Enrofloxacin = baytril. Baytril is the brand name, enrofloxacin is the drug itself. I second the suggestion of ceftazidime. My personal favorite.
My Mellers is sick. Need help
- Thread starter scchameleon
- Start date
jpowell86
Chameleon Enthusiast
scchameleon
Member
I will go to my vet first thing in the morning and get ceftazidime and throw out the Enrofloxacin. Thanks guys!!!
scchameleon
Member
Well went to Vet this morning to switch out the meds. They said they did not have the Ceftazadime but they looked up in their resources and said that the new med like Cedtazadime is Naxcel. They said it has the same make up and was basically the same...
So now I have 5 injections of Nexcel for Taco. Going to make those every 48 hours. He is not putting head in sky anymore, but does have mucus around his mouth. He is drinking a good bite but no food intake. This has me worried! Do I start force feeding soon?
If meds are working how soon should I see a turn around in health?
So now I have 5 injections of Nexcel for Taco. Going to make those every 48 hours. He is not putting head in sky anymore, but does have mucus around his mouth. He is drinking a good bite but no food intake. This has me worried! Do I start force feeding soon?
If meds are working how soon should I see a turn around in health?
Extensionofgreen
Chameleon Enthusiast
I would not force feed and I would give the objects while he's sleeping. Keep him warm and hydrated, with most water heated by an aquarium heater. An ultrasonic humidifier can be used, in place of the warm mist humidifier, but I'd run it for 30 min intervals, every 2-3 hours.
Work on a barrier, such as folding or rolling curtain dividers that can screen the chameleon from view of the children and only allow the children around the cage in small groups, during hand feeding or introductions, and otherwise keep your temps and watering the same.
You're on the right path, and with some small, but important adjustments, I think you can maintain the melleri in the classroom, but strict adherence to what jpowell86 and I have said are not optional for the health of the animal. Best of luck.
Work on a barrier, such as folding or rolling curtain dividers that can screen the chameleon from view of the children and only allow the children around the cage in small groups, during hand feeding or introductions, and otherwise keep your temps and watering the same.
You're on the right path, and with some small, but important adjustments, I think you can maintain the melleri in the classroom, but strict adherence to what jpowell86 and I have said are not optional for the health of the animal. Best of luck.
OldChamKeeper
Chameleon Enthusiast
Naxcel is good stuff...
scchameleon
Member
How fast should I see improvement??
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
Normally when using antibiotics with my chameleons I start seeing improvements in 3 to 4 days.
OldChamKeeper
Chameleon Enthusiast
less than a week. If you don't see improvement by 4-7 days you need to get back to the vet asap
scchameleon
Member
UPDATE: I have a heater in his water to warm it up for when it gets to him. I have also put up a black sheet to eliminate the visual stimulus of the students. I have given him 2 of the 5 shoots of Naxcel. I will give the 3rd tomorrow morning.
I have seen a little change in behavior. He is staying more horizontal during the day and rarely lifting his head up. He is however still sleeping vertical at night which is totally out of character for him. My biggest concern right now is still the lack of food intake. I tried force feeding this past weekend and he wasn't having it so I stopped. I hope he eats something on his own in the next 3 days!!!!
There is no excess saliva, gaping of his mouth to breath, or bubbles present - so I hope that means I have catch the infection early!
He is still drinking every time the misters come on. I guess that is a pretty good sign.
Here is Taco this morning. He is waiting on the mister to come on. HA
I have seen a little change in behavior. He is staying more horizontal during the day and rarely lifting his head up. He is however still sleeping vertical at night which is totally out of character for him. My biggest concern right now is still the lack of food intake. I tried force feeding this past weekend and he wasn't having it so I stopped. I hope he eats something on his own in the next 3 days!!!!
There is no excess saliva, gaping of his mouth to breath, or bubbles present - so I hope that means I have catch the infection early!
He is still drinking every time the misters come on. I guess that is a pretty good sign.
Here is Taco this morning. He is waiting on the mister to come on. HA
Attachments
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
He looks pretty good to me, alert, moving around, and still a very calm coloration considering he's being messed with every day! The med could be making him thirsty too. I would be more concerned if he was spending the day with his head tipped up. If he has good body reserves he may not be starving just yet considering all the handling and the injections. You might be able to get some calories into him by sneaking some Pedialyte into his mouth while he's drinking. If he'll take water from a syringe it would be easy to do. I don't know if I'd increase the misting unless the cage humidity level is dropping. You don't want to introduce a mold or bacterial growth in the habitat while he's being treated. Maybe some hand watering will take care of extra thirst.
scchameleon
Member
jpowell86
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'm glad you got Taco going on the meds! I hope his recovery is quick.
