Unexplained Death!

[chamlover]

I am sorry to say that one of my prized breeding veileds passed away this morning. His name was JJ and he was just 1 year old. He had been suffering from an eye infection that the vet says looked like it was caused from some kind of trauma but he had already had 3 shots and was improving daily. He had eaten last night and drank quite a bit and was his normal loving self. To my horror, i woke up to find him on the floor of his cage. sniffle snifffle. I have no idea what happened. Has anyone ever had an eye infection cause a sudden death like this? I don't know what went wrong and i would appreciate it if anyone would have any ideas.


Debby

 

[CleanLineChameleons]

What were the shots of and the dosage?

-chris

 

[chamlover]

I'm sorry i don't know. He gave it to him after mixing it and i don't recall the name. I went to a new vet and he seemed really good. I don't think it was an injury thought because he never had a "black eye" , he just started closing really tight. Not like some of them do when they don't feel good, it was closed really really really tight. Like he had something stuck in it and it was sunk in really bad. But after the second shot it started puffing back out again and he was opening it slightly. I will call the vet mon and let him know and see what he says. He was out today.


Debby

 

[kinyonga]

Sorry for your loss. Its never easy losing one.
Will you be getting a necropsy done to see if they can determine the cause?

 

[Danny200]

if it was INSTANT deat then maybe he eat something and choked and died? or maybe there was a poision in the water? or maybe the dosage was too strong for him and killed him and was ur vet TRAINED about these kind of animals?

 

[chamlover]

Thanks Sandy,

No i wont' be getting a necropsy done. I can only assume that the eye infection somehow had something to do with it. He hadn't eaten anything and choked because with his eye being closed he was not eating on his own. We had fed him the night before and there was nothing in his cage. As far as the medicine, it had been almost 5-6 days since his last shot so i don't think it was that either. Do you think it is possible that the eye infections could have spread to anything? That is the only thing i can think of.


Debby

 

[Glittergloomgirl]

You never know the eye infection might have been the cover for an underlying problem. Dont beat yourself up I know exactly how you feel, when I lose one and cant explain why. just feel good about yourself knowing you gave your little one lots of love and a happy home.

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."Do you think it is possible that the eye infections could have spread to anything?"...a necropsy could tell you.

 

[VerteX]

Sorry to hear that Debby.

 

[Sepioteuthis]

I'm sorry to hear you lost your veiled, Debbie.
I agree with Glittergloomgirl that the eye infection might just have been a symptom instead of a cause. And, like Kinyonga said, a necropsy might yield some more definitive information.
But it's up to you of course. I would find out what those shots were though, just so you know.

Again, I'm very sorry for your loss.

- Suzanne

 

[ocdirtyjerz]

Has anyone had one of there chams die from choking? I just saw one of my medium sized girl eat a worm that was about 3" long abd about 5g. I thought it would be too big for her but she went big for it. She gasped a couple of times afterwards so I am giving her a steam shower to posible give her some moisture. Any horror stories out there? Yikes!

 

[SSimsswiSS]

Has anyone had one of there chams die from choking? I just saw one of my medium sized girl eat a worm that was about 3" long abd about 5g. I thought it would be too big for her but she went big for it. She gasped a couple of times afterwards so I am giving her a steam shower to posible give her some moisture. Any horror stories out there? Yikes!

If it was a soft bodied worm, I would'nt worry. They break down pretty small after the liquid inside is squeeze out.

 

[Chameleon Company]

Wish I could give a definitive opinion

But I have to agree with these words from another:

Don't beat yourself up I know exactly how you feel, when I lose one and cant explain why

I am in the group that would not recommend a necropsy, primarily due to the cost spent for information that, along with $1, would get you a cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts. It is quite plausible, as mentioned by others, that the eye problem was indicative of a larger underlying problem. It is also possible that the injections were too much, causing organ failure, etc. I hate to be the naysayer, and I have a bit of experience, to include working with Dr. Ivan Alfonso overseeing thousands of chameleons in our day, but I do believe that a direct correlation exists between the simplicity of treatment and success. It would be that once treatment gets beyond the simple oral dose with a chameleon, its long term viability decreases quickly. Put another way, if not remedied by a vitamin adjustment, simple antibiotic, or common de-parasite agent, often in combination with a husbandry adjustment, it may be an endless succession of fixing one problem while creating another, to your expense, and the animal's unavoidable demise. As was said, do not beat yourself up.

 

[boothy]

sorry to hear that your fella died there on you , chameleons hide there sickness so well that its almost to late at times to help them , my first male veiled i had died of a hemipenal prolapse and he didnt make it to next mourning for his vet check up