Following hot on the tracks of Roynan, I just noticed my Iguana has injured one of the dorsal spines on the back of its neck. Thankfully its a rather minor cut that I think I can treat with a little neosporin to disinfect and let it heal, keeping an eye on it of course for infection etc. I don't know where or how it hurt itself, but when handling today, I noticed that it was hurt. I presume it was squeezing through some crack or something somewhere in the enclosure so I have put cardboard, boards and newspapers filled into every single crevice that I can find in there (between shelve legs, everywhere) but it seems to keep finding more ways to hurt itself. It is currently a little afraid of the change because of all the filling in of the gaps. For all I know it could have hurt itself while scratching because it WAS shedding near the neck and it scratches shed area with hind legs often and quite vigorously whenever shedding.

The dorsal spine did NOT break off completely. I noticed it was a bit bent about 2mm down from the tip, with a little bit of brownish dot at the bend area. It is green above and below that spot. I presume the surface on one side is ruptured and it bent towards the side that hasn't broke. In other words, I think a small part of the cross section broke, but most of the tissue is still connected. It remains straight but if you touch it it will bend abruptly there, and stay like that until I run my fingers over to straighten it again, then it stays straight. As such, I do not think it warrants amputation unless the black area starts spreading.

My question is, how do I apply the neosporin? Do I simple apply it to the brown dot while the spine is STRAIGHT? Or do I gently "open" the wound by slightly bending the spine, and then applying the neosporin INTO the wound, to disinfect the inside? (Of course I would be careful and gentle).

If the latter is correct (that I should put the neosporin INSIDE the wound instead of on the surface), will the petroleum jelly block the blood flow to the tip of the dorsal spine because the ointment is inside the spine, which is rather narrow compared to say, a leg injury?

Will the neosporin make the iguana itchy there so it starts scratching and hurting itself more? If so, perhaps I should just wash it and make sure that everything is clean.

Also, if I decide to use betadine, how do I disinfect it? I can't really "Soak" that area as it is above its breathing level in water so I would have to somehow just apply it and wash off etc. Is it ok to substitute some rubbing alcohol for the betadine in disinfecting?


Please advise ASAP. THANKYOU SO MUCH!

I would just leave the spine alone. If there is not an opening in the skin the neosporin will do nothing. And I wouldn't suggest trying to open it just to be able to get the oinment inside. The more you mess with it the longer it will take to heal and the more likely the ig will lose the spine. If the spiine is going to heal and remain it will do so without your assistance. If its broken enough that it is not going to heal it will dry up and fall off.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I think there IS an opening on one side. There probably is an opening on one side, so that when the spine is BENT, the opening shows. When it is put back straight, the opening is not there. The opening is NOT over the entire cross section of the spine, but there is definitely damage to one side.

Let me explain a little clearer. The spine is injured, but the top part isn't broken off. There is enough connecting tissue that it stays straight until you touch it, in which case it bends. It bends towards the side that is still connected slightly, showing a small open wound on the other side.

And Merlin. I know that if the spine is not able to heal it will dry up and fall off. I am a little worried about dry gangrene or necrosis, dead tissue spreading etc. as I have read about that. I know that I should like keep it clean and disinfect it etc. and then just watch it closely so that the brownish color doesn't spread. But what are the chances of gangrene and necrosis???? I already know I need to keep an eye on it but should I be freaking out, or is it just a minor possibility, or somewhere in between? Yes I know I'm a bit nuts.

It did have a spine completely fall off before once (posted a few months ago) which wasn't treated and the spine grew back. But that one had completely broken at the base instead of partially in the middle. I don't know if that's better or worse. If you remember the tip of its tail got nicked once which lead to a place spot but it disappeared the next day and was fine.

Necrosis and dry gangrene is more of an issue in the tail. I've never heard of there being a problem with the spikes. There just isn't enough tissue in the spike to make it a problem.
I would just leave it alone and keep an eye on iit.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

So I shouldn't even bother with the neosporin, betadine etc.? Just completely leave it alone?

I agree with Merlin, I would just leave it alone. Ig spikes break off without any ill effects all of the time. Look at pictures of older rescued igs, they rarely have intact spikes.
If it starts to look suspect I would worry then, until it starts to look bad I would just relax.

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Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

My Photos

ok thank people.

YAY, thanks for posting this Replover, although Im sorry it means your ig has a hurt spine too, but the responses put me at ease with my Gandhi because I was really concerned about the seriousness of this kind of wound. Gandhi's spine is pulled out a bit so that it is sitting higher than the other spines but itis still rooted in his neck so maybe it will heal ok. I have been putting neosporin on the area with a q tip, just topical without trying to put it "in" the wound. I figured it couldnt hurt. It seems to be healing fine. Good luck Anthony!

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"You must be the change you wish to see in the world" ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Mine seems to be healing fine too, thanks!