Flesh rot?

[tinkeringlady]

Hello! New to the forum, unfortunately under terrible circumstances. My Veiled Chameleon, Yoshi, has a very strange 'infection' with a lack of a better explanation. We have seen the vet and she feels it maybe bacterial and sent me home with antibiotics (baytril). Here is the general information.

Veiled Chameleon male approx. 7 months old.
Weighs 21 grams
Owned him for just under 3 months.
Handled daily due to poor health/force feeding
Eating crickets (5 per feeding), phoenix worms (6 per feeding) and meal worms (6 per feeding). Food is offered daily.
Water source is a waterfall and a monsoon automatic mister. Misting every 2 hours for 8 sec intervals. Drinks and searches for water normally.
Droppings appear normal in coloration.
Has had quite a struggle since day one with his health. He was with a hatch mate who didn't live very long in the care of store we adopted him from.


18x18x24 open air screen cage (exo terra)
Exo Terra Solar Glo/Mercury Vapour Daylight (12hr on/12 off)
exo terra red heat glo Night light (12hr on/12hr off)
Cage floor approx. 75-80 F. Basking. 90-95 F. Lowest night time temp 70 F. (exo terra thermometer)
Humidity 40-60% Monsoon mister works all day. (almost impossible to get it any higher. Saskatchewan's climate is cold and dry.)
Cage is in a basement suite. Top of cage is 4'6" off the ground. No fans.
Living in Saskatchewan Canada.

Yoshi's Story

Purchased him in December and within the week was showing poor health. After a bit of research, i found out the store had set me up with the wrong tank (glass enclosure) and inadequate lighting. Yoshi's eyes had completely stuck together leaving him blind. Still not 100% on why this occurred, after research however I believe it's due to the CFL lights the store sent me home with. After removing that bulb his eyes improved greatly and he now has vision again. Lighting is now the exo terra mercury vapor bulb. While he was blind i was hand feeding him meal worms and offering him water 3 times a day. He ate actively and drank the water i offered every time. Any input as to why his eye lids would stick together? Was it the CFL?

My major concern

A growth of a dark/dry patch on the inside of his rear leg and the complete loss of movement of the leg. Previously stated i have seen a vet. However my location doesn't have much of an option on herp-vets. The Vet has informed me he may never regain movement in that leg and sent me home with antibiotics. The skin around the original dark patch has now gotten cracked and appears to be pulling away from the muscle.

I am dedicated to doing all i can from him. So ANY help or advice is greatly appreciated.
Has anyone seen this before? Is there anything more i can do for him? Will the leg drop off? What complications arise with a lost limb?

Pictures are of the growth. I'll post more recent photos tomorrow he's already had a terrible night with the vet and medicine. Yoshi deserves to sleep now.

 

[KiloTheChameleon]

I am very sorry about Yoshi, he seems great and I'm glad you've tried everythig you can to ensure his life !!!!! I have herd that waterfalls have caused similar issues. The moving water can cause bacteria, I REALLY REALLY REALLLY wanted a water fall too but maybe I'm wrong!

I really hope you and Yoshi the best! Give him time and keep spoiling him, I'm sure he will appricate it!

 

[ataraxia]

Hi since your vet is not able to take a sample to determine if this is a fungus or bacterial infection. Which i think is pretty wild. Anyways, i personally think your little one has a bacterial infection. Im no vet so it is just purely from experiences with skin infections. Typically fungus infection that are in the stages your kids leg is in will have spread to other parts. Im not saying he does not have a fungus infection, im just saying its not typical it stays within a local area. Bacterial infection typical do stay within an area and grow as the infection progresses.

At this point i wonder if a topical treatment will do anything for your kid but i would try. In any of these cases i would soak the area atleast twice daily with providone iodine. You can dilute it to a mild tea solution with bottled water.

