of course I will have to go pick it up and pay for it then.

 

[acpart]

I don't know the difference between chemical names and generic names, so this may be the same stuff: I had a hatchling leopard gecko that had a similar kind of wound on the lower legs which the vet called "de-gloving" (I'm sure you can picture why). She gave me a cream that was Silver Sulfadiazine USP 1%" which cleared the problem right up. I still have it and use it on geckos with wounds. It works really well. It may be that it exists at that strength in the human market as well. I'm not a vet, but in my opinion, as long as the wound doesn't seem to be there because there's a swelling in the leg that has literally burst the skin, it's likely that it's not an infection.

Aliza

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Check to see whether the vet you've found is on this international vet list from ARAV:

https://arav.org/​

PS:
I don't know how current this list is.

 

[Buttons]

https://downtownvet.net/ That's the vet I am going to. This is the only vet I could find that does reptiles in my area. I contacted my vet that I have for my cat they referred me saying that Downtown vet is the only one who does exotics around me.

 

[Buttons]

I checked that website you linked me and surprisingly there isn't any vets within a good 3+ hour drive that come up on that site. Closest one to me would be Guelph Ontario I think? Regardless no way in hell would I be able to go 3+ hours out of my way with a gecko right now during the current weather not to mention the stress it would put on Buttons then to include the fact that I wouldn't be the one even driving. Don't get me wrong if I had no other option you know I would take time off work which I would probably get fired as I just started the job 3 weeks ago. I would take my whole paycheck and some get in my friends car and pay him to drive me if it was the only option but as it stands I'll have to go to this vet downtown. This vet has been around for a long long time and seems pretty well educated so I am putting my trust in them in hopes they will do right by Buttons.

I've been keeping my eye on him all day tho and making sure he is okay. I spent a good portion of my day today while working just crying in meetings with my mic muted as I don't want anything to happen to my little guy.

I also had to propone the new gecko that should have been here tomorrow with his enclosure and such which I don't know if i previously told you Elizabeth but I will have a second 18x18x24 Enclosure in my house that will be housing a Tokay Gecko at some point in the near future as his owner cannot take him back to his country and such. So I offered to take him in so long as the owner provides all the equipment. Which this person is one of my local friends and has taken so good care of this Tokay gecko so I don't see any issues that will happen with him although again I had to prospone all of that temporarly as Buttons is clearly sick and needs his papa more then anything right now.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

. . . . . .

This vet has been around for a long long time and seems pretty well educated so I am putting my trust in them in hopes they will do right by Buttons.

I've been keeping my eye on him all day tho and making sure he is okay. I spent a good portion of my day today while working just crying in meetings with my mic muted as I don't want anything to happen to my little guy.

I also had to propone the new gecko that should have been here tomorrow with his enclosure and such which I don't know if i previously told you Elizabeth but I will have a second 18x18x24 Enclosure in my house that will be housing a Tokay Gecko at some point in the near future as his owner cannot take him back to his country and such. So I offered to take him in so long as the owner provides all the equipment. Which this person is one of my local friends and has taken so good care of this Tokay gecko so I don't see any issues that will happen with him although again I had to prospone all of that temporarly as Buttons is clearly sick and needs his papa more herthen anything right now.

From your link I noticed that your vet's daughter now practices veterinary medicine with her dad!

This is the first I've heard that you're also getting a tokay!

Best wishes for Buttons tomorrow. I hope all he needs is a creme.

 

[Buttons]

Yeah I noticed that as well. So surely things will go good tomorrow morning, I'll updated tomorrow after the vet visit. I put Buttons in his 18x18x24 as its the only enclosure which has no items etc in it. I put a layer of paper towel down and bought some brand new foliage etc. Basically I felt bad for him being in a small container and i know he won't be climbing on anything as i put the Foliage very low to the ground etc. I'm keeping my eye on him constantly right now to make sure he doesn't try to climb the glass or anything but this is the best situation i think for him while i wait for his vet visit tomorrow and of course to keep him away from anything that could either hurt him more or cause infection in his normal enclosure. (aka) Buttons is Quarantined until further notice to make sure he doesn't get hurt more in the end. When i go to sleep i will most likely move him back to the container so that was i am 100% sure he doesn't try to climb the glass in the 18x18x24. Which honestly i don't see him making that attempt anytime soon as his leg is in pretty rough shape. He is still active for the most part and doesn't seem stressed about the situation which confuses me but then again i assume he also won't show weakness as most animals won't.

