SOS URI?

[Bazelthechameleon]

My cham has been turning his head up in the air and gaping and thought the instances have been isolated they’ve been more frequent today. At some points I question it because he’ll be right under his heat lamp and I’ll wonder if he’s just hot and he’ll put his head up when he’s under his dripper and I’ll wonder if he’s just trying to drink. It’s definitely stressful though. I’m gonna schedule a vet visit tomorrow. He’s still active and colorful and as social as ever. I don’t know what to think. He was showering under his dripper basically all day today so I guess there’s a chance that he’s just trying to clear his airways because he inhaled his water. I’m going to attach some pics. Thoughts?

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

He really doesn’t drink as much as he should so I think that may have prompted his multiple-hour-long shower underneath the dripper. I hope it’s not a kidney thing or anything. It was a strangely long shower.

 

[Beman]

Vet to be sure. But turn off the heat lamp and see if he still does it. You may need to slow the drip rate on the dripper if he sits right below it. Just in case he is getting water down in his nose.

Can I see a pic of the whole cage from the lights down? From those pics it looks like you may need to reduce foliage on the basking level for full uvb access.

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Vet to be sure. But turn off the heat lamp and see if he still does it. You may need to slow the drip rate on the dripper if he sits right below it. Just in case he is getting water down in his nose.

Can I see a pic of the whole cage from the lights down? From those pics it looks like you may need to reduce foliage on the basking level for full uvb access.

How do vets test for URI? If they prescribe meds so you know which ones are best and what I should watch out for? I will slow the dripping rate and turn the lamp off. Let me upload a pic of the cage for you

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Here’s a pic of the enclosure

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

I’m now hearing popping when he breathes. It’s small but it’s there. I’m now confident it’s a URI and will be calling the vet tmrw morning. Now I just need to know the best meds to ask for as I’m not too confident in my vet’s chameleon knowledge.

 

[Beman]

Here’s a pic of the enclosure

Ok yeah you want to cut the pothos back it is taking up too much of the top basking areas which will reduce his uvi exposure presenting risk of mbd.

They listen to the lungs typically to see if it sounds abnormal. Then prescribe meds for it. Oral meds you have to be cautious giving because you have to aim to the very back of the throat to avoid the airway at the front bottom of the mouth.

 

[Beman]

I’m now hearing popping when he breathes. It’s small but it’s there. I’m now confident it’s a URI and will be calling the vet tmrw morning. Now I just need to know the best meds to ask for as I’m not too confident in my vet’s chameleon knowledge.

There are a few oral and injections but I don’t know their specific names. This page will give some info as well. The faster treatment starts the better off the cham is with an RI this would be considered urgent. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-medical-respiratory-infection/

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Thank you! Is there any chance the popping could just be because he was sitting under the dripper all day? I just don’t know how the infection could’ve progressed this quickly. I only noticed symptoms starting this morning.

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

I turned his basking light off and now he’s acting normal but if I hold him close to my ear I can hear popping every so often.

 

[Beman]

It could be due to the water but I do not want to say that and be incorrect. Do a major trim to the top basking level. It is ok if you have one plant in one spot that sits higher but everything else on the top basking level needs to be reduced for proper UVI exposure.

You also have a ton of plant in there throughout the cage so this will increase humidity. What is the ambient humidity in the cage? What is the temp?

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

It could be due to the water but I do not want to say that and be incorrect. Do a major trim to the top basking level. It is ok if you have one plant in one spot that sits higher but everything else on the top basking level needs to be reduced for proper UVI exposure.

You also have a ton of plant in there throughout the cage so this will increase humidity. What is the ambient humidity in the cage? What is the temp?

You’re right. I checked and the humidity is way too high. Around 80%. I’m gonna do a major trim. Ambient temp is 72 fahrenheit

 

[Beman]

You’re right. I checked and the humidity is way too high. Around 80%. I’m gonna do a major trim. Ambient temp is 72 fahrenheit

Ok this is what I was worried about it. So you need to cut stuff back. You can have a lot of plants but you have to have areas for the air to move fully through out the cage and it not be quite so compact.

I would still take him in to be checked to make sure the lungs sound right. If they don't you want to be able to catch an RI early.

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Ok this is what I was worried about it. So you need to cut stuff back. You can have a lot of plants but you have to have areas for the air to move fully through out the cage and it not be quite so compact.

I would still take him in to be checked to make sure the lungs sound right. If they don't you want to be able to catch an RI early.

I was able to get an appointment for 3:30 today

 

[elizaann2]

I was able to get an appointment for 3:30 today

Let us know how it gors

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Ugh SO stressful. I’m so angry with myself that I let this happen.

 

[Beman]

Ugh SO stressful. I’m so angry with myself that I let this happen.

It may not be a RI... breathe hun. Stuff happens and we work through it. Lets just see what the vet says and in the mean time hack down the foliage in the cage.

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Being a good boy at the vets

 

[Beman]

View attachment 343654
Being a good boy at the vets

Does he have a puffy spot between his front legs? or is that just the image?

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Alright. So the doc said that there’s no obvious symptoms of RI like mucous in the mouth or popping when he breathes so he thinks we should leave it for a few days. He said to call back if symptoms progress and he’ll give us Baytril to knock it out. He also suggested to bump up his temp slightly and to give a multivitamin once a week? this I questioned. He said that the D3 doesn’t act as a multivitamin and a multivitamin should be given once a week. Is this accurate? Thanks!