Desperate for help!

[QuioteCham]

Hi all,
I have been on the chamcrazy forum for a while and have switched over to chameleonforums (finally). One of my female panthers has been sick for some time now and I am becoming more and more desperate for help for her. She is 9 months old and has the correct lighting, humidity, etc. The problem began 2 months ago when she started drooling and blowing bubbles. Her extreme salvating became worse as she drank. The first exotic specialist vet diagnosed her with a parasite, giving her an injection. Nothing happened, she became worse. I began having to force feed her when it appeared she was no longer eating on her own and the vet care was not helping. The salvation is worse after eating by the day. I take her to a second recommended exotic vet who decides the problem is a respiratory infection and not parasites at all.
She was then given a second injection and liquid oral batryl every other day. Her problem remains the same and I do not want to lose her. Her energy is good, and she some how keeps her strength up, but her body is so skinny and frail from being sick. I feel she can still be helped if she is just diagnosed correctly. She ("on good days") tries to eat on her own but fails. If anyone knows what may be causing this or if they have ever experienced this, please let me know.

 

[Ryan123]

go to chameleonsnorthwest.com and call them about their all natural "reptaid" (i think thats what its called) call and speak to elliot he has so GREAT reviews on this stuff i have never had to use it but the people who have say it works and he told me it saves the trip to the vet hope this helps

 

[dodolah]

Respiratory infection seems about right.
Boost the temp in the max comfort range for veiled.
boost humidity as well.
Do you cage her in glass enclosure?
http://chamworld.blogspot.com/2008/01/upper-respiratory-infection-warning.html

I WOULD NOT recommend Reptaid over Vet visit in your case.
I might be mistaken; but, i think reptaid put advisory warning not to use reptaid when Baytril is in effect.
chameleons' body circulate the meds given to them for a while.

I recommend going to:

Greek & Associates Veterinary Hospital

23687 Via Del Rio
Yorba Linda, CA 92887
714-463-1190

Monday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. - noon
Sunday: Closed

PS: this should be in health clinic forum instead of general discussion

 

[sunnysoleil]

Have you kept her "correct lighting, humidity, etc" since she was diagnosed with the respiratory infection?

 

[Ryan123]

like i said discuss reptaid with elliot from chameleons northwest he knows ALOT and will help you out i dont kno if you can use it with Baytril or not just call and ask him or his wife theres nothing to loose

 

[Carlton]

Definitely sounds like respiratory infection to me. The problem is, it has gotten well established over time and chams are often slow to respond to treatment. Unless the infection is caused by a bacteria that isn't sensitive to Baytril I don't know what else you can do except keep on treating. Remember, a herp's slower metabolism will mean a longer dosing period compared to a mammal. Don't expect to see dramatic improvements right away.

You can give her a little bit of electrolytes and dextrose by mixing some Pedialyte along with the Baytril (assuming you are giving it orally).

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy Carol,

(Welcome fellow SBCK member .)

Baytril is usually the drug of choice for this kind of infection but when it doesn't respond then either a sensitivity test to determine what will work or move on to the Vet's next choice. Maybe Fortaz...

I'm assuming that she is not WC. If she is WC then there are other possibilities .

 

[QuioteCham]

The update:
She has gained a little spunk back, now climbing just high enough to bask on her favorite stick. She eats meal worms only out of my hand with the heads off. (before she was being force fed baby food with calcium dust mixed in and pedialyte). Despite the behavior change, her physical body still looks terrible. Still, I have hope because she has lasted this long. 2 of my other females spend the nights with her on each side of her body as if they are "holding her up" to sleep. (interesting side note of cham behavior). I checked with my current vet and he said reptaid should be fine in small quantities once or twice a week. Im just so nervous about vet care now since my the first vet I went miss diagnosed her (who was supposed to be herp specialist). Thank you guys so much for your help, I really appreciate it.

Thanks again,
Carol

 

[chambabysitter1]

You keep 3 females together? What size is the cage?

 

[QuioteCham]

The cage is pretty ,massive, 4.5' by 2.5'. They all get along perfectly. It actually become a side thing of mine to focus on cham behavior and interaction with there own species. The two fatty healthy ones (Misty and Princess) are sisters. I got them together and introduced them to my third one (Dahlia). The sisters always "hang out" with the third female. They always seem to climb together, drink off the same leaves, eat from the same corner, etc. Its funny to watch. They have kept up this way for a few months now and are in excellent health. Because its the third that has an illness and not the others, I know its something exclusive and internal that is effecting Dahlia's health, not the environmental conditions of her habitat. I've been learning alot by watching them.

 

[sunnysoleil]

Even so, she should be quarantined, so she doesn't spread whatever she has. You don't want to harm the others just for the fun of observation.

 

[Carlton]

I would separate her both to isolate her and to get rid of any subtle stress she's experiencing by being with the other two. Something just isn't right with her and you want her to rest and not have to use energy to respond to any stressors. Even competing with the others for sublte reasons (a favorite comfortable perch, best exposure to just the right level of heat and light, water, the psychological effects of pecking order, etc) will have an effect. Actually, that cage isn't huge at all. I would keep one mature male panther in a space like that. When one of a group of a solitary species starts to go downhill or lose weight, the first thing to do is separate it.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

I agree. She definitely needs to be in her own cage. For the sake of her and the other 2. Is she being hand fed? If the others are "fat" and healthy, it is likely they are getting to the food before the sick girl musters up the strength to try. Often when several juveniles are kept in a cage together, you will have plump ones and at least one other that stays thin and grows slower. As soon as that is noticed it is a signal to separate the smaller ones. IMHO it is best to keep chameleons separately, and any time you have an underweight cham it definitely needs to be kept on its own. THis may be part of the problem.

Also, are you keeping her a little warm at night? It can really help the recovery process to get a low wattage dark red night time reptile light and place it outside the cage near where she sleeps. The object is to keep her a little warmer than the normal ambient room temp at night to facilitate the immune system's work.

We received a young male cham recently that had a long term respiratory infection. It took longer than normal to recover. This is probably normal. Don't give up.

But please do get her in her own cage. You will probably find she recovers quite quickly once you do.