Take Them To A Reptile Vet Asap
In order to 100% know if your dragon is infected with Yellow Fungus or not, get them to a respectable reptile vet ASAP.
Once there, the vet will likely remove part of the affected area of their scales to run some tests on to confirm whether it is indeed Yellow Fungus or another fungus.
If the tests come back positive for Yellow Fungus, you can likely expect the vet to prescribe your bearded dragon Voriconizole or a similar antifungal agent that will work to kill the fungus.
However, it should be noted that the high level of yeast in Voriconizole can affect the health of your bearded dragons kidneys over time and such, you should be prepared to offer them supplements and plenty of water to keep their organs as healthy as possible.
Later Stage Signs And Symptoms
Advanced stages of yellow fungus in bearded dragons can result in the affected areas turning black and starting to rot.
If the fungus has moved to the limbs or tail, these could fall off if treatment is not sought. In addition to this, in advanced stages wounds can start seeing a puss like substance.
Early Stage Signs And Symptoms
A newly infected bearded dragon may show some slight signs of yellow fungus, which may include a dry or crusted lesion on one or more scales. This may or may not be seen along with discoloration.
The trouble areas can be retained during the shedding process. Its not uncommon for shedding to happen more often in dragons suffering from yellow fungus.
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Cause #: Poor Living Conditions
The environment of your beardie is the most important thing to them. Since they dont have access to the same resources they would in the wild, their resources need to be replaced with some things to stay safe and secure. They need lots of light, heat, and for items to remain clean so that they do not become ill.
Their exposure to UVB light is essential because it impacts their immune system and digestion. So, keeping track of how much UVB light they are exposed to is critical to their health. Keeping it too warm all the time can cause them serious issues and dehydrate them, just as keeping it too cold can weaken their immune system and lead to respiratory infections.
This also makes them vulnerable to fungal infections. Especially if you dont clean their tank regularly and they have pieces of food or excrement lying around in their tank. Setting up a weekly clean and bath for your beardie is the perfect way to fend off bugs and problems that come with unclean conditions.
The easiest way to avoid infections and diseases is to keep them and their surroundings clean and sanitary.
Cause #: Pathogen Exposure
If your bearded dragon comes in contact with the YF pathogen, they are completely susceptible to it and may become infected.
Common ways healthy dragons can encounter the pathogen include, but are not limited to
Sensing a pattern here?
Essentially your dragon will only come in contact with the pathogen IF they are touched or touch something/someone that also touched the infected dragon. Makes sense, right?
This is why it is so important to house dragons separately and thoroughly wash your hands and clothes after handling one dragon and before handling another.
Also, if your dragon is on your bedding, couch, or anything else outside of their tank, try to wash and disinfect these surfaces as well if you plan on allowing your other bearded dragon to come in contact with them. Its better to be safe than sorry!
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Keep Your Dragon Clean
Some will argue that bathing a bearded dragon is useless, whilst others will argue that daily bathing keeps them safe and hydrated. You must decide where you stand in this argument by yourself.
If you ever plan to bathe your bearded dragon, do so no more than once a week and use warm water with very soft baby soap.
Be sure the water does not reach their shoulders, and be ready to supervise at all times. Baths can be no more than 20 minutes.
Other Sources Of Impaction In Bearded Dragons
Of course, there are other ways beardeddragons can become constipated:
- Indigestible Food Largerpieces of food, or feeders with hard shells or exoskeletons thatbearded dragons are unable to digest completely, can be the sourceof their impaction.
- Inadequate Temperatures If the inside of your bearded dragons tank is not warm enough, itmay have trouble digesting its food properly.
- Dehydration If yourbearded dragon does not receive enough water, its metabolism anddigestive system will not work properly in order to break down food.Its colon will be unable to absorb the water it needs to eliminatewaste effectively.
- Insufficient Diet A lackof vegetables and greens in your bearded dragons diet can lead toless frequent bowel movements.
- Eating Other Inedible Objects Things outside of substrate, such as materials found outside of yourbearded dragons tank, can cause impaction if your pet tends totry to eat everything as they explore outside of their normalhabitat.
Other sources of bearded dragonimpaction include parasites, injury, infection, and tumors.
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Treating Yellow Fungus Disease In Bearded Dragons
Not all cases of Yellow fungus disease will be treatable. The successful treatment of Yellow fungus disease can take a long time and is dependent on the correct diagnoses. Early, milder infections have a better prognosis of curing. The prognosis is also dependant on the location of the infection.
Treatment of Yellow fungus disease should be done under guidance of an experienced reptile friendly veterinarian. Veterinary treatment for Yellow fungus disease will likely include debridement, scheduled antifungal medications, ointments and medicated baths.
At home, cleaning/disinfecting the environment with veterinary grade disinfectant and isolation from other Bearded dragons will also be advised.
