Calcium Gluconate, how to provide

In a previous thread regarding a small chameleon with MBD, it was suggested by helpful, knowledgable people to give him liquid calcium (such as calcium sandoz or gluconate).

The owner of said little chameleon has brought me a bottle of Calcium Gluconate. Its sticky. dosage according to the bottle is 0.1cc per 100grams of animal weight. The little guy is only like 17grams, so I watered some down considerably (20 drops of water to one drop Calcium Gluconate), then tried to give it to him orally by putting a single tiny drip at a time on his tongue (which is a way he will often drink plain water). I managed to get maybe two or three small drips on his tongue. He didnt like it. He stopped drinking and "ran". Then the next day I tried putting a little into his mouth while he struggled (as is normal for him) to swallow a small roach nymph. He went from enthusiastically trying to eat to spitting out his food and refusing to eat anything else that day.

Should I water it down even more?

Or is it better to try to inject the Calcium Gluconate into insects? He only eats very small things, so Im not sure if that's even possible.

Suggestions anyone?

I would personally inject it with a small insulin syringe if its being stubborn.

Nicodemayo said:

I would personally inject it with a small insulin syringe if its being stubborn.

Click to expand...

Inject the chameleon itself?

Yes, using a 28 guage, .5 or 1ml insulin syringe. You can inject him/her in the loose skin on a front leg, or in the skin to the left or right side of the dorsal crest just posterior to the head. If done quickly, it will induce very little stress to the chameleon and it will be the most efficient method of absorbing the calcium gluconate. If you are diluting the solution, use di water.

Howdy,

This may be a case of accidentally twisting together two very different forms of liquid calcium in this thread . Calcium Glubionate is the oral version of liquid calcium that is used in MBD situations. Calcium Gluconate is the injectable calcium version. Gluconate is injected, for example, when tremors are present. Once you are past the tremors/seizures etc, then switch to the oral "Glubionate" version of calcium. Funny, I happen to have 2 unused quarts (its a long story) of injectable Calcium Gluconate that went past their limit dates of 02/09 . These big bottles have the rubber barriers to stick hypo needles through to draw out doses. The bottles probably have a zillion chameleon doses each.

Drat. That means I have been given the type one is supposed to inject. Which I wont be doing.

Oral gluconate...
http://www.medscape.com/druginfo/dosage?drugid=8322&drugname=Calcium+Gluconate+Oral&monotype=default
http://www.healthsquare.com/drugs/56501.htm
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1796&aid=3027
"Feeder insects should be coated with calcium supplement (powdered calcium carbonate or calcium gluconate) twice a week for adult Veiled Chameleons".
http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2002&Category=&PID=3402&O=Generic
"Oral calcium supplements, such as Neo-Calglucon (Nutrobal) are useful for long term calcium therapy."
http://www.birdandexoticvet.com/iguana.html
"use powdered calcium carbonate or calcium gluconate."

However...this form of gluconate is intervenous...
http://www.gluconate-store.co.cc/calcium-gluconate.htm
And...
http://www.adcham.com/html/veterinary/egglaying-fatigue-kramer.html
"A bolus of injectable calcium gluconate was given intramuscularly at 300 mg/kg. "

Oral glubionate........
http://www.answers.com/topic/calcium-glubionate-oral-solution
http://www.kirkmanareavet.com/MBD.html
"Oral therapy with calcium glubionate was started twice daily for 1 month."

Sounds like some may be used both ways? Can any vets out there clear this up for us??

(Any time I've used a liquid calcium orally, I've bought it from a pharmacy so I know its in an oral form.)

Thanks for the feedback! very helpful.

have comfirmed with the seller of the product that what I have is to be used orally. Am trying to be creative in how to have the little cham accept it.