MBD Questions

chamlover

chamlover

New Member
I just rescued a beautiful veiled cham a couple of weeks ago and i have a couple of questions. I was told that he had sprained his tongue but i don't think that is the entire truth. I've tried to call the old vet and get answers but to no avail yet. He came with 3 meds. Calcium, Aluminum Hydroxide,and Ciprofloxin,( which i find out is suppose to be a really strong antiboitic. I've been giving him the 3 meds as directed and force-feeding him daily. When i feed him he actually tries really hard to uses his tongue but he doesn't seem to have too much control over it. It moves a little but certainly not enough to even think about him zapping anything. He also seems to be kinda shakie when he walks and even though he doesnt seem to have any deformaties i think he might have MBD. I was waiting to get the info from the other vet faxed to mine before i brought him in but i don't think i'm going to wait any longer. Is it possible that it could effect ONLY his tongue? I think if it was just a sprain he would have gotten more control over it by now. I've taken on the responsibility so now i have to do EVERYTHING i can for this poor little guy. He has the BEST disposition i have ever seen on a veil. EVER! My vet can't see him till the end of the week. Should i discontinue use of meds until then?

Thanks,
Debby
 
i don't have all your answers but ciprofloxicin is the same family of drugs (fluoroquinolones)as baytril that has been mentioned here before. Cipro is an overused moderately strong antibiotic,

calcium seems like a good bet if it is the correct dose and was prescribed.

what is aluminum hydroxide for? its used in maalox as antacid and somewhat of a binding agent to prevent diarrhea from the magnesium but why does the cham need it?:rolleyes:

wish i could help more

Sean
 
I wish i knew. That is why i have been trying to get his records because i don't want the guy to go through any more tests than he has to and i don't know what kind he has already had. On the calcium he is on.002cc daily. If i remember correctly he weighs almost 200 gr. IF they have MBD how long are they usually on meds? I was reading other posts and from what i read if you catch it early then they usually only need a couple of shots right? The meds are dated 4-29. What do they usually do for a sprained tongue? Just a splint?

Debby
 
liquid antibiotics have a short shelf life its almost 2 months old. i am not sure of the exact shelf life

Sean
 
Not sure a sprained tongue has anything to do with MBD. Mine has serious MBD and no problems with his tongue at all. I read tongues will heal on their own in a couple of days but not totally sure. Hopefully someone will jump in with good info.
 
chamlover said that the chameleon is being given Aluminum Hydroxide,and Ciprofloxin...usually a chameleon is not put on medication for MBD...what it usually needs is for the calcium to be brought back into balance. The chameleon can be given injections of calcium until the blood calcium levels are brought up high enough. A shot of calcitonin can be given to draw the calcium back into the bones rapidly.

You said..."What do they usually do for a sprained tongue? Just a splint?"...I think that would be impossible. If its a sprain, they would likely let it rest by handfeeding him so that he doesn't have to shoot it out.
 
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I was just kidding about the splint. He has supposingly been on calcium liquid now for almost 2 months. So you don't think it is a sprained tongue than? If that would heel in a few days, what else would make him not use his tongue? Do you think it might be MBD at all? Help, im really confused with this little guy. I need to try to get as much info as i can before my vet visit.

Debby
 
I don't think it is MBD at all. Normally, if you do see signs of lack of calcium in the tongue it is shown by the tongue not drawing back into their mouths (more or less a limp tongue look). The shakes could be from a number of reasons, I usually see it just if the chameleon is weak.

I have a couple chameleons that can't use their tongue. They were given to me at two different trade shows and the chameleons came from reputable breeders. I received one that was 3 months old and another that was 5 months old. I have had the 3 month old one for 8 months now and she can chase them down with the best of them. She actually started using her tongue more and more but always shoots it above the feeder. The other one I have had for 5 months and he had the same problem, he wouldn't shoot his tongue and if he did he would shoot over the feeder that was 3" away. He actually now can hit a feeder from about 5" but had no since of depth. I can tell because of the force behind his tongue from such a close distance.

I don't know what it is caused from, but I would say it is affects about 5% of chameleons. I have heard of numerous other cases from different breeders. But if your chameleon is aggressive towards food, then don't worry because he/she will find a way to catch the food. And possibly your cham will begin to use it more and more each month.

-chris
 
You said..."So you don't think it is a sprained tongue than? "...I don't know what the reason is. The possibilities are a sprain, calcium-related issues, possibly dehydration, infection....a vet should be able to determine the cause.

The only way to be sure if the chameleon has MBD or not (if its not showing any of the normal outward signs) is to take it to the vet and have its calcium levels tested.

Normally a chameleon with MBD will show any/some of these signs...
-arms and legs that are either bowed or bumpy/fractured instead of being straight between the joints
-crooked casque (in veileds)
-lips that don't meet at the front
-inability to lift its body off the branch
-inability to use its tongue properly
-shakey (not to be confused with the "waddle-walk" they do when walking)
-stunted growth

Can you post a picture of her?
 
Well he has 2 of the symptoms. He is shaky and the inability to use his tongue. Although it might have something to do with him being weak as well. He WILL NOT go after food on his own. The only way he will eat is if we open his mouth and drop the cricket it. Then you can see how he is trying with great difficulty to use his tongue but it's like he has NO control over it. He never tries to shoot at anything. He does have an appointment on Thurs and until then i will continue to try to get his previous records. He reminds me of a film i saw of a newborn elelphant that had this big trunk and had no control over it, it just went wherever it wanted. But going to a new home is something else he needs to deal with which is another reason i try to leave him alone as much as possible. I will get a pic tomorrow. Can't find the camera right now. But he looks really good. His color looks kinda weird though.

Debby
 
Wow! Even though this was not my question it was very helpful to me. I see where my new cham may have broken bones, Yikes!
 
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