Mouth rot is a common issue that affects many blue tongue skinks. If you notice any signs of mouth rot in your pet, it’s crucial to get them treated as soon as possible.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview: Mouth rot is an infection typically caused by bacteria or fungi that leads to inflamed gums, bad breath, and eventual tooth loss if left untreated. It’s important to take your skink to an exotic vet at the first signs of mouth rot in order to get antibiotics and properly care for their oral health.
What Causes Mouth Rot in Blue Tongue Skinks
Bacterial Infections
One of the most common causes of mouth rot (stomatitis) in blue tongue skinks is bacterial infections. Bacteria like Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, and Klebsiella can invade oral tissues and cause inflammation and tissue damage. These bacteria thrive in unclean enclosures with poor husbandry.
Injuries to the mouth from sharp decor items can also allow bacteria to enter and infect mouth tissues.
Fungal Infections
Fungal infections from Candida albicans or Aspergillus species can also lead to mouth rot in blue tongues. Fungal spores are commonly present in most environments. An immune-compromised skink is more likely to develop a fungal infection from these spores.
Like bacteria, fungi can colonize and penetrate oral tissues, causing cell damage and rotting.
Injuries
Physical injuries to the mouth area greatly raise the odds of developing mouth rot in pet skinks. Common causes include rubbing the mouth hard against cage decor, getting bitten in the mouth by cagemates, cuts from sharp cage furnishings, ingesting substrates like reptile carpet fibers, and thermal burns from unregulated heat sources.
Stress
Stressed blue tongue skinks have weakened immunity and reduced wound healing abilities. Stress is often from poor cage setups lacking proper hides, heating, humidity, and enrichment objects. Excess handling, overcrowding, and loud noises can also stress skinks.
The chronic stress leads to easier colonization and growth of mouth pathogens.
Poor Husbandry
Unsanitary housing is strongly linked with mouth rot in blueys. Dirty water bowls, uneaten decaying food, and soiled substrates all support rapid pathogen growth. Poor temperatures, lighting, and ventilation also weaken immunity. Overgrown teeth and gums from malnutrition cause tissue injuries.
Addressing all husbandry issues is crucial for preventing and resolving mouth infections.
Symptoms of Mouth Rot
Mouth rot, also known as stomatitis, can cause several concerning symptoms in blue tongue skinks. Being able to recognize the signs of this condition early is crucial to get your skink the treatment they need. Here are some of the most common symptoms of mouth rot to look out for:
Swollen or Red Gums
One of the first signs of mouth rot is inflammation in the mouth. The gums may appear puffy, red, or swollen. This inflammation is a response to the infection taking hold in the mouth. Skinks with mouth rot often have reddish or purplish gums.
Excess Salivation
Excess drooling or salivation is common with mouth rot. The irritation and inflammation in the mouth causes an increased production of saliva. You may notice your skink’s mouth appears constantly wet from drool. Excess saliva may also accumulate at the corners of the mouth.
Loss of Appetite
As the infection progresses, skinks often lose their appetite. The discomfort in the mouth can make eating difficult or painful. Severe inflammation may physically prevent a skink from being able to comfortably close their mouth to eat.
Loss of appetite is a serious sign as malnutrition can further compromise the immune system.
Bad Breath
The infection and tissue damage in the mouth can cause a foul, rotten smell. Bad breath is a common symptom of advanced mouth rot. The stench is from the bacteria and dying tissue in the mouth. If your skink’s breath smells foul, have them examined for mouth rot right away.
Tooth Loss
In severe, untreated cases of mouth rot, the infection can damage teeth and even cause them to fall out. The loss of teeth is obviously detrimental to a skink’s ability to eat. Tooth loss indicates advanced mouth rot that requires immediate veterinary treatment.
Be sure to save any fallen out teeth to show your exotic vet.
If your blue tongue skink is showing any of these symptoms, it is crucial to get them evaluated for mouth rot right away. Though early mouth rot may resolve with appropriate care at home, advanced cases require prescription antibiotics and other treatments from an exotic veterinarian.
Ignoring the signs of this infection can have devastating consequences for your skink’s health.
How to Treat Mouth Rot
Visit an Exotic Veterinarian
The first and most important step in treating mouth rot is to take your blue tongue skink to see an experienced exotic veterinarian as soon as you notice any symptoms. Mouth rot can rapidly worsen if left untreated, so early veterinary intervention is crucial.
The vet will likely perform a physical exam of your skink’s mouth to assess the extent of the infection. They may also take swab samples from the lesions to identify the type of bacteria causing the infection. This helps determine the most effective antibiotic treatment.
