Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Iguanas > Stomach problem

Stomach problem

21 14:59:43

Question
Scab is now gone
Scab is now gone  

When scab was present
When scab was present  
Hello, Jennessa again.  Recently, I adopted an iguana named Apollyn (Greek for The Destroyer.) He had a small yellow brown spot on his belly that has massively grown despite my neosporin efforts... My boyfriend and I took him to our reptile specialist friend in town, he gave us some bedadine (spelling?) And instructed us to clean his wound with rubbing alcohol and then cover it with some bedidine before putting neosporin on it.  He told us to do this a few times a day. Apollyn does not mind.  He eats regulary, (collard greens, snap peas, green beans, turnip greens, papiya, mango, sometimes carrots, and sometimes tomatoes, along with calcium spray, and a few pellets).  He lives in a fifty gallon tank, he has branches  and logs to sleep and climb on.  He has correct humidity, and lighting.  His substrate is coco husk.  Any help or advise would be great! Images have been attached.

Answer
Hi Jennessa,
Please check some of my previous iguana questions/answers to get my care sheet...sorry I can't add it here but I am on a new computer an haven't gotten all of my files transferred yet.
First off...remove the coco husk..use plain newspaper or other substrate that cannot be gotten into his mouth.
I don't like the looks of that sore...you may be dealing with a fungual infection.  My suggestion is to have the vet do a skin scraping to find what it is.   Also, I am not a fan of using straight betadine ..in most cases it is too strong.  I always recommend it be diluted to the color of a weak tea..but..the vet is whose advice you need to follow.
Also, with the coco husk it may be holding too much moisture which does not help any skin infections.
Be sure he cannot get onto any heat source and cause more injury..it actually may have started out as a burn.
I'm sure I don't have to mention the need for super clean environment!!
Do get more dark, leafy greens into his diet..turmip greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, arugula and of course collards...grated butternut squash is a good addition..on the other foods you are feeding, only small amounts with the "good" greens.  I would not give tomatoes at all..too much acid.  With pellets..if they are the dry type, soak in warm water so they are soft 1/2 through.  When fed dry, they suck the moisture out of the igs stomach like a sponge. Be sure to provide a proper source of uvb lighting..it is vital.  If possible, you may want to get him outside and get some real sunshine on his belly..it may help heal it.
Again...double check all care areas..
ask the vet to do a skin scraping
follow the vets advice as per treatment..BUT..do ask if the straight Betadine and alcohol may be too strong and is causing the sore to get larger.