Urgent: Help Needed

Hey everyone! She survived through the night, and I got to the vet right as they opened like I promised. She is indeed egg bound with at least 3 eggs, but is obviously too weak for surgery. The vet and I decided the best course of action would be antibiotics and force feeding/watering until she's back to health enough to hopefully lay on her own. The vet gave her injected fluids, and she passed fecal matter today. All in all she's looking slightly better. Here's a picture of one of the impacted eggs.
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Tortdad said:
Egg bound sucks. Hopefully she can get them passed soon
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This is her first time every having trouble, and it's been a hectic ride to say the least! If she doesn't pass them, and returns to good health, surgery will be the next alternative.
I'll do my best to periodically update everyone on how she's doing with pictures.
 
Andee said:
Keep your chin up, did they show you how to force feed her a liquid diet safely?
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Yes they did! She's not a fan of me holding her mouth open, but the syringe is small enough I'm able to fit it without any force or angles. The regiment is 1 CC of urgent care pet food and water morning as well as night with her antiobotic shots given once a day for 10 days in alternating arms.
 
Hoping she turns around for you. If your vet will do it and you have the cash you might want to consider spaying her... I don't think they would do it with the egg binding but if they are willing to and they don't think the stress will be to much I would take the chance. It could give her a couple more years without laying issues like this and she may actually be able to gain weight etc.
 
@GumbyTheVeiled I'm very sorry this has happened, but unfortunately it is a common end to female egg layers.

I really doubt that she can possibly pass those eggs. Eggs that are retained end up with fibrin coating causing them to adhere to the oviduct wal. They are impossible to move. There will be scaring and inflammation and possibly peritonitis (infection in the abdominal cavity). Maybe the vet is hoping she will absorb the eggs and live until her next clutch, but I'm pretty sure even if that were possible, she will not survive the next clutch. All the nurturing and support in the world is unlikely to change that outcome.

I'm sorry. That's just the way it is with egg layers--they usually die from reproductive issues and there isn't a lot you can do about it.
 
jajeanpierre said:
@GumbyTheVeiled I'm very sorry this has happened, but unfortunately it is a common end to female egg layers.

I really doubt that she can possibly pass those eggs. Eggs that are retained end up with fibrin coating causing them to adhere to the oviduct wal. They are impossible to move. There will be scaring and inflammation and possibly peritonitis (infection in the abdominal cavity). Maybe the vet is hoping she will absorb the eggs and live until her next clutch, but I'm pretty sure even if that were possible, she will not survive the next clutch. All the nurturing and support in the world is unlikely to change that outcome.

I'm sorry. That's just the way it is with egg layers--they usually die from reproductive issues and there isn't a lot you can do about it.
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I've been trying to nurse her back to health, and came back here to update everyone. I assume from reading that though everyone can guess what I'm going to say; she's not improving. She's on day five of ten on antibiotics, and still won't eat nor drink on her own. I suppose I doomed her to this fate since I chose not to do anything to slow her reproductive cycle. She lived the lifespan of a wild rather than captive bred chameleon, so I still feel that lingering guilt. I definetly tried my best though to help any chance she could have of surviving. Thank you for the harsh, but much needed truth that I already felt was what was really going to happen.
 
Yeah Janet is right, most females who lay eggs die from doing it because in the end they get too old and weak but don't stop producing if not helped by their keepers. I wish there was an easier way for females other than spaying or lowering food in take and temps. But sadly they aren't worried about living as long as possible, all they care about is making sure the species continues. I am sorry sweetie. It's a really harsh way to learn a lesson, but sadly is a much needed lesson for all reptiles in future. A lot species will lay without being bred. I send out my love to you and yours during this hard time.
 
GumbyTheVeiled said:
I've been trying to nurse her back to health, and came back here to update everyone. I assume from reading that though everyone can guess what I'm going to say; she's not improving. She's on day five of ten on antibiotics, and still won't eat nor drink on her own. I suppose I doomed her to this fate since I chose not to do anything to slow her reproductive cycle. She lived the lifespan of a wild rather than captive bred chameleon, so I still feel that lingering guilt. I definetly tried my best though to help any chance she could have of surviving. Thank you for the harsh, but much needed truth that I already felt was what was really going to happen.
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I don't know that you could have slowed her reproductive cycle all that much. Sometimes people seem to have some success with it but I've talked to some serious keepers who have not been able to once the female is producing.

I think she lived much longer than a wild chameleon. I've talked to very experienced chameleon experts who are of the opinion that few chameleons produce more than one clutch.

I'm sorry, it's just the way it is. I know that doesn't make it any easier. I hope you can find it in your heart to be a little kinder on yourself.
 
@GumbyTheVeiled Just to clarify, I meant that many experts felt wild female chameleons rarely produce more than one clutch.

"I think she lived much longer than a wild chameleon. I've talked to very experienced chameleon experts who are of the opinion that few chameleons produce more than one clutch."
 
jajeanpierre said:
@GumbyTheVeiled Just to clarify, I meant that many experts felt wild female chameleons rarely produce more than one clutch.

"I think she lived much longer than a wild chameleon. I've talked to very experienced chameleon experts who are of the opinion that few chameleons produce more than one clutch."
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Thank you everyone for the encouraging words, and helping to try to lessen my guilt. I stepped away for a few days to consider my options, see how she progressed, and come to emotional terms with the choice I'd have to make. Gumby will be going back up to the reptile hospital today, and we will be saying goodbye to each other. She's increased in stomach size but the rest of her continues to be fragile and thin. I can only assume she's in pain, and force feeding or watering her has proven to be a struggle as it's the only thing she'll fight me on. I went through with her ten days of antibiotics of course, so I've just come to this final conclusion. I appreciate anyone who spoke up trying to help me find out what was wrong with my girl, and since she was a special case for me I don't plan on buying another chameleon.

EDIT: The animal hospital is closed today for the holiday, but I was able to leave a message in hopes they'll get back to me tomorrow ASAP.
 
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Sorry for your loss but you made the best choice. Sometimes there is nothing else that can be done.

Jajeanpierre said..."I've talked to some serious keepers who have not been able to once the female is producing"...I have been able to stop veiled females from producing once they have started. It takes me a couple of months before I can do it because I don't want to do it too quickly in case it causes them problems. With panthers I have only decreased the clutch size but that didn't mean that it can't be done...I just wasn't willing to push it further with them. I haven't tried it with other soecies because these two species were the only ones people kept that they were having reproductive problems with at the time.
 
Finally after me calling them back (why did I bother to leave a voicemail no one would acknowledge?), the euthanization is tommorow at 9:30 AM. I've chosen to get her cremated. I'm extremely upset at my vet currently since an entire day passed before I was able to get a hold of them to schedule anything. I digress. I've been spending all the time I can with her. I'm glad in the end I just did was right by her, and did my hardest to give her anything she ever needed. Someone in my area has accquired a three month male veiled, however, so all my knowledge on husbandry will not go to waste (including the new tips I learned via this thread). Thank you once again everyone! If the admins want they may close this thread now.
 
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