Leopard Gecko Health: Stomatitis

Background Information

Please read our Disclaimer before reading any further into these common problems. As with any medical problem, we strongly recommend that you immediately contact your veterinarian for assistance.

Common Symptoms

The possible signs of stomatitis will change and worsen as the illness progresses. The symptoms could include:

Anorexia
Change in food preferences.
Slight petechiae (collection of tiny bruises).
Excessive, thickened, ropy or sheeting saliva.
Inflammations of the tissue inside/around the mouth.
Yellow, yellowish-grey or white-grey pus (caseasted) in the soft tissues.
Pneumonia
Septicemia
Loose teeth.
Eye infections.
Swollen head.
Osteomyelitis

Possible Causes

Stomatitis often develops secondary to poor husbandry practices. These problems could include:

Improper environmental temperatures.
Malnutrition.
Over crowding.
Stress which can make the leopard gecko more susceptible to health problems because it can suppress/depress the immune system.

Stomatitis can be caused by a variety of opportunistic organisms such as:

Diagnostic Techniques

The diagnostic techniques available to your veterinarian for a suspected case of stomatitis could include:

Complete physical examination.
Detailed patient history and overview of husbandry practices.
Culture and sensitivity testing.
Biopsy

Treatment Options

It is critical that you correct any environmental problems / poor husbandry practices that may have contributed to this or the stomatitis will return. Ensure that you are:

Minimizing the gecko's stress.
Providing proper nutrition.
Providing the proper habitat and environmental conditions.

The most appropriate treatment options will depend on the cause and severity of the problem itself. These could include:

Correct environmental or poor husbandry practices.
Cleaning and debriding the affected area with a cotton swab dipped in an appropriate diluted wound-flushing agent. Your veterinarian will provide you with the necessary details.
Topical or systemic antibiotics.
Fluid therapy.
Nutritional support.

When dealing with medical problems, proper personal hygiene, quarantine and disinfection techniques are absolutely necessary.

Still Confused Or Concerned?

If you would like more information or further assistance, or just want to chat some more about leopard geckos, please feel free to post on the Reptile Rescue, Canada Leopard Gecko Forum!