Does anyone have any info on gular edema??

[Dart401]

I think my 7th month old Cham Dart might have gular edema and I’m very worried. I made a vet appointment for 11:30 am on Saturday but should I request an emergency visit? Is it serious and critical that I see a vet instantly if I think he has this?


Chameleon Info:
* Chameleon - Nosy Faly Panther, male, about seven months old. He’s been in my care for about a month now.
* Handling - maybe two times a week or when he lets me.
* Feeding - I feed my cham about ten large to medium size crickets a day, Wednesday he gets super worms and sometimes meal worms. He eats In the morning normally around 8:30. I gut-load my feeders by giving them fresh dark greens, veggies, and fruits, like kale and spinach, carrots, apple slices, and black berries. I also give them fluckers cricket quencher - calcium fortified.
* Supplements - Multi vitamin: exo terra multi vitamin powder supplement for reptiles and amphibians. Calcium: exo terra powder supplement for reptiles and amphibians. Calcium with D3: zoomed repti calcium ultra fine precipitated calcium carbonate supplement with D3. I dust his feeders with calcium with out D3 every other day. And I dust his feeders with calcium with d3 every two weeks and same with the multi vitamin.
* Watering - the kind of watering technique that I use is a automatic mister (the exo terra monsoon) It automatically mists every hour for 12 seconds, also when ever I see it looking dry I will hand most the cage as well a few times a day. One of the mister tubes drips a little so I also have a dripper. I see my chameleon drinking a few times a day either from liking leaves or branches and sometimes from mister that drips.
* Fecal Description - His poop are normally moist, solid, does not fall apart, sometimes more than one, a little smelly, a normal color. He pretty much goes every other day sometimes once a day. since I’ve had him he has never been tested for parasites but I’m not sure if the breeder I got him from had.
* History - I don’t really have allot of history on him since I’ve only had him for a month.


Cage Info:
* Cage Type - 24" x 24" x 48" open air screen cage from reptibreeze
* Lighting - Reptisun terrarium hood with T5 HO high output UVB bulb. basking light: zoo Med, mini deep dome light fixture with a Exo terra 50w intense basking spot light bulb. My daily lighting schedule is I turn the lights on at around 7am and I turn them off at around 7pm.
* Temperature - at the bottom of the cage the temperature is about 75°f and at the top where he basks it is around 80°f The Lowest overnight temp is 72°f. I measure these temps by having two temperature gages at the top and bottom of the cage.
* Humidity - at the bottom of the cage the humidity levels are about 60. At the top of the cage the humidity is about 50. Im creating humidity by misting often and having live plants. I use to measure humidity two humidity gages.
* Plants - All live plants, three small pathos, one corn plant, one umbrella plant, and one red edge Dracaena.
* Placement - My cage is located in the corner of my bed room. There is a air vent a couple feet to the right of it but I have the vents facing the opposite direction. Not a super high traffic area. I have the cage sitting on top of two blocks about a foot off the floor (vary stable)
* Location - I live in south Florida 


Current Problem - The current problem I’m concerned about is I’ve noticed what I think is a lump under his neck in between his two front legs. After doing some research I think it may Gular edema and I’m very concerned. There is a exotic vet ten minutes away from me that I made an appointment with on Saturday. (the closest vet is actually Dr K from the animal plant show Dr K’s exotic Animal ER). I want to do whatever I can to help him and make sure he is not in pain! If there is any adjustments that anyone thinks I need to make I will.

 

[nightanole]

gular edema is not life or death, and the cause and solution are always up for debate. Most of the time it goes away on its own when they are young. When they are old its a sign that organs are going, but edema can be caused by all sorts of things, even with perfect setups.

Odds are the vet will do some blood work and there will be an "ah ha" moment, and they will just say stop using this or start using this. So far the running theme is over supplementing "for that specific chameleon". So it might be that "Bill" the cham reacts to certain vitamins different than "Ted".

 

[AnamCara]

about 9 months ago (maybe? I have a horrible sense of time...) Mona developed a little gular edema--at the time I was dusting all her feeders with bee pollen and her supplements. I stopped dusting with the bee pollen and used it as a gut load instead -- I also did 1 feeding with no supplements (She's a female so I feed every 3-4 days) and gave a little extra water to "flush" what I assumed was some vitamin overdose from the pollen. It went away fairly quickly and has not returned since. I cannot say for sure the pollen was causing it but I think my hunch was at least partially on target.

 

[AnamCara]

I should have stated my point -- double check your supplements and see if you're not doubling up something somewhere.

 

[JacksJill]

This article lists some possible causes. Don't jump to any conclusions from this. http://www.uvma.org/chameleon/edema.htm
As far as home care until you see the vet I would hold off on any supplements except calcium until the vet approves them.

 

[Dart401]

Thank you to all that responded, this makes me feel a little bit better about my situation. I will post again about that the vet says this Saturday.

 

[Dart401]

This article lists some possible causes. Don't jump to any conclusions from this. http://www.uvma.org/chameleon/edema.htm
As far as home care until you see the vet I would hold off on any supplements except calcium until the vet approves them.

Is regular calcium okay to give every other day? Or is that to much or to little?

 

[JacksJill]

Typically panthers are given calcium with every feeding except the days where a different supplement is given. I you are feeding every other day then yes that's the schedule.

 

[Dart401]

Typically panthers are given calcium with every feeding except the days where a different supplement is given. I you are feeding every other day then yes that's the schedule.

I feed him everyday since he is still young. I’ll start adding calcium in everyday.
Do you think it is a problem that I give the crickets a cricket quencher with calcium in it?

 

[JacksJill]

Daily calcium without D3 is the recommended schedule for those getting daily feedings.
I would say you good do a lot better with a proper gut load but I would not blame the Cricket Quencher. It isn't helpful but I don't know of it being harmful. it's just mostly a waste of money.
I would start by looking at his hydration. Kidney function is a part of of some gular edema cases and not letting them get dehydrated helps keep the kidneys healthy.
D3 overdose can be a cause but once month dosing is unlikely to be the cause unless you are seriously overdosing or he is simply sensitive to it.

 

[Dart401]

Daily calcium without D3 is the recommended schedule for those getting daily feedings.
I would say you good do a lot better with a proper gut load but I would not blame the Cricket Quencher. It isn't helpful but I don't know of it being harmful. it's just mostly a waste of money.
I would start by looking at his hydration. Kidney function is a part of of some gular edema cases and not letting them get dehydrated helps keep the kidneys healthy.
D3 overdose can be a cause but once month dosing is unlikely to be the cause unless you are seriously overdosing or he is simply sensitive to it.

Thank you very much this is all so helpful. I’m going to up his misting Incase it is dehydration. And next time I buy the cricket quencher I won’t get the calcium fortified since it is unnecessary, I’ll the get regular to go with the foods I gut load with; that are a variety of dark leafy greens, carrots, and fruits.