My beardie has red spots on bellie...

Question
QUESTION: I have a three year old beardie that wont eat. I already checked the temp, and its ok, 90-100 degrees, but I guess he might be eating behind my back because he pooped tonight and about three days ago. Still he looks very skinny. I gave him a warm bach for about 15 minutes Last Saturday and tonight, he totally fell asleep.

He was doing really fine and one day, I took out his stick which got soiled from poop and washed it, so i put it to dry and when I brought it in his cage, it had silver fish in it, and i though nothing of it, but then I killed one and it had blood in it. I think they were biting my beardie in the night.  I threw away his cove and the branch and everything inside the cage and bought all new again. But i think it was too late,
now he has red stripes under his belly, more like redish spots. When I was bathing him I was rubbing his belly and some of the skin peeled off, I didnt notice any pain in him as he was completely asleep.

I bathed him for almost 18 minutes. Oh, I also put some neosporin under his belly. I hope it doesnt hurt him. I used the one that has pain medication as well. He is laying on his rock getting night heat only right now. I hope he doesnt  have cancer or anything. I love this little guy.
What is your advice. Thank you.

Musikman

ANSWER: Hello Musikman,
Wow sorry to hear about your dragon.  
I honestly think that the red spots are most likely from the silverfish.  Hm, are the spots really raw then?  
I would continue to keep using some neosporin or polysporin on those areas for right now to help them start healing.  Are they looking infected yet?  
Did you clean out the entire tank to make sure it is not infested with silverfish & or mites?  You should try to get the tank disinfected with novalsan in order to make sure nothing is still in the tank.  
What is your tank setup like?  What type & brand of UVB lights are you using, a flourescent tube bulb or a compact or coil light?  How old is it?  
What are you measuring his temps with?  A stick on thermometer, a digital probe or a temp gun?  What ARE the temps now?

Please let me know how he is doing?

Tracie


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Tracie for you response. I truly appreciate it. I think Spyro, that is my beardie's name, might be benefiting from the warm baths and neosporin. To make things a bit more clear.

The sores that I saw on Spyro don't seem to be external, at least thats from what I can tell. Im not a home right now, but from what I recall, they seem to be like dark red, but internal. After the bath last night, they seemed to be less evident although I can still tell theyre there. The skin that I mentioned that fell off, was from the edges of his belly, on each side of him.

I think the warm bath made it loose or something. But I dont think he is infected or there is no open wounds at least from what I saw. This morning he got off from his rock and went to the cooler side of the terranium. I think that was a good sign. I had to go to work so I cant tell if he moved around anymore.

Right now, I am using a regular 100 watt light bulb, regular house one. And a 75 watt light that is supposed to give heat and UV rays. I don't recall the brand but I got it from Petco. It was like 10 dollars.

I measured the temp with my sons wall digital thermometer that I think is pretty accurate as it always reads the same temp that the AC control reads out, so I trust it a bit.
I am using both bulbs on a dome lamp. The 100 watt lamp,I got it at walmart and the 75 watt lamp at petco.

When I decided to get rid of the silverfish bugs on the stick, I took it and dipped it in water inside a bucket, then, the next day, i took it out, and it still had bugs in it. Thats when I smashed one and noticed that it had blood. I had previously smashed silverfish, and always,they just had like just water. I freaked out when I saw the blood.

This is when I realized my poor beardie was in trouble. This is the day when I took everything out of the terranium, and washed it clean. Threw away all his stuff, except his basking rock which is non pourous, so I could feel sure it was bugless.

Right now I am using a 100 watt RED light bulb for the night to give my beardie heat and no light. He seems to really like it. Last night after his warm bath, and I placed him on his basking rock, he literally went to sleep all night. I woke up at around 4 am and he was still sound asleep. I think he feels more secure. I am trying to give Spyro as much love as I can.
I'm going to try to take some Digital pics of the belly so you can see them and maybe make a better diagnosis.

Thanks Tracie.

ANSWER: Hello Musikman,

Great that the baths appear to be helping Spyro though!  So the wounds are internal?  Ouch, that can't feel good.  I do not know if the silverfish could have penetrated the skin, but I suppose that is very possible they could have burrowed somehow.  Do they appear to be getting any worse?  If it keeps getting worse, I would definitely take him in to see the vet to make sure it is nothing serious.  I would hate for anything like that to damage his internal organs!
Hm, well, I do need the specific brand of the UVB light that gives off UVB & heat.  That would be a Mercury vapor bulb, but right now I can tell you that a good Mercury vapor bulb would not be that cheap.  So I do need the brand.  It should be stamped on the base of the light somewhere.  
Ok, that is good you are using a digital thermometer that should be pretty accurate then, no problem.
It sounds like you cleaned out the tank very well.  Do you just have paper towels in for the lining of the tank?  
Well, the red light he can still see at night.  Does it seem to disturb his sleep patterns?  Make sure his head is covered so it wont disturb his sleeping.  
Yes, I would like to see pics of his belly.  You can send them to my home email address at:
Drache613@tampabay.rr.com  
Thanks!
Is he excreting blood in his stools?  Is he interested in food at all?  If he is still not eating, we are going to have to intervene to get some fluids & nutrition into him.  OK?  

Talk to you soon.

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Tracie,
I sent you an email with pictures. please let me know what you think.

Best,
Musikman

Answer
Hello Armando,

Those spots do look somewhat painful, poor little guy.  At the moment, I would get some betadine from the grocery store (pharmacy area) & dilute that down until it resembles weak tea & soak him in that.  Then, put the neosporin on it.  
My recommendations are if those areas do not begin to look better, he should go to the vet to avoid infection.  Also, the bedding you have him on right now, you should replace that with paper towels right now.  Any loose substrates can harbour bacteria & he doesn't need those areas to get infected, ok?  
Please let me know how he is doing.

Tracie