Bone Disease

[BocaJan]

Hubby brought home a new baby female veiled cham about 2 weeks ago and it is quite obvious she is suffering from a bone malady. One of her front legs looks like she has another knee, although it doesn't bend and a back leg is thicker from the knee to the hip then the other. I took it back to the store and they were willing to exchange it, but at the last minute hubby called and said to bring her back home, he couldn't bare the thought of them destroying her.

So, my question is, what can we expect from her disease and how long will she survive.

Thanks...

 

[kinyonga]

I have looked after a few chameleons with MBD over the years and if the calcium levels, etc. are corrected and the chameleon isn't too far gone when you start the corrections its possible that it could live for several years.

The deformities that have already occurred will remain.

A vet can test to see what the levels are...and help to get her back in balance. If the chameleon with MBD were not a baby, a vet could give her injections of calcium until her blood calcium levels were high enough to give her an injection of calcitonin. Calcitonin draws the calcium back into the bones rapidly.

She needs proper UVB either from direct sunlight (the best source) or from a UVB tube/linear light. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic. Exposure to UVB allows the chameleon to produce D3 which allows it to use the calcium in its system.

Appropriate basking temperatures will help her to digest her food properly so it will help with nutrient absorption.

Most feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phos. so dusting the insects before feeding them to her with a phos.-free calcium powder helps to make up for this.

Gutload the insects well and feed them a nutritious diet. For the crickets, I feed them a wide variety of greens (dandelion, kale, collards, curly endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.). If you also use commercial products you need to pay attention to the amount of calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A in them because they are the main players in bone health and they need to be in balance.

I dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that has a beta carotene source of vitamin A. Beta carotene can't build up in the system, but there is controversy as to whether all chameleons can convert it to vitamin A. Some people give a little preformed vitamin A once in a while to ensure that they get some. Excess preformed vitamin A can build up in the system and prevent the D3 from doing its job...so don't overdo it.

If the chameleon is only kept under UVB lights and gets no sunlight, then its likely necessary to dust a couple of times a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder. D3 from supplements can also build up in the system so don't overdo it.

The above applies to keeping a chameleon healthy in the first place. If your chameleon has MBD then she is going to need extra calcium until her levels get back in line. There are liquid calciums (calcium sandoz or calcium gluconate) that are said to be more easily absorbed than the powder. Caution must be used with these since they are syrupy and it makes it difficult for the chameleon to swallow. You don't want the chameleon to aspirate any of it.

Good luck!

 

[BocaJan]

Thanks. I have already starting to do many of those things. I gut load the crickets, but not with natural food. I will that ASAP. She actually looks like she is moving better then when we got her. At first she was really hesitant when walking and did a lot of sitting. She now likes to crawl all over me when I am holding her and loves to explore her cage.

Thanks again. I am hoping she has a happy life, however long it may be.

 

[mczoo]

i keep my soon to be fed crickets with the best gut load as Kinyonga said above in a "last meal" container as i learned on this website. I use the vegetables and and an orange for fluid. they stay in there between 24-48 hours before feeding. i find less die off if i feed the remaning crickets fluckers or other prepareed or recipe non vegetable chow while they wait to get their last meal

good luck,

Sean