 

[Buttons]

Alright, So good news! for the most part... After 305 dollars we found out that Buttons leg isn't broken! He managed to bend his bone tho and he chipped an extremely small part of his bone although his leg is not broken! The vet gave me some cream to apply once per day on his wound to help it heal quicker which is called Flamazine Topical Antibacterial Agent Silver Sulfadiazine Cream? So I have to tend to that also the vet told me to make sure to keep up with his calcium intake during this healing process to help his leg heal quicker.

Vet Recommended I feed Buttons every day and make sure Buttons eats his Pangea every day and continue with dusted crickets whenever I do feed him crickets. Although best news then I could have gotten today that is for sure!

Vet also said that He should regain complete use of his leg within a few weeks although at the worst within 4 weeks but should be okay within 2 weeks or so. Since the bone some how bent Buttons will have a slight learning curve to start using it again but that overall it should heal up and Buttons should be a happy camper.

As for how Buttons managed to do this to himself within a 4 hours span we are still completely unsure as i brought my whole 12x12x18 enclosure with me to the vet as the vet asked if i could to examine the enclosure setup. The vet said they have no clue how this happened as there is absolutely nothing that he could have possibly gotten caught on. So that is still a complete mystery... Regardless! I have a free follow-up in about 4 weeks incase he isn't regaining the use of his leg properly which the vet did mention that if by chance something goes wrong with the healing process that amputation maybe the next step although very unlikely or of course worst case I would have to put buttons down which the vet seems certain would not be the case at all.

I have all the X-Ray photo's they are going to be emailed to me as well so once I get those emailed over I will post them here to others can see and so on. So overall I feel like the news I was generally given is most likely the best news I could have gotten considering how Buttons is reacting to all of this in regards to of course him not really using his leg as he normally would etc.

 

[Buttons]

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

. . . . . .

The vet gave me some cream to apply once per day on his wound to help it heal quicker which is called Flamazine Topical Antibacterial Agent Silver Sulfadiazine Cream? So I have to tend to that also the vet told me to make sure to keep up with his calcium intake during this healing process to help his leg heal quicker.

Vet Recommended I feed Buttons every day and make sure Buttons eats his Pangea every day and continue with dusted crickets whenever I do feed him crickets. Although best news then I could have gotten today that is for sure!

Vet also said that He should regain complete use of his leg within a few weeks although at the worst within 4 weeks but should be okay within 2 weeks or so. Since the bone some how bent Buttons will have a slight learning curve to start using it again but that overall it should heal up and Buttons should be a happy camper.

As for how Buttons managed to do this to himself within a 4 hours span we are still completely unsure as i brought my whole 12x12x18 enclosure with me to the vet as the vet asked if i could to examine the enclosure setup. The vet said they have no clue how this happened as there is absolutely nothing that he could have possibly gotten caught on. So that is still a complete mystery... Regardless! I have a free follow-up in about 4 weeks incase he isn't regaining the use of his leg properly which the vet did mention that if by chance something goes wrong with the healing process that amputation maybe the next step although very unlikely or of course worst case I would have to put buttons down which the vet seems certain would not be the case at all.

I have all the X-Ray photo's they are going to be emailed to me as well so once I get those emailed over I will post them here to others can see and so on. So overall I feel like the news I was generally given is most likely the best news I could have gotten considering how Buttons is reacting to all of this in regards to of course him not really using his leg as he normally would etc.

I really appreciate that you've shared ALL this information to this thread! This vet is truly a jewel! We can all learn from her kindness and thoroughness. Silver Sulfadiazine (SSD) 1% cream is excellent. Be sure to apply it just as your vet suggested.

I'm very happy you caught this early on AND took immediate action!!! Thanks for sharing Buttons' x-rays. You rock!

Many thanks to your cat vet for sending you to this exotics vet!!!

1. What type calcium did the vet say to dust Buttons' crickets with: plain calcium or calcium with D3?
2. Did the vet suggest feeding Buttons crickets more often so that he could reap the benefits of moderately dusted crickets?
3. I don't know how daily Pangea compares with lightly or moderately dusted crickets.
4. For some reason Buttons needed more calcium than he had been getting with Pangea or his formerly dusted crickets.

It's a BIG plus that you've been feeding Buttons crickets all along, so he's used to bugs!! Sometimes cresties become so dependent upon Pangea that they refuse to eat dusted crickets.

 

[Buttons]

^_^ Well to answer your questions. So in regards to the cream. I did ask the vet to show me exactly how much and such and how to apply which she showed me step by step and everything and told me to do this once every 24 hours.