Administer Antibiotics
Once the underlying cause of mouth rot is identified, the vet will prescribe the appropriate antibiotic medication. Commonly prescribed antibiotics for mouth rot include:
- Enrofloxacin (Baytril)
- Doxycycline
- Metronidazole
Antibiotics may be given orally or by injection, depending on the severity of the infection. It’s crucial to complete the entire course of antibiotics as prescribed, even if symptoms improve, to fully eliminate the bacteria.
Improve Husbandry
While antibiotics work to clear the infection, you should also focus on improving your skink’s living conditions to support healing and prevent reinfection. This includes:
- Cleaning the enclosure frequently with a safe reptile disinfectant to reduce bacteria levels.
- Providing an appropriate basking spot temperature of 95-100°F to support the immune system.
- Misting the tank daily to keep humidity around 60%.
Closely monitor water cleanliness and remove uneaten food promptly to limit bacteria growth. Also replace any porous substrates like bark or moss with papertowels while treatment is ongoing.
Provide Soft Foods
Your skink may have difficulty eating its normal diet during mouth rot treatment due to oral pain. Offer soft, high-calcium foods like:
- Mealworms
- Waxworms
- Chicken baby food
- Canned snails
- Ground turkey
Avoid hard foods like vegetables, fruits or kibble that may further irritate oral lesions. Hydration is also important, so provide fresh water daily.
Monitor Recovery
You should notice improvement in mouth rot symptoms after around 2 weeks of appropriate treatment. The lesions will begin healing and your skink will be more alert and active. However, continue antibiotics for the full course prescribed by your exotic vet.
Schedule a follow-up veterinary visit at the end of treatment. The vet will examine the mouth again and may recommend an additional round of antibiotics if needed. With prompt, thorough treatment most cases of mouth rot can be cured within 4-6 weeks.
Going forward, maintain excellent hygiene and husbandry to prevent mouth rot recurring. But see the vet promptly if you notice any oral inflammation or other signs of illness in your pet blue tongue skink.
How to Prevent Mouth Rot
Proper Sanitation
Maintaining proper sanitation is crucial for preventing mouth rot in blue tongue skinks. Here are some tips:
- Clean the enclosure regularly using a diluted bleach solution to kill bacteria.
- Remove uneaten food and feces daily to prevent bacteria growth.
- Disinfect water bowls, branches, and hides weekly.
- Use paper towels as substrate to allow easy cleaning and disinfection.
- Wash hands before and after handling the skink to prevent spreading bacteria.
Balanced Diet
Feeding a balanced diet supports good oral health in blue tongue skinks:
- Offer a variety of vegetables, fruits, insects, small mice/rats for balanced nutrition.
- Dust insects with calcium supplements 2-3 times a week for strong bones and teeth.
- Avoid too many sugary fruits as they can encourage bacterial growth.
- Provide clean drinking water at all times to encourage swallowing and flushing of food particles.
Regular Health Checks
Checking your skink’s mouth regularly allows early detection and treatment of mouth rot:
- Inspect the mouth weekly for signs of infection like reddened gums, pus, or foul odor.
- Take the skink to an exotic veterinarian immediately if you notice any abnormalities for diagnosis and treatment.
- Quarantine infected skinks until fully recovered to prevent spreading infection to others.
- Have fecal tests done every 6 months to check for parasites which can weaken immunity.
Reduce Stress
Minimizing stress boosts the immune system to better resist mouth infections:
- Provide proper hiding spots, basking areas, and enrichment activities.
- House skinks separately or in compatible groups to prevent aggression.
- Maintain consistent ambient temperatures between 75-85°F.
- Limit handling to necessary maintenance to avoid undue stress.
Proper Temperatures
Ensuring correct temperatures in the enclosure prevents susceptible bacteria growth:
- Maintain a basking spot temperature of 90-95°F to support metabolism.
- Keep the cool end around 75-80°F to allow thermoregulation.
- Use under tank heaters, ceramic heat emitters, and monitored thermometers.
- Avoid temperatures over 95°F as heat stress can lower immunity.
Following these preventative measures can significantly reduce the risk of mouth rot in captive blue tongue skinks. Proper husbandry and nutrition supports good oral health. Regularly inspecting the mouth and acting quickly allows early treatment by a qualified exotics vet.
With proper care, mouth rot can usually be successfully managed in pet skinks.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mouth rot is a common issue in captive blue tongue skinks that requires prompt veterinary attention and improved care to resolve. By understanding the causes, being able to recognize symptoms early, and taking preventative husbandry measures, blue tongue skink owners can effectively treat mouth rot and stop its progression.
With quick intervention from a qualified exotic vet and adjustments to your skink’s environment and diet, mouth rot can usually be cured before major damage occurs. Be vigilant in monitoring your pet’s health and oral condition, and seek treatment at the first signs of infection.
