Lump on tiger salamander’s tail

[annar0826]

About a month ago, I noticed a lump on my tiger salamander’s tail with some dark discoloration around it. Since then, it’s gotten worse. It has a couple of holes(?) in/near it which now have tiny black dots around them. The other day I noticed they were oozing some sort of blackish/greenish stuff, and one area was bleeding a bit.
I’ve been doing salt soaks and keeping him on wet paper towels but it hasn’t improved and I really can’t afford an exotic vet right now because my cat just had to be euthanized and my dog has a lot of medical issues. I figured I’d at least try to post on here as a last resort, but I am going to call my exotics vet tomorrow.
The first picture attached is the day I noticed it (just under a month ago) and the others were taken today. He has been eating (earth worms) and pooping normal and appears otherwise healthy.

 

[Muppet and Alexandra]

I think it could be some kind of tumor. Because it has not spread to the whole body but has just grown at the same spot. I hope it is benign. But I think it is if what you say is true about just acting healthy. You might also wan't to look at his/her weight because he or she looks kinda fatty.

 

[annar0826]

I think it could be some kind of tumor. Because it has not spread to the whole buddy but has just grown at the same spot. I hope it is benign. But I think it is if what you say is true about just acting healthy. You might also wan't to look at his/her weight because he or she looks kinda fatty.

Yeah I’m taking him to an exotics vet on friday, and he just looks a little chunky in that pic because he just ate a big earthworm, he usually chunks up some after eating

 

[Muppet and Alexandra]

Good luck!

 

[Dragonfire]

Any update on how he's doing?

 

[annar0826]

Any update on how he's doing?

i took him to the vet, they cut the lump to try and drain it but it wouldn't drain. so my only other option was to spend $400 that i don't have right now on lab tests to find out what it really is, but the vet thinks it's most likely a mass with a mycobacteria infection. i was sent home with silvadene cream to apply on the area daily, he said this likely won't help the infection or lump itself but will help the skin heal. the cream is antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial so i'm praying it'll help some.
i've been applying the cream daily for a little over a week now and the only change i've really noticed is some stuff coming out of a hole in the lump (almost looked like dead skin coming out but i have no clue). but otherwise i really dont know what to do, since i can't afford lab tests right now, if it seems to start affecting his quality of life, my only option may be euthanasia but he's still acting normal so far so hopefully it won't be too much more of an issue!

 

[JM29]

The following paper isn't optimistic about curative treatment of mycobacteriosis in Amphibians :

(PDF) Amphibian Mycobacteriosis

PDF | Amphibians are commonly kept in laboratory and zoological facilities and are becoming more frequent as pets. However, many amphibian species are... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

www.researchgate.net

The authors insist on 2 facts :
- this kind of disease is very contagious (from an Amphibian to another),
- there is more to do on prevention (classic husbandry advices)