Keeping Your Bearded Dragon Safe From Fungal Infection
Fungal infection, like other forms of infections, is contagious. Hence, it is a must that you keep your reptile pet safe from fungal infection. You do not only need to create the right habitat and provide the right diet for your pet. You also need to make sure that everything within his enclosure is kept clean and properly disinfected. These will ensure that your pet wont catch any harmful microorganisms present within the environment. These will also make sure that his health is properly looked after.
Here are some other tips you may consider to keep your Bearded Dragon from not fungal infection:
1. Ensure that your pet is provided with the right temperature and humidity throughout the day. This will ensure that their body can regulate the right level of heat that they need to do their daily normal activities. Different Bearded Dragon may require varying levels of temperature and humidity to maintain their health.
2. Provide them the right diet, choose them for best food for Bearded Dragon growth. This will ensure that they will consume the right essential nutrients they need to stay healthy and free from any diseases. Remember that if they get infected by any contagious diseases, you and familys risk may also be at risk. This will also mean that his immune system will be kept strong and that his bodys natural defense against destructive microorganisms can fully function.
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Yellow Fungus In Bearded Dragons: Everything You Need To Know
Being a parent of a beardie requires a lot of responsibility. You have to make sure your baby pet is well taken care of and meets their health and unique terrarium needs. Isnt it great to have a great understanding of various kinds of diseases your dragon can catch and preventative measures to keep them at bay?
Also, isnt it a good thing to know when your big-tailed reptile needs a vets attention?
Among various illnesses, Yellow Fungus is the most common illness which a beardie can catch in a blink of an eye.
Contents
Prevention Measure #: Keep Your Dragon Clean
Some people will tell you that bathing a bearded dragon is completely pointless, while others will argue that regular bathing helps keep them clean and well hydrated.
Youll have to decide for yourself where exactly you stand on this debate.
Now, if you do decide to bathe your bearded dragon, keep it to once a week tops and use warm water with extremely gentle baby soap.
Also, make sure the water doesnt go above their shoulders and always be on standby to supervise. Baths should last no more than 20 minutes tops.
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Treatments A Veterinarian Would Likely Recommend
Voriconazole is an oral antifungal drug that has shown promise but there are few truly long-term success stories at present. Oral combination treatments of terbinafine and itraconazole, or oral treatment with either alone, have not proved effective long-term. Skin lesions should be treated with povidone iodine once or twice daily. Topical treatment with antifungal drugs such as terbinafine, miconazole, or itraconazole, have not proven effective.
Can Humans Get It
It isnt common for humans to contract yellow fungus, but it isnt impossible either. If youre someone who is immune system is compromised and has an easy time contacting illnesses you may find yourself in trouble. The best way to fight against that is by washing your hands every time you touch your bearded dragon and clean the different fabrics and surfaces they come in contact with.
This is incredibly rare though, so it isnt likely that you would catch yellow fungus from your bearded dragon. Taking precautions is still recommended so that you dont get sick.
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Is Yellow Fungus Zoonotic
This disease is not considered to be zoonotic . It is impossible to catch such fungus from your dragon. However, immunocompromised individuals may be at high risk to catch Nanniziposis. It is also a fatal skin disease that is slowly progressive.
Cases of yellow fungus in humans have been found by a different species named Nannizioposis. Consult your doctor as soon as possible if you find any skin disease because you may have an early stage of the yellow fungus.
Stages Of Yellow Fungus
Yellow fungus passes from different stages. In the early stage, the infection enters through the skin. As time passes, it may spread more deeply over the skin and resulting in more lesions in the tails, limbs, and all over the body.
In the more advanced stages, the infection will affect the fat and muscle layers, and will also affect the lungs, liver, and spleen. In a few days, the infection will spread deeper and your dragon will become sick and lethargic.
Wounds may begin to leak with a puss-like substance and the condition will be more critical in this stage.
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Symptoms Of Yellow Fungus
It can be hard to diagnose at first, but you should be looking out for any signs that something is going awry with their health. Beardies are good about notifying you when something is wrong. They tend to showcase symptoms of illness easily, so youll be able to tell what is deviating from their normal behavior.
What Is Yellow Fungus In Bearded Dragons
Before we get into talking about the signs, treatments, and causes of Yellow Fungus, lets first discuss what exactly this awful infection is
Yellow Fungus, which is more scientifically referred to as Chrysosporium Anamorph of Nanniziopsis vriesii , is an aggressive fungus infection that affects the superficial and deep tissue levels, and in more severe cases, can reach as far down as internal organs.
When a bearded dragon has Yellow Fungus, their scales become discolored and can break off revealing extremely sensitive ulcerated tissues.
The revealed tissues are often swollen and inflamed and extremely painful.