I wouldn't be terribly concerned with him eating right now. His gut is probably not feeling the best right now and his interest in eating will probably be nonexistent for a while. The biggest concern is maintaining hydration, which it looks like you are. Like mentioned above, you can supplement some caloric intake while giving the meds. Some buy carnivore care and products similar. Some do pedialyte also. I like to make my own bug mash. I get it to a consistency that is easily pulled into a syringe. I don't know if you are squeamish, but that is what I do. I give them a fair dose when I medicate just to make it easier on the gut and give them some energy. But your guy looks strong and this more than likely isn't even necessary. I would finish the round of medication and see how he reacts to food. Offer him something enticing too!
I would suggest a return visit to the vet as well for a follow up.
Thanks for the updates!
I wouldn't be terribly concerned with him eating right now. His gut is probably not feeling the best right now and his interest in eating will probably be nonexistent for a while. The biggest concern is maintaining hydration, which it looks like you are. Like mentioned above, you can supplement some caloric intake while giving the meds. Some buy carnivore care and products similar. Some do pedialyte also. I like to make my own bug mash. I get it to a consistency that is easily pulled into a syringe. I don't know if you are squeamish, but that is what I do. I give them a fair dose when I medicate just to make it easier on the gut and give them some energy. But your guy looks strong and this more than likely isn't even necessary. I would finish the round of medication and see how he reacts to food. Offer him something enticing too!
I would suggest a return visit to the vet as well for a follow up.
Thanks for the updates!
scchameleon
Member
Monday Update:
So a lot has happened since Wednesday. I called my Vet after the first round of meds were complete. He felt like we needed to complete 1 more 7 day cycle of the meds since Taco was showing signs of getting back to normal. I basically left Taco alone for the last 4 days and observed him. All he really did was lounge around and drink.
Sunday afternoon I gave Taco his daily shot. After that I noticed one of his tree linbs on the other side of the cage was loose. I started zip tying it back up and all of a sudden Taco starts getting upset and showing stress colors. He came right over to me opened his mouth wide and started hissing. I noticed his mouth was very dark so i shined a light in it and what I saw was awesome!!!!! There was a half digested male dubia in the back of his mouth!! WooHoo!!! I closed the cage and left the room so he could calm down for bed.
I hated I stressed him out, but the good news is he had enough energy to protect his home. For the last 3 weeks he has been so weak he has just let me do whatever. Also first meal I am aware of in 3 weeks. Hope he has a couple of good days and I actually see him take down some food over the next 2 or 3 days.
Thanks to you guys (Especially @jpowell86 ) here are the steps that got him back healthy:
1. Got him to a Vet and started using Naxcel. Highly recommend.
2. Covered his cage while sick and eliminated visual stresses.
3. Raised cage temp to 80 degrees and 88 basking light area.
4. Purchased a submersible water heater and raised misting water to 85 degrees.
I think he is close to being his old self! Thanks for the help!
I'll keep you posted.
So a lot has happened since Wednesday. I called my Vet after the first round of meds were complete. He felt like we needed to complete 1 more 7 day cycle of the meds since Taco was showing signs of getting back to normal. I basically left Taco alone for the last 4 days and observed him. All he really did was lounge around and drink.
Sunday afternoon I gave Taco his daily shot. After that I noticed one of his tree linbs on the other side of the cage was loose. I started zip tying it back up and all of a sudden Taco starts getting upset and showing stress colors. He came right over to me opened his mouth wide and started hissing. I noticed his mouth was very dark so i shined a light in it and what I saw was awesome!!!!! There was a half digested male dubia in the back of his mouth!! WooHoo!!! I closed the cage and left the room so he could calm down for bed.
I hated I stressed him out, but the good news is he had enough energy to protect his home. For the last 3 weeks he has been so weak he has just let me do whatever. Also first meal I am aware of in 3 weeks. Hope he has a couple of good days and I actually see him take down some food over the next 2 or 3 days.
Thanks to you guys (Especially @jpowell86 ) here are the steps that got him back healthy:
1. Got him to a Vet and started using Naxcel. Highly recommend.
2. Covered his cage while sick and eliminated visual stresses.
3. Raised cage temp to 80 degrees and 88 basking light area.
4. Purchased a submersible water heater and raised misting water to 85 degrees.
I think he is close to being his old self! Thanks for the help!
I'll keep you posted.
Peachypink
Chameleon Enthusiast
Glad to hear he is doing better!
Nursemaia
Chameleon Enthusiast
Wonderful news! Mellers are an amazing cham and I'm looking forward to having my 1st one soon. @jpowell86 is an excellent resource for this species, he's an aset to this forum
scchameleon
Member
So Taco is active and acting like his normal self moving around the enclosure and drinking a lot of water when the misters come on. He is not holding his head up anymore except for the usual posture after he drinks.
BUT...the past 2 days I have witnessed him misfire on prey. Both times he went to shoot tongue and it only came out about 3 inches.
Do you think this could be the meds in his system effecting his tongue? I am going off of the meds today.
BUT...the past 2 days I have witnessed him misfire on prey. Both times he went to shoot tongue and it only came out about 3 inches.
Do you think this could be the meds in his system effecting his tongue? I am going off of the meds today.