(every oinyment i would apply twice daily)

1. Neosporin is a antibacterial ointment to try

if you dont see improvement

2. betadine ointment (i have never tried this product but dont see any harm in using it)

if you dont see improvment with either of these. I would then try anti fungal creams/ointments

1. vagisil

if this does not work

2. lamisil

This process of elimination will take some time. You probably wont see overnight changes and will typically take atleast 3-7 days for anything minutely showing signs of progress. So be patient but give each a weeks worth of trial before giving up.

You may also try polysporin.

 

[tinkeringlady]

Thanks for the reply guys! When i used polysporin the area went lighter color and the cracked skin got soft. Applying it tonight is when i noticed it pulling away from the leg and showing a soft pink which i hate to assume is the muscle of the leg. I notice the dark spots has started to creep up his back. I'm going to pull the waterfall out first thing in the morning. Couldn't hurt right?

Any idea how it's gonna start looking in terms of improvement? Or how i'll know which is helping? What is harming?

 

[KiloTheChameleon]

Thanks for the reply guys! When i used polysporin the area went lighter color and the cracked skin got soft. Applying it tonight is when i noticed it pulling away from the leg and showing a soft pink which i hate to assume is the muscle of the leg. I notice the dark spots has started to creep up his back. I'm going to pull the waterfall out first thing in the morning. Couldn't hurt right?

Any idea how it's gonna start looking in terms of improvement? Or how i'll know which is helping? What is harming?

I'd say, do a throughough cage cleaning perhaps? It couldnt hurt, maybe find someone you trust to keep your cham feeding/eating while you just wash everythin with hot water.. Just to make sure.

I would say apply the creams you think have worked.

I wanted to say "go to the vet" but pshh, that didnt seem to have helped here (not bashing any vets, I just wish YOU could have seen their Chameleon, versus that bet!)

sorry im honestly not to experienced, but I am actively brainstorming and keeping you nd your Cham in my mind! I am hopful for the both of you!

 

[ataraxia]

None of the ointments should harm.

If it is helping...You should see no more progression and an area that looks to be healing. Typically the area will appear to be shrinking the outer rim of the area may become lighter in color. you may notice that the crusty formations getting msaller or becoming absent. Really you look for signs that look better than what you are seeing right now...

 

[tinkeringlady]

Your help means so much to us both. Cleanliness was my first go to. Tank has been cleaned weekly. Any ideas if he'll drop the limb in question? I've heard of other reptiles doing this.

 

[tinkeringlady]

Here are pictures from this morning. He's been lazy today, I'm assuming the antibiotics are causing him to feel unwell. Ate yesterday but I offered more crickets today he's not really interested. Picked up iodine tincture to wash the area before applying more polysporin. Looks to be spreading on his back and other leg. Any other adobe or information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Alexl]

Trying antibiotics without knowing who to fight in such a severe case can worsen and lengthen the process a lot (yes, it can "harm" this way, of cause!). Using not working antibiotics or antifungals can even lead to new resistances in involved bacteria or fungus. That's nothing I'd recommend at all. Additionally, the whole area should be carefully cleaned and examined to see whether there are deeper problems ongoing and if pain reliever is in order, too. Blood samples would be interesting to know about inflammation and so on.

Isn't there any opportunity for your vet at least to take a swab and get a labor doing tests for him? A simple sterile swab from an infected skin area isn't a miracle to do with proper instructions. If he hasn't a lot experience in reptiles, he could even ask collegues specialized in reptiles via phone to work up his patient. I doubt there's any collegue outside treating reptiles who would refuse helping another vet in struggle with therapy of an exotic species. ARAV has a listing of herp vets in your country, just hand your local vet data and thoughts. That's worth a try to optimize treating of your chameleon.

 

[carol5208]

we have two vets on board here at the forums that hopefully can help you. They both have chameleons and one of them breeds them. Wishing your little guy well. Hoping they see this soon and can offer you some advice.

 

[tinkeringlady]

Thanks for advice. Unfortunately we lost Yoshi today.

 

[Killer Chams]

that sucks, sorry for your loss

 

[Chameleons09]

Thanks for advice. Unfortunately we lost Yoshi today.

So sorry to hear about Yoshi.