Anxious Mama (RI)

[CJ-]

Hey yall,

On Monday I realized Andarna was not being herself- gaping, head pointing up, sleeping during the day, slightly sunken eyes, not eating. I made an appointment with a reptile vet to get her seen the next day.

Took her in yesterday, and they confirmed that she has an RI. They gave her fluids and an antibiotic injection. I have to take her back every three days for another injection (so taking her back this Friday and again on Tuesday for the final dose).

She’s been moving around a bit more today but otherwise not much improvement yet. I mean, it hasn’t even been 24 hours since her first dose of meds, so I don’t know what I’m expecting.

But like can someone just tell me this is normal and/or give me an idea of timelines for recovery from RIs so that I can try and keep my anxiety on lock? Any insight is greatly appreciated! I know there’s probably a degree of it being different for each chameleon, but general timeframes would still be appreciated

Thanks yall!

 

[kinyonga]

What’s the basking temperature in the cage? Temperature in the rest of the cage?
What’s the medication you’re using?

Did you talk to the vet about the temperatures?
Chameleons are ectotherms ('cold-blooded'), meaning they require an external source of heat to raise their metabolic levels...so my vet used to always recommend raising the temperature a couple of degrees to mimic a fever when the chameleon was fighting off infections.

 

[CJ-]

Basking 80, rest of the cage 70-72.

The injections are ceftazidime (sp?)

I didn’t think about asking about temps- I was so relieved when he said it was treatable and she should make a full recovery and just got giddybrained instead