Old age?

[amanda509]

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - Franklin is a 4-6 year old veiled chameleon. I got him new years eve
Handling - Every now and then when he wants out
Feeding - Alternate between crickets and superworms. Crickets get calcium enriched quencher cubes, flukers dry cricket food, and some greens depending on whats in the fridge (mostly romaine). Supwerworms get bran, carrots, apples, and also romaine. He gets fed 4x a week, usually 4-6 large crickets, or 5 medium superworms. He eats from my hand or a cup.
Supplements - Before i had gotten him, he was given ReptoCal by tetrafauna, calcium with D3 every feeding for probably 3 of his years. (I'm surprised he doesn't have mbd, but I'm not sure how often they fed him either).I switched him to a normal schedule of stickytongue farms supplements. 2x a month calcium with D3, 2x a month vitamin, plain calcium every feeding.
Watering - I hand mist him about 4-5 times a day. I mist until everything is wet, and then some. He drinks often, and even drinks straight from a rodent water bottle.
Fecal Description - Fecal and urates look normal. Tested negative for parasites.
History - He was a college student pet his first year, then the student was going to throw him out in the Pennsylvania wilderness because he did not want him anymore, so his new owner (he was friends with this guy) took him in. This guy's mom has cared for him since.


Cage Info:

Cage Type - 2x2x4 wood with 1" screen. Plant fabric is on 2 sides and part of the back to prevent water spray, and keep humidity.
Lighting -He came with a brand new compact 10.0 repti-sun. I usually don't use compacts, but it was new, and they have used them with him the entire time they have had him. He also has a 60 watt house bulb in a dome for heat. Lights come on at 9 a.m. and off at 9p.m.
Temperature - Current temps as of right now are: basking spot is at 92, mid is 80 ish, bottom is 75. The room is kept between 75 and 90 degrees depending on outside weather. The temps have a been a little high on and off for a couple weeks thanks to PA's bipolar weather.
Humidity - Right now they are 50%, but increase after I mist.
Plants - He has a Pothos, and a Shefflura tree
Placement - The cage sits directly on the floor because it is a slanted ceiling. It is right in front of a window, he likes to bask in the morning sun, i know there's no uvb, but he still likes it.
Location - Altoona Pennsylvania


Current Problem - He has been sleeping during the day and looks underweight because he hasn't been eating as much as he used to. I've tried all sorts of bugs, but he doesn't seem interested. He also looks dehydrated (sunken eyes, stuck shed), but drinks nonstop everytime i mist. His urates are white. I'm not exactly sure on his age, but he is older. I really don't want it to be "his time" because he is such a good cham...but i can't think of anything else that may be wrong! I'm going to be graduating school in May and have a hefty tuition bill to pay, not to mention that I'm only getting 5-10 hours of work a week...a vet visit is out of the question for them to just tell me he's getting old...

 

[jannb]

It sounds like it might could be parasites. Maybe you can at least get him a fecal.
Here's a link to an older thread about aging.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/chameleon-aging-125140/

 

[Dr O]

a vet visit is out of the question for them to just tell me he's getting old...

and it would be a lousy vet if one did say that. we don't consider old age a disease. however, there are many diseases that become more common and/or aggressive with old age.

would it be worth it to you if they ran bloodwork, identified an issue, and it wound up potentially treatable or could be kept in check? you are describing physical signs and habits that indicate he has medical issues, not "age". convincing yourself that a good vet couldn't help fix actual issues vs. hoping someone on the Forum has an answer that is going to fix him from your post does not make logical sense.

do as you like, but from everything you have written, he should be seen by a vet.

 

[Dr O]

It sounds like it might could be parasites. Maybe you can at least get him a fecal.

i have to disagree, jann. not that it would be wrong to test, but the OP mentioned he tested negative already (although don't know when/how), and there's really not a lot there to point to parasites as a primary issue.

 

[amanda509]

It sounds like it might could be parasites. Maybe you can at least get him a fecal.
Here's a link to an older thread about aging.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/chameleon-aging-125140/

He was tested not even a month ago, and tested negative.

and it would be a lousy vet if one did say that. we don't consider old age a disease. however, there are many diseases that become more common and/or aggressive with old age.

would it be worth it to you if they ran bloodwork, identified an issue, and it wound up potentially treatable or could be kept in check? you are describing physical signs and habits that indicate he has medical issues, not "age". convincing yourself that a good vet couldn't help fix actual issues vs. hoping someone on the Forum has an answer that is going to fix him from your post does not make logical sense.

do as you like, but from everything you have written, he should be seen by a vet.

I will see what i can scrounge up, but like i said, i have $200 + in tuition payments, and not even getting $100 a paycheck. I was just trying to see if anybody had any other suggestions before i go completely into debt on an old age cham. I can see if maybe some pedialyte (sp) will make a difference. I'm not sure what else to do. I'm at a loss with this boy. If he was younger and i was SURE I'd get another couple years out of him, and if i was sure of his history, I'd have no problem spending that kind of money on him...but I'm sure quite a few people understand why I'm hesitating.

 

[carol5208]

How come there is such a guess in the age? 4-6 years make quite a difference. 4 yrs old is really not that old. They can live a lot longer than that.

 

[Dr O]

I'm not sure what else to do. I'm at a loss with this boy. If he was younger and i was SURE I'd get another couple years out of him, and if i was sure of his history, I'd have no problem spending that kind of money on him...but I'm sure quite a few people understand why I'm hesitating.

just a tip--if you go through life making decisions based on what you are or are not sure of, you're going to wind up disappointed....no one is sure of everything and anything. i'm not trying to be rude or disrespectful, just making a point.

if we're going that route, i am quite sure that if he's keeping his eyes closed during the days, not eating well, not shedding well, and appears dehydrated no matter how much he is drinking....then i am sure he is sick and suffering or close to it. are you going to let him die in your care, euthanize? with your assumptions, you are painting yourself into a corner. it's absolutely your call on how to proceed, and money is very often the deciding factor. i'm not criticizing your decision, but i am pointing out that the longer you wait, the more likely he will not make it. but his demise would still not be via his age alone. i hope at the least that if he continues to slide downhill you would consider ending his suffering.

 

[amanda509]

Just an FYI, Franklin died on Easter from advanced renal failure from the 4 years of being oversupplemented. So now I only owe the vet a small amount from the necropsy instead of my life savings and not even being able to save him...

I was told (by the vet) even if it was caught early, i would be looking at a couple hundred, to a couple thousand dollars with a slim chance of him even surviving.