Urgent questions about a tegu's health

[MorganM]

Today, I rescued a 2.5 year old B&W Argentinian Tegu from a friend who, after a really bad injury from snout rubbing and charging the fence of an outside enclosure, had failed to properly care for him. I've known this lizard since he was a baby, and absolutely love him, and just want to give him the best chance. This morning when I saw Coach (the tegu), he was emaciated and dehydrated, and his bedding caked onto his nose, forming a scab completely around his mouth and covering his eyes. What can I do to help the healing process?
I currently have him in an enclosure with no bedding, only paper, which I know isn't ideal, but the bedding he was in was causing problems. I've seen that antibiotic ointment treatment really helps, and have started that today.
In addition, he still isn't eating and doesn't seem interested in his raw turkey at all. I'll try to feed him some banana later to see if maybe a different flavor would be interesting, but I don't think he can eat any sort of hard foods right now.

Also if anyone knows of a vet in the Downtown dallas area, that would be great.
I've attached pictures so you can see the damage, and help advise me (I apologize for the poor pick-up handling. He was being very stubborn since I disturbed his nap to take these.)

 

[Walter1]

Today, I rescued a 2.5 year old B&W Argentinian Tegu from a friend who, after a really bad injury from snout rubbing and charging the fence of an outside enclosure, had failed to properly care for him. I've known this lizard since he was a baby, and absolutely love him, and just want to give him the best chance. This morning when I saw Coach (the tegu), he was emaciated and dehydrated, and his bedding caked onto his nose, forming a scab completely around his mouth and covering his eyes. What can I do to help the healing process?
I currently have him in an enclosure with no bedding, only paper, which I know isn't ideal, but the bedding he was in was causing problems. I've seen that antibiotic ointment treatment really helps, and have started that today.
In addition, he still isn't eating and doesn't seem interested in his raw turkey at all. I'll try to feed him some banana later to see if maybe a different flavor would be interesting, but I don't think he can eat any sort of hard foods right now.

Also if anyone knows of a vet in the Downtown dallas area, that would be great.
I've attached pictures so you can see the damage, and help advise me (I apologize for the poor pick-up handling. He was being very stubborn since I disturbed his nap to take these.)

I am NOT a vet. My concern is an infected mouth that makes it hurt to eat. Give him 115 F heat on one side and a mid-70s F hide with moist sphagnum on other. Big pool of water in middle. Newspaper is sterile. Good choice. Use neosporin and hydrogen peroxide. Good luck in your search for a qualified exotics vet.

 

[Dee-Dee Idrais]

Poor baby, I hope he recovers in your good care

 

[MorganM]

I am NOT a vet. My concern is an infected mouth that makes it hurt to eat. Give him 115 F heat on one side and a mid-70s F hide with moist sphagnum on other. Big pool of water in middle. Newspaper is sterile. Good choice. Use neosporin and hydrogen peroxide. Good luck in your search for a qualified exotics vet.

I feel like the key here is "qualified". Getting a cage set up is also proving to be a challenge, but i'll find something. Just doing the heat with some moisture has seen drastic improvement overnight.
He/She (not sure, can't tell) is eating today, even though it is really small bites, so I'm considering it a huge step up.

 

[Walter1]

I feel like the key here is "qualified". Getting a cage set up is also proving to be a challenge, but i'll find something. Just doing the heat with some moisture has seen drastic improvement overnight.
He/She (not sure, can't tell) is eating today, even though it is really small bites, so I'm considering it a huge step up.

Many successful keepers on this site have built a variety of cages, nearly all of which tend toward 8' long X 4' wide.

 

[MorganM]

Many successful keepers on this site have built a variety of cages, nearly all of which tend toward 8' long X 4' wide.

He currently has free reign around my apartment whenever I'm home, and has done exceptionally well in a new space so quickly. I may stick to that method and get a large-enough cage for when I'm not home.

 

[beardeddragon111]

I know this is irrelevant but I think he's a colombian not an argentine.

 

[MorganM]

I know this is irrelevant but I think he's a colombian not an argentine.

Thanks! Clearly, I'm a very new tegu mom, and have just gone off of what I've been told.