Darwin’s only dedicated exotic pet and wildlife hospital.
26/04/2025
🦎 Our Frilly Fighter: Battling a Serious Ear Infection🦎
This adult female frilled-neck lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii) was brought to us after being found emaciated and lethargic, with marked swelling around the left tympanic membrane (ear drum). Examination confirmed a large aural (ear) abscess — a common condition in captive reptiles, but rarely seen in wild individuals.
An aural abscess is an infection of the middle ear, often associated with trauma, nutritional deficiencies, or environmental factors. Unlike mammals, reptiles produce solid, caseous pus, which cannot easily drain. Instead, the infection builds up beneath the ear drum, forming a large, firm, and often painful mass
Surgical exploration revealed extensive caseous material extending into deeper tissues. A thorough debridement and abscess excision were performed under general anaesthesia, with careful preservation of surrounding structures.
Postoperative care spanned six weeks and included:
💊Targeted antibiotic therapy
💉Pain management and fluid therapy
❤️🩹Frequent bandage changes
🍖Ongoing nutritional support to aid recovery
Despite the severity of the infection, this resilient patient responded beautifully to treatment. Following complete wound healing and a full return to normal function, the lizard was successfully released back into its natural habitat. 🌳💚
