Turned dark, vet trips????

[Beenletloose]

Hi I have a panther chameleon that has a vitamin A defiencency and have been doing weekly trips to the vets to get multivitamin injections. The journey is nearly a hour there and a hour back then half an hour in the vets, so a journey of 2 1/2 hours every week, then I had to go back Monday as he has been closing one eye ( got antibiotics for him)
So basically I think he is really stressed as he has turned dark in colour now and has always been very bright red and green with a lovely blue bar
I also have to give him critical care once a day, antibiotic once a day and a painkiller. All these are a oral liquid which he hates me forcing his mouth open to syringe them in.
The vet has said all husbandry and everything else I'm doing is fine, but as he has not eaten for over a month now and feel he won't if he is stressed, it's a vicious circle

Do you agree he is stressed

Sorry photo is upside down

 

[Beenletloose]

Same post

This is what he looks like normally, photo taken in the same place on his free range

 

[kinyonga]

How do you know he has a vitamin A deficiency?
Please answer the questions in the how to ask for help thread at the top of the health section so we can help you better.

 

[Beenletloose]

I was told by the vet that he has a vitamin A defiencency.
Not sure where you mean to answer the questions, is it in the forum

 

[APailthorp]

It's a sticky at the top of this forum, Health Clinic:
How to ask for help

 

[kinyonga]

Is there any prEformed vitamin A in his supplements?

 

[Lidee]

have you ever given him water by pippete or syringe?
If he takes to drinking like that it you can switch syringes containing water for ones containing medications making it much less stressful to administer, you don't have too force his mouth open etc.

 

[Beenletloose]

He was having a multivitamin twice a month called reptivite, but the vet told me that the vitamin a in most supplements is not stable after 8 weeks of opening the tub, so I must in future concentrate more on gutloading, and have now learnt the best vegetables etc to use I think, I was using a lot of lettuce and carrots but now know that I need to improve on that and to also use more commercial gutloading like bug burger (as I didn't use it much, I thought fresh veg would be better) and also to ensure that I don't gutload too early or too late.
But I've only had him 5 months, so the previous owner wasn't doing it right either as far as I know he wasn't even getting multivitamins.

 

[Beenletloose]

He won't open his mouth for the medicines, he will for his water, but I have to drip it for a few minutes before he opens his mouth, which means the medicine would be lost, I also can't mix the medicine with the water, as soon as he knows I have the medicine he runs away from me and I try to tease him to open his mouth, but he will open his mouth for water after a while

 

[Lidee]

I meant have two syringes, one with water, and one with medicine. Have them both handy, once he starts drinking from the water syringe quickly switch them and drip the medicine into the mouth. If you don't get all of it in at once give water again and when he starts drinking switch syringes again, and repeat.
I don't know how big a quantity of medicine you have to give, i've rarely needed to give more than a few drops per go, so if its more than a mL of fluid, maybe it isn't the most efficient technique.

 

[Beenletloose]

I meant have two syringes, one with water, and one with medicine. Have them both handy, once he starts drinking from the water syringe quickly switch them and drip the medicine into the mouth. If you don't get all of it in at once give water again and when he starts drinking switch syringes again, and repeat.
I don't know how big a quantity of medicine you have to give, i've rarely needed to give more than a few drops per go, so if its more than a mL of fluid, maybe it isn't the most efficient technique.

Thanks, I tried your method, I did miss a bit as its so hard to try and squirt it slowly, so still did the antibiotic by forcing his mouth open but the pain killer and critical care I think I managed to get a good amount in, so thanks, I hope he dosent clock onto my tricking him and start refusing to drink, are they that clever, maybe!!!!!

 

[TreyLcham]

So do you not know what the vit a def affected? I don't see anything noticeable of it? So I very curious to know!

 

[TreyLcham]

Nvm now I see it. I think it's his eye on the top