2 Vets can’t help me and My Cham won’t eat or open eyes

[Lennoncham]

He did not identify the location of this possible infection but I am to give him Baytril once a day for 2 weeks. 0.1 cc

This is rather concerning to me. If he did not identify an infection then how can he know what he is trying to treat and therefore what medication to prescribe.
And frankly it seems rather unethical to prescribe medication on a whim. If a doctor were to do this they could lose their license.


Baytril is usually prescribed for URI’s (upper respiratory infection) and based off the info provided I see no evidence of this but he may know something I don’t.


Edit: seems I may have been off with this comment.

 

[The Wild One]

Way way way more coverage

 

[MrsM]

Yes both

I had to syringe feed for long periods and still do it twice a week for my Terry. My best luck was repashy grub pie mixed with warm water and a tiny bit of carnivore care.
You can just use the grub pie mix uncooked with warm water. Repashy Grub Pie is mostly made of Black Soldier Fly larvae. The carnivore care is a miracle but it does contain vitamins.
Start with mostly water, mix not to a paste but the consistency of coffee creamer.
I think of it as like an “Ensure”.
If your baby hasn’t eaten for a long time and you overload i think it could harm the kidneys. As it is two weeks is a very long time.

Get a syringe like this it is easier to use. You won’t have to force the mouth open in any way just wiggle it in beside the gum, wait for the first swallow and then place the tip at back of throat.

Edit:
I’d like to add here, and I’m not an expert, but giving Baytril to a malnourished chameleon with no identified infection seems reckless.
If your chameleon stops eating it is s big red flag, but also the longer it goes on the harsher medication will be on internal organs. Get the babies to the vet soon and in the mean time I think everyone should have supplies handy to syringe feed.
If you went for ages without eating a thing and then just threw down some heavy medicine, laxatives, etc how do you think you’d be doing?

 

[hilizanne]

This is rather concerning to me. If he did not identify an infection then how can he know what he is trying to treat and therefore what medication to prescribe.
And frankly it seems rather unethical to prescribe medication on a whim. If a doctor were to do this they could lose their license.


Baytril is usually prescribed for URI’s (upper respiratory infection) and based off the info provided I see no evidence of this but he may know something I don’t.

Now I can’t figure out how to add something new without replying.

But something new today. Some discharge from his right eye and the lower lid which was swollen yesterday is worse. Also he opened his eye and it looked yellow. Does he have another eyelid or something? Because it did not look like that yesterday.

He is still drinking, just not eating. Except the 2 hornworms I fed him yesterday.

I can order the food that Mrs. M suggested, but it will be at least Tuesday until I get it. Other than that I have exhausted my resources and will have to figure out a reptile vet that will see him promptly on a day when I am not working. I will check if there is one I missed closer than the 4 hours I mentioned before. I have checked for reptile vets twice but not on here.

 

[hilizanne]

Ok I see that they do have a 3rd eyelid. That looks bizarre. I swear it looks like a pointing abscess in his lower lid. Like a stye.

 

[Lennoncham]

He has a bacterial infection in his eye. He will need to see a vet and get a culture done to see what type of bacteria it is so they can prescribe the proper drops

 

[GoodKarma19]

Now I can’t figure out how to add something new without replying.

But something new today. Some discharge from his right eye and the lower lid which was swollen yesterday is worse. Also he opened his eye and it looked yellow. Does he have another eyelid or something? Because it did not look like that yesterday.

He is still drinking, just not eating. Except the 2 hornworms I fed him yesterday.

I can order the food that Mrs. M suggested, but it will be at least Tuesday until I get it. Other than that I have exhausted my resources and will have to figure out a reptile vet that will see him promptly on a day when I am not working. I will check if there is one I missed closer than the 4 hours I mentioned before. I have checked for reptile vets twice but not on here.

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We see that a lot at the clinic, particularly with leopard geckos. It's possibly stuck shed in his eye, and with the swelling/discharge it's likely infected. You'll want to bring him to a reptile expetienced vet asap and get that "eye cap" removed and flushed out, and possibly an antibiotic ointment. I admit to only skimming, so I didnt take note of what your boy's on.

@jannb, any reptile vets near OP?

 

[hilizanne]

We see that a lot at the clinic, particularly with leopard geckos. It's possibly stuck shed in his eye, and with the swelling/discharge it's likely infected. You'll want to bring him to a reptile expetienced vet asap and get that "eye cap" removed and flushed out, and possibly an antibiotic ointment. I admit to only skimming, so I didnt take note of what your boy's on.