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Ways To Treat Yellow Fungus Infection In A Bearded Dragon
If you think your bearded dragon has Yellow Fungus , you must act quickly!
Taking them to the vet should be your first priority and you can learn more on what to expect below.
If you cant get them to the vet right away, try the at-home treatments mentioned below in the meantime!
Take Them to a Reptile Vet ASAP
To find out whether or not your dragon is sick with Yellow Fungus, take them to a reptile vet as soon as possible.
Once youre there, the vet would most likely take a portion of the infected region of their scales and do testing to determine if it is Yellow Fungus or another fungus.
If the scans show that the bearded dragon has Yellow Fungi, the vet will most likely administer Voriconizole or another antifungal agent in an attempt to destroy the fungus.
However, since the high amount of yeast in Voriconazole will affect the bearded dragons kidneys over time, you should be prepared to give them vitamins and plenty of water to keep their organs healthy
White Fungus On Bearded Dragon How Does It Look Like Reasons And Remedies
Owning a bearded dragons one of the pet experiences a person can find rewarding.
As far as reptiles go, theyre right up there with the leopard gecko when it comes to ease of care, and while they are much bigger than geckos, bearded dragons are docile and friendly.
Every pet comes with its own set of potential medical issues, and before owning one, we should go through the necessary research to distinguish common health problems.
Bearded dragons are no stranger to fungal disease, and owners must realize this to recognize the signs, so the infection is caught in the early stages.
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How To Treat Yellow Fungus In A Bearded Dragon
If you suspect your bearded dragon has Yellow Fungus then you need to act fast!
Taking them to the vet should be priority #1 and you can read more about what to expect with that below.
If you cant take them to the vet right away, then check out the below at home remedies you can do in the meantime!
Yellow Fungus In Bearded Dragons Signs Causes And Care
The existence of a Yellow Fungus remedy is a highly debated topic on the internet. Some bearded dragon owners believe there is no treatment for Yellow Fungus or Yellow Skin Disease, while others think that if found early and properly handled, the yellow fungus can be cured.
With that said, the safest way to make sure that your bearded dragon lives a long and happy life is to be aware of the symptoms of Yellow Fungus ahead of time, allowing for early detection.
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How To Diagnose Yellow Fungus In Bearded Dragons
To diagnose yellow fungus in bearded dragons, your vet will conduct a physical examination. In this examination, he will try to figure out either it is yellow fungus disease or other bacterial skin infection. More tests will be recommended by your vet to get clear information about yellow fungus.
Several tests like skin scrape test, PCR test, and blood samples can be taken to confirm the diagnosis. A small biopsy can be done in which your dragon will anesthetize for a short period and samples can be looked at under a microscope. This sample is then sent for culture to determine what type of fungus it is.
Your vet can suggest doing an ultrasound or X-ray of your reptile to measure how much serious internal illness has been caused by the fungus. It may also show that how many dragons tissues or organs have been infected.
What Is Yellow Fungus
Yellow fungus has a more scientific name, known as Chrysosporium Anamorph of Nanniziopsis vriesii. It is a fungal infection that takes over the body and affects the external as well as the internal if it gets bad enough. This fungus affects the scales and can cause them to break off, revealing swollen and sensitive tissue underneath.
This can be incredibly painful and can lead to issues below the surface as well if the fungus is allowed to spread. It can affect your beardies internal organs and cause failure if not addressed. So if youre starting to notice signs of yellow fungus in your bearded dragon, you should consult your vet as soon as possible.
While there is no definitive cure for yellow fungus, your vet may know how to stop the spread if you catch it early enough.
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Diagnostic Tests A Veterinarian May Recommend
A skin scrape may be recommended to rule out parasites like mites and to check for signs of other kinds of bacterial and fungal infections. A PCR test sent to a specialized lab may confirm the presence of CANV DNA. A veterinarian may suggest bloodwork to better assess your reptiles health and rule out a serious internal illness. A skin biopsy may be needed to rule out other possible causes of skin discoloration.
Prevention Measure #: Separate Your Bearded Dragons
Because it is near impossible to detect Yellow Fungus upon contraction, you should always keep your bearded dragons separate.
In addition to the risk of sharing diseases, there are many other reasons bearded dragons should also not be housed together, even if from the same clutch.
The only instance in where you may be able to responsibly house your bearded dragons together would be in the instance of two similarly sized female bearded dragons.
You must NEVER house a male with another dragon.
Males will fight with one another and will pester females incessantly about mating.
Its just not good and the repercussions can even be fatal.
Many owners will think because their bearded dragons got along as babies or were from the same clutch that they will like and enjoy each others company as adults. Not true.
Bearded dragons are solitary and meant to live alone.
Even housing babies together runs the risk of injuries because babies often bite one another and leave behind wounds which can develop into Yellow Fungus.
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