Chameleon Skin Lesions

Re: Chameleon Skin Lesions

John Ellis — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 17:27:19 GMT

Will keep you posted, the owner seemed keen to biopsy, I'm giving him a call monday.

John

Re: Chameleon Skin Lesions

Marie Kubiak — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 15:54:24 GMT

Locusts do tend to perch on the warm backs of my chameleons under the basking light when left in, but I have yet to see any injury from them (though they are rapidly munched/removed). Crickets are a potential problem in a weak reptile but locusts just don't seem to have either the interest or cutting mouth parts to cause damage to reptile skin.

Would be interested to hear results if you do biopsy this,

Marie

Re: Chameleon Skin Lesions

John Ellis — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 11:09:56 GMT

Fantastic, thanks for the advice Marie! Yes, is CB. The large caudal one was the first to appear, the owner thought he may have been bitten by one of the locusts, since they are often left in the viv (this has since changed). I think the distribution of lesions make this unlikely though? No history of thermal or UV damage that we are aware of though.

Thanks again

John

Re: Chameleon Skin Lesions

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 21:32:32 GMT

Any trauma (usually thermal/UVC injury to skin) that could be a predisposing cause of multifocal abscessation?

Chameleons seem over-represented with skin neoplasms in my experience compared to other lizard families. Sarcomas and pigment cell (chromatophore) neoplasms are reasonably common and margins are very difficult to acheive with the lack of spare skin available to close afterwards.

Presumably CB but if wild caught then consider encysted nematode parasites.

Definitely a case of biopsy - even if you get a nice purulent core worth sending tissue for histo regardless, plus culture.

Marie