Panther Chameleon has been very sick for 4 weeks and no improvement with many vet visits.
- Thread starter Ricky The Cham
- Start date
Ricky The Cham
Member
sorry I forgot to attach this image of the food package.
I haven't tried to feed that way I will do that next time he drinks.
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Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
If this is the product, you can find the ingredients & guaranteed analysis here:
https://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/our-products/professional-line/carnivore-care
Click on Ingredients & Guaranteed Analysis
Unfortunately the bloodwork doesn't have any notable abnormalities to help lead us to the problem. Most likely it is not a primary problem with the eyes but something internally causing him to feel poor. But there isn't any anemia or evidence of significant inflammation or infection. The glucose value is a bit higher than normal but by itself really doesn't tell us much as that can be a stress response. The uric acid is normal indicating kidneys aren't in major trouble, the one liver value was normal and the calcium to phosphorus ratio is good. Unfortunately more tests will be needed to figure out what's wrong. An ultrasound may be the most useful to look at internal structures more closely. I've seen kidney disease without having an elevated uric acid and liver tumors without having elevated liver values and internal abscesses without major inflammation changes on bloodwork. Reptiles are just much tougher to evaluate because they don't always follow the rules like they should. Ultrasounds are generally only done by specialists so that may be hard to find depending on your area. I'm sorry your chameleon is doing poorly and there's not a obvious reason.
In the absence of being able to do more tests you could try an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory trial. Sometimes it will help reverse something going on internally although it is treating blindly.Also, carnivore care is fine to use short term. Not great for long term use like Lafeber omnivore care comparatively but has good nutrients and calories for a sick chameleon in the short term. Reptiboost is primarily electrolytes, not my fav.
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MzLaurie11
Avid Member
I hope your cham is doing better. I am in agreement with the above recommendation of a trial of antibiotics. At this point, i think its worth a try.
TreePickle
New Member
Hey I live in Portland and I have a panther chameleon who got sick recently as well. I took him to Dove Lewis and they put him on antibiotics (we had to inject into his tail every other day). He had a respiratory infection and would keep his eyes closed all day after the fall temp dropped here in Oregon. I increased his basking spot to 92 degrees and added a second uvb light that hit 5.0 with a solar-meter after seeing him get sick . Anyway the antibiotics helped immediately, and he’s fully recovered now. Hope this helps, and I hope you can get to a vet to get antibiotics.
TreePickle
New Member
Also to add, they prescribed him Ceftazidime *Tazicef* at 100mg/ml. Every other day for 30 days.
And the uv index was 5.0 at his branch height with the solar meter for clarity. (Not a 5.0 bulb.)
MzLaurie11
Avid Member
So glad to hear your cham is better. Winter transition seems to be hard on many chams. I am in los angeles and our weather seems to be all oVer the place I am noticing sluggish behavior and just ordered another basking setup to place at an area where there areno perches so i can get the general temp a bit higher in the whole cage. Thanks for the med info. If my cham gets sick again i want to inject the meds. Seems like such less stress.
Action Jackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’ve never heard of injecting antibiotics in the tail. Interesting. I also find it interesting how vets prescribe this drug differently. I’ve always read it is recommended to be given every 72 hours but I have seen it given in smaller does daily and it was was recommended to you to be given every other day. I really like this antibiotic, it‘s easy on the chameleons. I have used it extensively over the years as I have a large collection and also deal with wild caught chameleons.
Tarzanfam
Established Member
I have an 8 month panther (nosy be) and he has been spending a great deal of time with his eyes closed as well. I am not recommending this, but just telling you how things are going with mine.
He was stuck at 12g for what seemed like forever. I finally reached out to an expert abd it was recommended to me that I increase his vit A by a significant amount. Within 2 days, he started eating properly again and was acting a bit better too. The eye closing still hasn't gone away so I am taking him in for bloodwork maybe next week (he is 27g, vet said it was safer if he was 30g for a full panel). I have no idea what we might find, but I feel your pain! This is tough. I keep seeing people posting similarly and I am wondering what is causing this? Is it similar for all these poor panthers and are we going to figure it out? Hope your beautiful guy is feeling better.
He was stuck at 12g for what seemed like forever. I finally reached out to an expert abd it was recommended to me that I increase his vit A by a significant amount. Within 2 days, he started eating properly again and was acting a bit better too. The eye closing still hasn't gone away so I am taking him in for bloodwork maybe next week (he is 27g, vet said it was safer if he was 30g for a full panel). I have no idea what we might find, but I feel your pain! This is tough. I keep seeing people posting similarly and I am wondering what is causing this? Is it similar for all these poor panthers and are we going to figure it out? Hope your beautiful guy is feeling better.
