Certain part of the body scales of my green iguana are protruding (erected), look waxy and smelly. Looks like there is swelling under the skin that causes the erected scales.
Eating habit normal. What causes this and how to cure it?
Master Advisor Matthew says:
November 19th, 2007 at 10:42 PM
Hello there, Swellings under the skin are very common in green iguanas. They often get them around their mouth and eyes, but can occur anywhere. This is most likely an abscess caused by a bacterial infection. This can be a single type of bacteria or a mixed infection, and you should be careful to wash your hands after handling the iguana as they can carry Salmonella, which is dangerous to humans. If it is a bacterial infection (most likely), the iguana will need antibiotics. Commonly used ones are Amikacin, Baytril and Trimethoprim. These are prescription only medicines you must get from a vet. If it is not a bacterial infection it could be a fungal infection, cancer or parasites. The most common fungal disease is aspergillosis, followed by candidiasis which often affects the inside of the mouth badly. Parasites are unlikely unless you imported your iguana, but can occur if enclosure hygiene is sub-optimal. The most likely by far is bacterial infection, so you'll need to pick up some antibiotics from your vet. Good luck!
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