karma12
Member
Chameleon Info: His name is Petey Parker. Some of this info has changed since hes been sick. I know what is required, but have been changing things to meet his current needs.
2) His white blood cell count was a little on the high side and his PCV was a smidge low (not alarmingly). So I am glad that we started him back on antibiotics.
3) Some good news on his chemistry. Kidney values are normal, his calcium has decreased from 16.4 to 14.7, his glucose has significantly decreased from 760 to 347 (still high but better than previously).
With that said, his liver value (AST is about the same) and his CK is elevated. The thing about AST and CK is that CK is a muscle enzyme that is increased with trauma, inflammation and even weight loss. AST is also found in the muscle, so sometimes it is hard to determine if the elevation in AST is due to liver or muscle.
His cholesterol was extremely high which leads me to hepatic lipidosis.
So even with these results, they still cannot figure out why he is falling over and stopped eating. That visit was due to what I thought was gular edema or subcutaneous emphysema. He was holding air and it was inflating his casque. They still dont know why and its not from mating season. He was put on abx again, and 2, F10 tx daily. Still no change in condition.
Cage Info:
Current Problem - So Petey is still falling over, like he cant control foot placement. Has a descent grip, but I place him on a stick and he just cant hold himself there. Still not eating crickets. I hold back on the carnivore care occasionally to see if he'll eat a cricket. He looks like he wants to, but idk if it's because hes so unsteady or if theres something more. He'll stick his tongue slightly out to reach the pedialyte I drop in his mouth with syringe. The vets are stumped and have even consulted with PENN vet and my vet created a forum specifically for him to discuss and they just cant figure him out. He mouth breaths as well and like I said is on F10. Just have no idea what happened. They think it could be a virus affecting his mobilty. Hes been on supportive care since Jan.
- Your Chameleon - 3 y/o Male, Veiled Chameleon. In my care for 3yrs.
- Handling - Use to be very rare to hold him, but since hes been sick, few times a day for feedings and sitting him up.
- Feeding - Currently he gets 2.5-5ml carnivore care and 3-6ml pedialyte, daily. Prior to sickness crickets gutloaded with collards, dandelion leaves, sweet potatoes, etc. and horn worms, wax worms.
- Supplements - Currently no supplements as his last visit showed hypercalcemia. He use to get calcium with feedings and was getting liquid Ca daily when he stopped eating, d3 once or twice a month at most, and multivit 2xmonth. Both exoterra brand.
- Watering - Currently hes hand fed his liquids, pedialyte. He use to have reptirain 1minute 3-4x day.
- Fecal Description - Currently light brown and loose, but on antibiotics. Before abx, oblong brown with normal urate.
- History - Nov/Dec we noticed Petey was keeping his head low when moving. Still eating, moving fine. He started to fall, but we thought it was due to his claws being too big to fit in the screen so we put chicken wire in the cage along the screen so he could grasp better. It helped, but over time he started to fall off branches and stopped eating/drinking. He seemed more weak and would just fall over which I felt was from dehydration. I am aware of MBD and do not feel its that, neither does the vet. Xray showed good bone density and never Ca depleted. He saw the vet in January, he was severly dehydrated since he stopped drinking/eating. Began his forced feedings. He weighed .257g in Jan and is now .317g. Calcium was wnl.
- Most recent labs:
2) His white blood cell count was a little on the high side and his PCV was a smidge low (not alarmingly). So I am glad that we started him back on antibiotics.
3) Some good news on his chemistry. Kidney values are normal, his calcium has decreased from 16.4 to 14.7, his glucose has significantly decreased from 760 to 347 (still high but better than previously).
With that said, his liver value (AST is about the same) and his CK is elevated. The thing about AST and CK is that CK is a muscle enzyme that is increased with trauma, inflammation and even weight loss. AST is also found in the muscle, so sometimes it is hard to determine if the elevation in AST is due to liver or muscle.
His cholesterol was extremely high which leads me to hepatic lipidosis.
So even with these results, they still cannot figure out why he is falling over and stopped eating. That visit was due to what I thought was gular edema or subcutaneous emphysema. He was holding air and it was inflating his casque. They still dont know why and its not from mating season. He was put on abx again, and 2, F10 tx daily. Still no change in condition.
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - He was in a 24x24x48 screen cage and is now in a 16x16x36 due to his instability. No substrate before, but now has green reptile carpet.
- Lighting - He has a 100watt basking lamp, 5.0 uvb, and at night 60watt ceramic heater. When I work (12hr shifts) lights on at 7am and off at 8pm pending his breathing tx's. When im home, lights on at 7-9am and off 7-9pm. Always 12hrs of light/uvb.
- Temperature - Basking 90-94degrees and 75-85 degrees. Have thermometer. Over night lowest temp is 65 degrees.
- Humidity - 80-90% humidity controlled by warm humidifier. Has hygrometer. Drs orders.
- Plants - Use to have super large umbrella tree that took up most of cage, bunch of driftwood, some fake plants for privacy and perches. Since sick just fake stuff and a branch here or there since he cant climb, but keeping it in case he starts.
- Placement - Cage is in bedroom in far corner, no traffic, no fans, no vents. Cage is on top of 5 drawer chest approx 4ft off ground and top of cage is 1ft from ceiling.
- Location - We are in SNJ 15min outside Philly.
Current Problem - So Petey is still falling over, like he cant control foot placement. Has a descent grip, but I place him on a stick and he just cant hold himself there. Still not eating crickets. I hold back on the carnivore care occasionally to see if he'll eat a cricket. He looks like he wants to, but idk if it's because hes so unsteady or if theres something more. He'll stick his tongue slightly out to reach the pedialyte I drop in his mouth with syringe. The vets are stumped and have even consulted with PENN vet and my vet created a forum specifically for him to discuss and they just cant figure him out. He mouth breaths as well and like I said is on F10. Just have no idea what happened. They think it could be a virus affecting his mobilty. Hes been on supportive care since Jan.
