Disaster

[Captain Cook]

So today about 2 hours ago I went into the room where I've been keeping Rick. My son left the door open, however I won't blame him. My own stupidity, the cat got at him. I found him with a puncture wound on each side, and his tail severed almost off. At this moment I'm at the vet. The tail needed to be amputated and I'm being prescribed antibiotics. All i can say is root for Rick.

 

[Carlton]

Oh wow, that's terrible! Cat puncture wounds are bad news. Hope it didn't puncture an organ or lung! Good luck!

 

[Captain Cook]

Oh wow, that's terrible! Cat puncture wounds are bad news. Hope it didn't puncture an organ or lung! Good luck!

The vet said there is no oxygen under his skin and doesn't believe it punctured anything.

 

[Captain Cook]

So the vet brought him back in and he only amputated from the worst point of damage. He still has 2 inches of tail.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Oh, I'm so sorry. Make sure you keep up with the antibiotics. Cat saliva and claws have nasty bacteria. Make sure you reduce all stress for him as he recovers. Good luck.

 

[carol5208]

Oh no! So sorry to hear this. Your poor chameleon. We have had many members on here over the years who have had their chameleons killed or injured by cats. I hope yours pulls through.

 

[Captain Cook]

Well, this morning he took his first dose of antibiotics, he seem to enjoy the taste lol. Now hopefully he's not too stressed to eat, asked my wife to turn the lights on later, I turned them on and he was still tired from a late night.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Good news! Try to make his cage into more of a hosptital cage--keep the temps on the warm side of normal and more humid than usual. If you have a screen cage, drape plastic around to hold in the heat and humidity. Give him extra mistings, too. Feed soft foods that have a high water content like hornworms or silk worms. I add extra water to any meds I give my chameleons, but I also galvage the meds in so they don't have a choice in the matter. I'm not sure I would want to restrain him since you don't really know how badly he is injured internally. If you can get the meds in without restraint, I wouldn't risk him rejecting the meds because he was full so I wouldn't dilute them with water.

What antibitotics did the vet give you? A lot of them can be really rough on them, so you end up with an animal that is anorexic and dehydrated as a side effect of the antibiotics.

Good luck!

 

[Captain Cook]

Okay I lowered the light a tad, making it boost about 5 degrees Fahrenheit, insulated a bit but kept it open at the top, humidity is 90+. I'll definitely mist him more. He wouldn't take the meds without restraint this morning, I lightly held his body and put the syringe close to his mouth, touching his nose, he opened up that way. His colors or sort of normal, but still black coloration. So far he's eaten nothing. I'll take a Pic of the antibiotics bottle when I get home from work. Thanks a lot jajeanpierre.

 

[Captain Cook]

I rushed home on my lunch from work, he may have eaten a couple crickets, couldn't see as many as I put in. I gave him a good misting and he was drinking very well. He did look a little weak, but glad he was drinking.

 

[ulamachula]

keeping my fingers crossed for the little fella, hope he makes a speedy recovery!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Do you have silkworms or small hornworms? When I give meds I stuff one in their mouth. Often they will chew it up and swallow it. Sometimes it takes them a few minutes to get around to eating the worm in their mouth. Sometimes they spit it out. I tend to put them back in their cage down low so they scramble up to the top and don't have time to think about spitting everything out. It helps keep the medication in their mouth and gives them some nutrition plus it puts something in their gut to help if the meds upset their stomach which some do.

 

[Captain Cook]

At the moment all I have is meal worms, last time I was at the pet store the silkworms were way to big for him. He's only at 3 months, could I perhaps get some if the smaller ones and cut them in half, and throw one of those in? You were asking about the antibiotics - mixed 0.25ml of baytril (50mg/ml) to 12ml of DW to make 1mg/ml. The dosage is 0.02 ml twice a day.

 

[Captain Cook]

Something that I forgot to ask the vet, idiot me... does anyone know if I could apply polysporin on his tail?Just to aid the wound. I have a triple antibiotic polysporin with anti microbial qualities. Will it interfere with the oral antibiotics? Thanks.

 

[kiwilulu]

If there is not good blood supply to the wound (swelling, macerated areas) , the antibiotic might not reach all areas effectively. Specially with a highly contaminated wound, like the one from an animal bite, I think it is not a bad idea to put some topical antibiotic.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Something that I forgot to ask the vet, idiot me... does anyone know if I could apply polysporin on his tail?Just to aid the wound. I have a triple antibiotic polysporin with anti microbial qualities. Will it interfere with the oral antibiotics? Thanks.

I would be inclined to not put on Polysporin, especially if the vet didn't give you a topical antibiotic. Polysporin seals the wound to the air and that creates it's own set of problems. The vet would have thoroughly cleaned the wound. I don't think you want to put anything on if there are stitches. Give your vet a call.

 

[Captain Cook]

The vet didn't stitch the open tail, he only cauterised it, excuse my spelling. He used a powder/foam to seal it. Its just a sore now at the end. I'll call them about it. And jajeanpierre about the cutting the silk worm in half?

 

[JGuinan007]

Meal worms are no good don't feed them will get stomach issues on top of everything else

At the moment all I have is meal worms, last time I was at the pet store the silkworms were way to big for him. He's only at 3 months, could I perhaps get some if the smaller ones and cut them in half, and throw one of those in? You were asking about the antibiotics - mixed 0.25ml of baytril (50mg/ml) to 12ml of DW to make 1mg/ml. The dosage is 0.02 ml twice a day.

What kind of cat attacked him?

 

[Captain Cook]

It was our own house cat.

 

[Captain Cook]

Meal worms are no good don't feed them will get stomach issues on top of everything else
What kind of cat attacked him?

No meal worms, got it. Just pending the silk worm question, if I can't find small ones, cut one in half? And toss that in his mouth after I squirt the antibiotics?