Bearded Dragon...

Question
Hi, I have two bearded dragons and about 7 months ago one of them developed a small lump above his eye, i thought nothing of it as it wasn't bothering him and he was still acting as he normally would...
2 months ago he started to grow another lump on his back near his neck, over the last 2 months it has grown to approximately the size of a needle top to the size of an Aussie 5 cent piece, naturally i was very concerned because it was growing so big so quickly so i took him to the vet ( a reptile specialist) and he said he had never seen anything like it, he dismissed my idea of some sort of cancer and told me the only thing he can think of is that it is some kind of bacterial infection... i was told to monitor his weight for the next 2 months, if he gains weight then thats good, but if he loses weight then we would have to put him down, i was wondering if you would agree with this vet or do you think i should get a second opinion?
also, what gets me is that he is still acting normal, he has a great appetite, loves his baths and runs around alot, especially when i let him out of his enclosure...
oh and in the last 2 weeks he has only gained 1 gram???...

Answer
Yes, get a second opinion for sure. The vet should not discount anything unless he has done a biopsy. Something growing that rapidly that he has never seen before, should not be dismissed as non-cancerous without further study. There is much about reptile medicine we don't fully know yet, and I'm amazed at how confident some vets can be...but still not have an answer for what they are looking at.

Did he consider subcutaneous parasite infestation? This sometimes happens on a smaller scale with snake mites, or with bot fly infestation. Could also be a reaction to a toxin of man made, plant, or animal origin. Double check your diet, any plants you have in his enclosure which may be an irritant or mildy toxic properties. Also consider cleaners and other such chemicals he could be exposed to.

If he is acting normally and active with good appetite, and not losing weight, the this is indeed good...but just because he is losing weight is not a reason to put him down either. many herps are treated successfully with antibiotic courses and fed through stomach catheter during if necessary.  

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