As for the calcium I dust Buttons with calcium with D3 from Repti-Calcium which the vet said would be fine.
As for the Pangea it does contain enough it's just he needs to generally eat a bit more as he favors crickets over his diet. So she told me if I can to spend time with him once a day to give him food by hand if I have to.
The Pangea Diet he eats is the Pangea with Insect Diet

Also the issue that happened is some way some how which the Vet and I still cannot figure out but he managed to pin his leg in away where he had to use excessive force to get it unstuck. This is how he bent his bone/slight hurt himself. Luckily he did not break his bone but he will be going for a follow-up X-Ray on Jan 14th.

Regardless I will keep updating this thread as Buttons progresses. Although the Vet is very optimistic in saying he should recover from this with minor long term issues. She mentioned he most likely wouldn't be able to move his leg the same as before but that it will become fully usable again hopefully within the next 3 to 4 weeks.

If I missed anything in this reply please point it out and I will respond asap!

 

[acpart]

Great news! Yes, that's the cream the vet gave me for my gecko that I now use on anyone who needs it (including myself once . . . it worked!).

Aliza

 

[Buttons]

Yeah it's already doing decent surprisingly. Although my only worry is like.. I don't know I guess I feel really sad because even though like it isn't my fault for what happened and even the vet said I did nothing wrong things like this happen from time to time like I still feel so guilty. I honestly look at Buttons and instantly my heart drops and I feel like crying because I feel like I could have done something to prevent this... Regardless Buttons and I are going to have a lot of time together as If he doesn't heal or something for some reason goes bad I just want happy memories with him. So tomorrow during work and such I am going to move him next to me so we can watch netflix or something together even though he is most likely going to sleep most of the time. Although once the dark hits he comes up to the glass and always just looks at me and wants to be next to me. If I open his enclosure he instantly clings onto me and doesn't want to leave me It's the oddest thing ever. I've never had an animal cling to me so much and I guess with all that said I would give everything to see him be healthy.

anyways sorry I got a bit emotional in that msg but its honestly like how I feel and am with him. So regardless of the things to come in the future I hope he understands I would never ever let him down.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

No problems at all. I understand how much you love Buttons. :cheer:
:idea: You've done far more than some crestie keepers do for similarly aged geckos. :banana:

Which enclosure is he in now? Just keep his environment as stress-free as possible.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

What would you or your vet think about feeding Buttons primarily well-gutloaded and dusted crickets at this time, since Buttons prefers them over Pangea with Insects? According to this research article on 60 young crested geckos, the insect/papaya fruit group (30 juvenile cresties) grew better than the 30 crestie group that was fed a powdered diet.

For multivitamins you could dust with Pangea with Insects and Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3. Let your vet be your guide.

When your hydroton arrives, rinse off the dust. It is brand new, so you should not need to boil it. Use it with your weedblocker cloth. By gently watering the hydroton through the weedblocker cloth, you should be able to maintain ideal humidity.

Here's the article.

The Growth Effect of a Commercial Diet versus Calcium-Dusted Blaptica dubia and Carica papaya on Juvenile Correlophus ciliatus
This 2019 undergraduate research was published in the FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) Journal on April 21, 2020.
Corresponding Author: Seza Atamian
Advisor: Dr. Cord M. Brundage

http://dspace.calstate.edu/bitstrea...Seza_UndergraduateResearch2019.pdf?sequence=1

https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.c...4zNJMhlNxTAHn3fbhqWytTmIMjmzNy6HhiVwAdVw78Lyk​

This quote was taken from the above article:
"The roaches used were juvenile ****roaches, Blaptica dubia, obtained from Dubia Roaches (Tropical Spotted Roach) » DubiaRoaches.com. The roaches were gutloaded with Pangea© Superpig and Nature Zone© Total Bites. Approximately 2-3 roaches were fed to each gecko in the ***(commercial diet group). The total weight of roaches fed to each gecko was 1 gram and sizes of each individual roach was decided based on size of the respective gecko. The protocol used was crude examination of the head of the gecko: roaches were given that were smaller than the size of the respective gecko head. The roaches were placed in a clear plastic cup (2 cm height and 2 cm diameter) and dusted with 0.1 gram of calcium powder. The calcium powder brand used was ReptiCalcium© with D3, manufactured by Zoo Med©. The ingredients were precipitated calcium bicarbonate and cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3)."

*** It sounds like these researchers meant "were fed to each gecko in the insect/fruit group."

 

[Buttons]

The main reason I am not feeding him only crickets is because He needs daily calcium intake and I feel like giving him daily crickets might not be the best idea. Also the amount of calcium he gets per cricket is a lot and I don't want to over load him with calcium either.
I can check with the vet to be sure of course although I told the vet that I can give Buttons daily Pangea with his normal feeding of crickets.


**Note: I Contacted The Vet, Providing all information regarding diet and such to make sure I am doing it right. I hope to hear back from the Vet later today.**