Posted By: amarie
Potential tail tip problem, not sure if injury or pigmentation? - 08/28/19 06:44 PM
Last week I noticed that Monti's tail was black about an inch from the tip, under the fur. I immediately rushed him the the vet thinking it was broken and dead. The vet looked and felt for injury, didn't find any wounds or feel a break, and determined Monti still had good movement and blood flow. He said it was only bruised and gave me antibiotics and anti inflammatory. I'm supposed to take him back in a2 weeks if it isn't better.
Over the last week it has not gotten better, but not worse either. It also does not seem to bother him at all. On closer inspection my mom and I thought it looked like most of the dark color is actually in the roots of the fur in that spot and the skin is only light grey, not black. Now I'm wondering if this might be a skin pigment thing or melanoma. It should be noted that the black part is difficult to see except in bright light, so I may have only seen it because Monti got up during the day to look at some new furniture I was putting in his cage. I guess it's possible I didn't notice the dark color until just then, although I find it hard to believe that I missed seeing it for four years.
Last night on a whim I looked at my other sugar glider's tail and noticed that her tail tip looked very similar to Monti's, dark at the tip under the fur. She doesn't seem bothered or injured and her tail doesn't look dead so I haven't taken her to the vet yet. The thing is I know Kira's tail tip used to be pink because she pulled all the fur off it when I first got her. So what is going on? Are both my gliders suffering from the same injury or illness, or am I freaking out about normal coloration?
Further info: Monti and Kira live as neighbors but their cages are not close enough to fight through the bars. Monti is 4 years old, Kira is 71/2 but she didn't live with me until she was 4. They each have different brands of glider safe wheels and different cage styles, so there isn't really a common denominator between them that could cause the same injury. They eat the wombaroo diet with appropriate fruit/vegetable mixes. Both seem energetic as usual and have a good appetite. I'll post photos below, both tails look nice and fluffy in actuality, I'm just parting the fur in the photos.
Over the last week it has not gotten better, but not worse either. It also does not seem to bother him at all. On closer inspection my mom and I thought it looked like most of the dark color is actually in the roots of the fur in that spot and the skin is only light grey, not black. Now I'm wondering if this might be a skin pigment thing or melanoma. It should be noted that the black part is difficult to see except in bright light, so I may have only seen it because Monti got up during the day to look at some new furniture I was putting in his cage. I guess it's possible I didn't notice the dark color until just then, although I find it hard to believe that I missed seeing it for four years.
Last night on a whim I looked at my other sugar glider's tail and noticed that her tail tip looked very similar to Monti's, dark at the tip under the fur. She doesn't seem bothered or injured and her tail doesn't look dead so I haven't taken her to the vet yet. The thing is I know Kira's tail tip used to be pink because she pulled all the fur off it when I first got her. So what is going on? Are both my gliders suffering from the same injury or illness, or am I freaking out about normal coloration?
Further info: Monti and Kira live as neighbors but their cages are not close enough to fight through the bars. Monti is 4 years old, Kira is 71/2 but she didn't live with me until she was 4. They each have different brands of glider safe wheels and different cage styles, so there isn't really a common denominator between them that could cause the same injury. They eat the wombaroo diet with appropriate fruit/vegetable mixes. Both seem energetic as usual and have a good appetite. I'll post photos below, both tails look nice and fluffy in actuality, I'm just parting the fur in the photos.
