What's wrong with Cricket???

[CricketBugs]

Our chameleon has a black wrist and a swollen tail. We are not sure what is wrong. About the swollen wrist, she developed it a while ago but we thought it would get better. Obviously, it did not. Should we take her to the vet? We can also fill out one of those "how to ask for help" forms if anyone thinks it would be helpful. Thanks!

 

[CharlieCharmingo]

Uhm, yes, you most definitely should take her to the vet. You can still fill out a how to ask thing, but honestly take her to the vet. I mean especially if you noticed this a couple days ago. It looks really gnarly. She's probably very uncomfortable too. Also her tail is black. Is that normal? I'm no expert but it looks like tail rot. Again I cannot stress this, but take her to the vet.

 

[serenaj25]

Uhm, yes, you most definitely should take her to the vet. You can still fill out a how to ask thing, but honestly take her to the vet. I mean especially if you noticed this a couple days ago. It looks really gnarly. She's probably very uncomfortable too. Also her tail is black. Is that normal? I'm no expert but it looks like tail rot. Again I cannot stress this, but take her to the vet.

I second that...cant hurt to get it checked out especially if it hasn't gotten any better

 

[CricketBugs]

Oops, I switched it around in the description... her wrist is swollen and her tail is black. But thank you, we will!

 

[Andee]

It almost looks like she has hour. Which if you don't provide a chameleon especially a montage with enough water it's gonna happen. Definitely vet time

 

[CharlieCharmingo]

It almost looks like she has hour. Which if you don't provide a chameleon especially a montage with enough water it's gonna happen. Definitely vet time

Andee if you don't mind can you explain what "hour" is unless you meant she has an hour left?

 

[Andee]

Oh crap, I am sorry I am typing on my phone and meant to put gout and forgot to reread XD. I am doing morning checks so doing things faster than normal.

 

[kinyonga]

It could be gout but it could also be an infection or even from an injury....or something else.with the tail being discolored too I'm wondering if it was an injury...no way to be sure without a vet check IMHO.

 

[CricketBugs]

Thanks, everybody! We took Cricket to the vet and it turns out that she does have gout. She had a small surgery and is back home now. She will be taking medicine and having a slight diet change to help her get better.

 

[kinyonga]

Good to hear that you find out what the swelling was! Hope there's a full recovery!
What did the vet say about the tail?

 

[bobbydigital]

My first guess what gout since it looks like my chams wrist (who has gout). Glad to see you took her to get it checked out and diagnosed. Were you given allopurinol? And are you supposed to give it daily for the rest of her life?

 

[kinyonga]

What's the diet change?

 

[CricketBugs]

Thanks! Yes, we were given allopurinol, and we have to give it to her twice a day until the vet says to stop (hopefully that's not the rest of her life). I guess it's not so much of a diet change as a gut load change, but whatever goes into the crickets goes into the chameleon...

 

[kinyonga]

I'd still be interested in knowing what you changed. I'm always learning.

 

[Andee]

You likely need to increase misting duration and general water intake as well. If my hunch is correct her gout is more likely related to chronic dehydration at some level. Her kidneys are likely in some form of failure. I am not going to lie, she will likely be on the meds the rest of her life. I have not yet heard of a chameleon with gout especially as severe as she has it, who has ever gotten off meds.

 

[CricketBugs]

I'd still be interested in knowing what you changed. I'm always learning.

Oh, sure... we just switched from Zilla's "Cricket Drink" to T-Rex's gut load which is apparently the only one that actually works.

 

[kinyonga]

Actually works for gout? Interesting.

 

[Andee]

Can you send me the ingredient list of T-rex's gutload, I can't find it anywhere. If I am correct T-Rex had a couple studies done it proving that it was a "good" commercial dry gutload, technically the studies only prove that T-rex and Mazuri are one of the few commercial gutloads that have been studied (and not all of them have) to slightly raise the calcium levels. There are a lot of other things they need besides just calcium and calcium is easily supplemented by just dusting. But I think that was a long long time ago and there are now better gutloads now out there that aren't often sold in stores, and I still prefer to make my own dry gutload because honestly commercial gutloads are still crud, they rely too much on fillers and then adding vitamins to it. Which isn't as helpful as healthy plants etc, with a tablespoon or two of premade dusting vitamins.

 

[CricketBugs]

Actually works for gout? Interesting.

Actually works in general. Although we took her back for a follow-up and her lanced wrist didn't seem to be healing correctly. So they gave her another lance and a bandage.

 

[kinyonga]

Hope it heals this time!