Update on Chamy the constipated cham, not good

[ChamSky]

It's been a looong process and a lot of dedication but we don't think he is going to make it. It's been almost 2 weeks now
(2yr old male Veiled chameleon, got extremely constipated when a cold snap came through)
He's been to the exotic vet twice, X-rayed, and there is nothing more we can do. He passed a little poop a day ago but now keeps falling from his branches, he can no longer hold onto them. He is very weak and stopped drinking. There is nothing more the vet can do.

We give him warm baths with massages 3x a day, liquid calcium, (stopped the mineral oil) and now have to force feed him water, and tried hornwoms and waxworms + grape and pear. They helped him pass a little but I think some of the adult Dubai shells just won't pass.

So he's going into a hospital cage since he keeps falling (we have big towels on the bottom so he doesn't hurt himself) he's going into a small bird cage with his lights and a heat mat when necessary. Putting in a background mat to keep the humidity up. Our poor guy.....

We are trying so hard. I know I have learned a lot from this and I hope someone out there who reads my threads can learn something too about dealing with constipated chams.

 

[Blang]

Get some pedyalite for kids & give him that from an eye dropper that should help to hydrate him! It will take more than 1 or 2 drops, give it to him everyday & he should poop!

 

[Lathis]

I'm sorry that nothing has worked to help your little guy

I have no further advice, except to try to give you some comfort in knowing that you have done everything you can. Between all the usual home remedies and vet visits, surgery might be his only option. Whether that is feasible or appropriate for your cham is entirely a personal decision. Try to keep him hydrated as well as possible and comfortable. A hospital cage is a good idea now.

When they stop drinking, that is always a very sad sign. It might also be time to think about having him put down. I had to put down my cham this summer - one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. You and your little guy have all my sympathy.

 

[ChamSky]

Get some pedyalite for kids & give him that from an eye dropper that should help to hydrate him! It will take more than 1 or 2 drops, give it to him everyday & he should poop!

I will pick up some today, we are trying to keep him as hydrated as possible. He has pooped a total of 3 times but they were all weird not normal poops. Will will try that too thanks

 

[ChamSky]

I'm sorry that nothing has worked to help your little guy

I have no further advice, except to try to give you some comfort in knowing that you have done everything you can. Between all the usual home remedies and vet visits, surgery might be his only option. Whether that is feasible or appropriate for your cham is entirely a personal decision. Try to keep him hydrated as well as possible and comfortable. A hospital cage is a good idea now.

When they stop drinking, that is always a very sad sign. It might also be time to think about having him put down. I had to put down my cham this summer - one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. You and your little guy have all my sympathy.

Thank you for your sympathy. This is my first cham and we love him. His cage is perfect, just that stupid cold snap and BF didn't have the heat on. (He's got heat lamps obviously but when the house got below 50 degrees it doesn't help)
Surgery is not an option unfortunately because we have already spent so much money on vet bills + the vet agrees that he still may not make it and its very risky. If iy was a rock maybe, but its just poop and hardened minerals.
We are trying to give him as much water through a dropper as possible.

 

[jannb]

If he's not to weak a good chameleon vet should be able to do surgery to remove what's clogging him up. Did he have x-rays? Have you tried the laxative lactulose or have you tried an enema?

 

[ChamSky]

If he's not to weak a good chameleon vet should be able to do surgery to remove what's clogging him up. Did he have x-rays? Have you tried the laxative lactulose or have you tried an enema?

He is very weak, and yes we had two x-rays done and the vet said he was super healthy otherwise. We have tried both and managed to get 4 small messy poops but not enough. He actually passed away this morning

 

[ChamSky]

RIP Chamy

It's with a heavy heart that I have to say that Chamy has passed away. I stayed with him all morning made sure he was comfy in a blanket with heat until the end. Even though he was getting a lot of fluids he still got dehydrated and just stopped fighting. We did everything we could. A lesson learned and I will always remember him. He was a beautiful cham.

 

[jannb]

I am so sorry for your loss.

He was one gorgeous boy! May he live on in your heart forever.

 

[odduc748]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss.

 

[SocialNumb]

R.I.P Chamy. Sorry for your loss ChamSky.

 

[Lathis]

Aw, I'm sorry

 

[carbyville]

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of Chamy. I wish this situation had a better end result You're in my thoughts.

 

[Carlton]

I know you are upset after all the good work you did with him, but I would also really want a necropsy to find out what his problem actually was! The information can also help ease your heart if it wasn't something very treatable. Take care and don't beat yourself up too much. You really tried!

 

[ChamSky]

Thank you everyone for your kind words, I never knew I would be so immersed in the world of chams. I shed my tears while I cradled him in some fleece one last time.
It's going to be hard to look at his cage everyday. (Live plants in there so still got the lights going.)
Unfortunately my other half does not support me spending money to get a necropsy done (otherwise I would have) because obviously it became more than just constipation to make him so weak.
Well....I'm pretty sure if any other cham I get, gets unfortunately constipated I'll know exactly what to do.
Going to wait till the next rep show. I might get a Jackson's.

 

[MSMorgan]

Chamsky,

So sorry to hear about your little one. We recently lost one of our other animals to cancer and it's been difficult to say the least. Hang in there. Time will heal your loss.