Loose lip at the end of mouth.

[Barye]

Hello!

I'm generally happy to see my Jojo bright green again, moving and eating on his own, but there's one thing that worries me.
The tip of his lips is always a bit loose, despite his mouth being obviously closed.
As he opened his mouth multiple times when I was opening his cage, I could spot that his mouth looks completely normal, and the vet said so as well.
My speculation is, that such deformation could develop after force feeding. (by that time, he also developed slight black area on his throat and casque (basically the places I were holding during the force feeding) Is it reasonable that It could be the cause? And how long it may take for it to heal up? ( I already noticed him shedding in those black areas, despite he's not shedding on the rest of the body)

 

[jannb]

Post photos for us please.

 

[Barye]

Here's how it looks like.

 

[kinyonga]

What supplements are you using and how often for each? Do you have a calcium powder?
Do they have D3 or prEformed vitamin A or phosphorous in them?

 

[Barye]

I use reptivite vitamins with d3 once every week, and calcium without d3 daily (at least I try to, there was a huge day streak in which Jojo hasn't eat anything, and as a result, hasn't digested any amount of calcium)

 

[Barye]

Today, our vet confirmed that there were no parasites in Jojo's samples, so I guess the lack of vitamin and calcium isn't the issue here.
He generally look all healthy and stuff, he hunts on his own too, but his lip is still sagging. I'm worried that his front gums may dry if that'll keep on :/
I suppose it's really a cause of dragging his chin during the force feeding times. Anyone experienced a similar thing in the past?

 

[kinyonga]

You said…”Today, our vet confirmed that there were no parasites in Jojo's samples, so I guess the lack of vitamin and calcium isn't the issue here.”…how does it follow that your chameleon doesn’t have parasites that there is no lack of calcium and vitamins?

 

[kinyonga]

If you were pulling a lot on the lower lip to get the mouth open, then maybe that could have stretched the lip. IMHO it’s always better to get them to open the mouth on their own so you don’t have to risk injury from the pulling.

 

[Barye]

You said…”Today, our vet confirmed that there were no parasites in Jojo's samples, so I guess the lack of vitamin and calcium isn't the issue here.”…how does it follow that your chameleon doesn’t have parasites that there is no lack of calcium and vitamins?

I mean that I suspected the parasites to feed on all he was eating, including the nutrients, vitamins and the calcium, leading him to not absorb enough of them to stay healthy.
Speaking of opening his mouth, it was only necessary for me to open his mouth at the time of medication, and force feeding, after he lost a lot of his weight.
During that time, he kept his jaw closed eternally, and so strong I couldn't stick anything between his teeth.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Usuallly we suggest the reptivite be used twice a month, not every week. Let me see what others think.
@Beman @MissSkittles

 

[kinyonga]

Usuallly we suggest the reptivite be used twice a month, not every week. Let me see what others think.
@Beman @MissSkittles

Good catch…I missed that. Sometimes my brain gets stuck on one thing….must be cause according to some I’m 900 years old now!

 

[Beman]

Usuallly we suggest the reptivite be used twice a month, not every week. Let me see what others think.
@Beman @MissSkittles

Correct it should be used 2 times a month say the 1st and the 15th.

 

[Barye]

As I didn't really know how to help him keep his lips closed, I think the front of his gums just got burnt Here's how it looks like.
The vet recognized it as stomatitis.

 

[Beman]

As I didn't really know how to help him keep his lips closed, I think the front of his gums just got burnt Here's how it looks like.
The vet recognized it as stomatitis.

If the vet is saying stomatitis that means mouth rot... Generally you will see deformation of how the mouth closes when there is mbd as well. Did the vet put him on antibiotics?

 

[kinyonga]

I’m not a vet but looks like stomatitis to me.
it will likely need to be cleaned out and the chameleon put on antibiotics.

 

[Barye]

I only contacted with my vet via Messenger, I'll be visiting him soon.
As i have supplemented him with vitamins I think MBD is not a case. However, if that's really a mouth rot, where could it come from? I was nearly sure that this color was caused by his gums being affected by heat lamp and burnt. At this point im again afraid of how he will react to antibiotics as last time he nearly starved himself to death... Are there any other causes od that loose lips except a MBD?

 

[DutchChams]

I only contacted with my vet via Messenger, I'll be visiting him soon.
As i have supplemented him with vitamins I think MBD is not a case. However, if that's really a mouth rot, where could it come from? I was nearly sure that this color was caused by his gums being affected by heat lamp and burnt. At this point im again afraid of how he will react to antibiotics as last time he nearly starved himself to death... Are there any other causes od that loose lips except a MBD?

You say "As i have supplemented him with vitamins i think MBD is not the case" MBD is not just avoided by giving your'e boy vitamins. It is the total husbandry and supplementation that needs to be correct. Lighting is one of the most important aspects. What kind of UVB is he getting?

 

[Barye]

You say "As i have supplemented him with vitamins i think MBD is not the case" MBD is not just avoided by giving your'e boy vitamins. It is the total husbandry and supplementation that needs to be correct. Lighting is one of the most important aspects. What kind of UVB is he getting?

The UVB is Arcadia 6% which is located directly on enclosure's ceiling. I was confirmed it's a correct one

 

[Beman]

I only contacted with my vet via Messenger, I'll be visiting him soon.
As i have supplemented him with vitamins I think MBD is not a case. However, if that's really a mouth rot, where could it come from? I was nearly sure that this color was caused by his gums being affected by heat lamp and burnt. At this point im again afraid of how he will react to antibiotics as last time he nearly starved himself to death... Are there any other causes od that loose lips except a MBD?

Could have started with just forcing the mouth open or cutting it a bit with putting in the syringe. Even a feeder that is too large for them when they try to chew it can cause abrasions/little cuts to the gum line. This in turn starts the infection and it can get really bad really quickly. It would need to be treated with antibiotics.

 

[Barye]

Got back from the vet yesterday. The dead tissue was taken out from the gums.
I'll be giving him Vitamin C one time every day, calcium every day, and brushing his gums and teeth with the antibacterial paste the vet gave me.
I actually was possible of injecting the Vitamin C into a dubia, which I hand fed him. I hope his lips will get back to normal after the medication.
Also, the ficus has ended it's quarantine, and soon after that, I've put it in the cage, instead of the old fake ficus.