Salivary Gland infection!

[daveo]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male jacksons, he is approximately 1 year and six months old. I have had him for about a year
Handling - Once or twice a week
Feeding - crickets about 5 or 6, 3/4 inch everyday
Supplements - ExoTerra Calcium once a week no D3 at all
Watering - I have a mist king that runs for three minutes at a time three times a day. I also have an ultra sonic humidifier that runs for 2 hours in the morning and twos hours in the evening. The cage dries for three hours before lights out
Fecal Description - He has never been tested for Parasites in my care. the person I got him from said that he has seen a vet and is in good health. Poop is white and dark brown kind of moist but formed
History - I think he is wild caught from Hawaii

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Cage is screen on all four sides and the top. The bottom is plywood covered with vinyl tiles. It is 24x24x36 sitting on a 4 foot tall stand.
Lighting - 60 watt baking bulb in an exoterra dome. 18 inch reptile 5.0 UVB and a full spectrum 5500k grow light
Temperature - Basking area is 88F away from light is around 73F. I have a zoomed thermometer/hygrometer with a remote sensor
Humidity - Humidity is around 60% I use a mist king and ultra sonic humidifier and have live plants for humidity
Plants - I have a money tree and a pothos
Placement - Cage is in the corner of the dinning room it is a medium traffic area as people have to go through there to get to the kitchen and family room. the cage is about seven feet off the floor at the top
Location - Southeastern WI. On the shores of Lake Michigan

Current Problem -He has acquired a mouth infection that the vet said was a salivary gland infection. I took him in on Tuesday before the fourth and they washed the wound with diluted beta-dine and then gave him an antibiotic injection. I am supposed to take him back tomorrow. He we looking OK except for the sore in his mouth before my trip to the vet, but since then he has been lethargic and sleeping a lot. I know sleeping during the day is a bad sign. but he did not start sleeping until the injection. So my question is did the injection make him sicker? Is sleeping and fatigue a side effect of the injection?

aTdHvAaNnKcSe

Daveo

 

[camimom]

Im not sure about the side effects from the injection, but your basking temp is way to high.

Try lowering that to around 80, and see how he does.

 

[daveo]

HI Camimom,

Thanks for the tip. I am using a twenty watt bulb and I put the temp probe where he likes to sit. the branch is on a diagonal so he can decide how close he wants to be. I do not know of a lower wattage bulb, any idea how to lower the basking temp? He kind of decides how hot or cold he wants to be. Or am i injecting my snake husbandry where it should not belong?

aTdHvAaNnKcSe

Daveo

 

[camimom]

They dont always move when thye get too hotm and can suffer burns that way.

To lower the temp, just raise the light higher over the cage.

the farther away it is, the cooler it wil get.

 

[Carlton]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male jacksons, he is approximately 1 year and six months old. I have had him for about a year
Handling - Once or twice a week
Feeding - crickets about 5 or 6, 3/4 inch everyday
Supplements - ExoTerra Calcium once a week no D3 at all
Watering - I have a mist king that runs for three minutes at a time three times a day. I also have an ultra sonic humidifier that runs for 2 hours in the morning and twos hours in the evening. The cage dries for three hours before lights out
Fecal Description - He has never been tested for Parasites in my care. the person I got him from said that he has seen a vet and is in good health. Poop is white and dark brown kind of moist but formed
History - I think he is wild caught from Hawaii

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Cage is screen on all four sides and the top. The bottom is plywood covered with vinyl tiles. It is 24x24x36 sitting on a 4 foot tall stand.
Lighting - 60 watt baking bulb in an exoterra dome. 18 inch reptile 5.0 UVB and a full spectrum 5500k grow light
Temperature - Basking area is 88F away from light is around 73F. I have a zoomed thermometer/hygrometer with a remote sensor
Humidity - Humidity is around 60% I use a mist king and ultra sonic humidifier and have live plants for humidity
Plants - I have a money tree and a pothos
Placement - Cage is in the corner of the dinning room it is a medium traffic area as people have to go through there to get to the kitchen and family room. the cage is about seven feet off the floor at the top
Location - Southeastern WI. On the shores of Lake Michigan

Current Problem -He has acquired a mouth infection that the vet said was a salivary gland infection. I took him in on Tuesday before the fourth and they washed the wound with diluted beta-dine and then gave him an antibiotic injection. I am supposed to take him back tomorrow. He we looking OK except for the sore in his mouth before my trip to the vet, but since then he has been lethargic and sleeping a lot. I know sleeping during the day is a bad sign. but he did not start sleeping until the injection. So my question is did the injection make him sicker? Is sleeping and fatigue a side effect of the injection?

aTdHvAaNnKcSe

Daveo

The whole vet visit (cleaning the sore was painful as was the injection) was a big stressor even though it was necessary. What was the injection? Many antibiotics have side effects. Baytril can make the cham feel sick and some chams react badly to it.

 

[daveo]

I do not know what antibiotic they used. I will find out and post up when I get home.

 

[daveo]

Thought I would update my thread. Gregory is on the road to making a full recovery. He is eating, and his mouth is just about back to normal. So what I Have learned from this is, Don't screw around, take your pet to the Vet if something is wrong. Asking questions here is great, but it is no substitute for proper veterinary care.

 

[Carlton]

Great news! I hope he is around a long time. Be aware, these infections can recur, so keep an eye on it and increase the vit. C content of your feeder food. I've read that this can help prevent temporal gland infections possibly because it strengthens immune system or changes the pH of saliva. It won't hurt anyway.

 

[daveo]

Have an update. Gregory got another infection in his other salivary gland. It turned into an abscess and he went septic. The vet put him down today. I am very sad

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

So sorry to hear that Daveo. You obviously gave him great care while you had him since you took him to the vet multiple times! May he rest in peace.

 

[blackened]

Sorry to hear you lost your Cham daveo my condolences

 

[jannb]

I am so very sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you.