What are the symptoms of old age in Chams?

[ciafardo 4]

Howdy Lindsey,

Some of my old necropsy photos of another keeper's Panther... Sorry if this is a bit graphic but does his "bumpy knuckles" look like this?

If so then it may be Tophaceous gout:

"Tophaceous gout which is the inability to excrete uric acid resulting in urate crystal deposits in cartilage, sinovial membranes, tendons, and soft tissue"...
http://www.reptilerepublic.com/unive...al-veiled.html

When these signs are visible from the outside there is likely organ damage (kidneys) elsewhere. I don't think levels like this are reversible. I don't know many of the reasons for gouty deposits to form but it can often be traced to diet. High (animal) protein diets have some linkage thus the reason that we don't gutload feeder insects with cat/dog food, for example. It suppose that even if a keeper did everything perfectly, gout may still be possible due to genetics etc. but more often, again, it goes back to our husbandry.

Here's a paper on gout written by Dr. Mader:
http://wvc.omnibooksonline.com/data/papers/2009_V716.pdf#page=1

All of this may not even be what's going on with your chameleon .

Got photos?

Great post Dave !!! I have seen this before just not without the skin like you have shown. Great bit of info !

 

[Lindsey]

Great post Dave !!! I have seen this before just not without the skin like you have shown. Great bit of info !

I agree! Even if it wasn't what Archie ended up having, its very helpful. I wasn't even aware chameleons could get gout before last week! And now I know how to prevent it, and symptoms to look for, for Archie and any other future chams (I had many hours of looking up reptile gout related info in the last week while I awaited my vet appointment yesterday).

 

[jannb]

Thanks for the update and I'll keep my fingers cross for Archie to have a quick recovery. Jann