@jannb, any reptile vets near OP?

I have done terramycin ointment for 2 weeks before and he was prescribed Baytril orally and only given one dose so far. Yesterday

 

[GoodKarma19]

I have done terramycin ointment for 2 weeks before and he was prescribed Baytril orally and only given one dose so far. Yesterday

If he hasn't shown improvements after 2 weeks on Terramycin, it's possible that it isn't effective on whatever this particular bacteria is. Baytril may work given some time, but I'd still look to have a vet clear his eyes of debris and possibly culture the gunk to find out what exactly is hanging out in there.

 

[Lennoncham]

If he hasn't shown improvements after 2 weeks on Terramycin, it's possible that it isn't effective on whatever this particular bacteria is. Baytril may work given some time, but I'd still look to have a vet clear his eyes of debris and possibly culture the gunk to find out what exactly is hanging out in there.

Their Cham just ate for the first time in 2 weeks yesterday so I’m worndering if you have advice for baytril for that for the op

 

[jannb]

There’s a really good reptile vet in Huston but at this point he need to see an eye doctor with chameleon experience. I’ll ask around and try to find you one. Here’s a list of reptile vets in TX you could try calling them to see if any know of a eye doctor with reptile experience.
https://thereptilereport.com/texas-reptile-veterinary-directory/

 

[GoodKarma19]

Baytril (enrofloxacin) can be very hard on the kidneys and body in general. Keep him well hydrated, and encourage him to eat as much as possible. Baytril is best on a full, well lubricated gut!

Thanks for the link, @jannb! You have more experience with Baytril in reptiles than I do, I reckon - anything I missed?

 

[hilizanne]

There’s a really good reptile vet in Huston but at this point he need to see an eye doctor with chameleon experience. I’ll ask around and try to find you one. Here’s a list of reptile vets in TX you could try calling them to see if any know of a eye doctor with reptile experience.
https://thereptilereport.com/texas-reptile-veterinary-directory/

New Mexico and OK are closer to me than Houston. I just called Santa Fe vet on the arav website. She is full but they recommended someone in Albuquerque. I will check that directory, too. I have asked about Lubbock but no one seems to down there. That’s about 2 hours.

 

[jannb]

The one in Huston also has an eye doctor with exotic experience, which is rare. I just checked out their website. I doubt you will find one in NM or OK.
https://www.gcvs.com/service/ophthalmology/

 

[hilizanne]

He made a big poo with pretty dark urate. Now I am not seeing him drink as much but the vet gave him all of that subcutaneous fluid yesterday.

 

[Lennoncham]

What do you mean by dark urate?

 

[hilizanne]

What do you mean by dark urate?

Yellow. A bit gross. Sorry

 

[The Wild One]

It might be dehydrated, I think that’s why he only ate the hornworms (their bags of water) . They worked my my little girl.

 

[hilizanne]

I am thinking about giving him some water. I have not seen him drink today. I have a long little tube I can use. But I don’t know what volume to give? I don’t want to give too much. 1-2 ml? He might be drinking but I have not seen it. I could turn off the auto mister and just hand mist I guess so I can monitor him more. Otherwise he is about the same.

 

[hilizanne]

Not sure if anybody is still reading this, but he is the same. I gave him 4 ml of water with a syringe and 2 worms again. He sleeps constantly still. I gave him the Baytril twice but when he stopped drinking on his own I haven’t given him more.

There are multiple vets in Albuquerque who are listed on the ARAV website. I plan to call them all tomorrow and hope someone can see us tomorrow or late Tuesday or even Friday. It is 4 hours away but it’s a straight shot on the interstate and I have driven there and back in one day before and it wasn’t too bad. I just can’t give up on him. We are going on vacation next week and I can’t cancel because I have 3 kids. We do have a good pet sitter who is a vet tech so if I at least have a plan outlined then she can do it.

In addition, I messed up the spraying system for a few days and my other Cham got very dry and I’m pretty sure he has the beginnings of mouth rot. So I have to get him seen as well. He is eating and acting fine except his color is a little darker.

I’m feeling very bad right now. I thought I was doing good. I have had him a little over 3.5 years and I thought I had it down. I waited a whole year before I got him, reading and planning. I think if chameleons were my only pets and maybe I had fewer hobbies then I could be better. I still plan to be a better.