Aspirating Liquid - what could happen? Also old spinal injury.

[MrsM]

Hello everyone!

I have a cham (Scary Terry) that I hand feed and this morning I used a syringe to give him Repti-Boost.

I tried to move it past his windpipe but he hissed, ingested it, and it began to spill out of his nose.

I am worried about my boy. Could this cause him an infection or another issue? What should I look out for or do now?

Also, my cham was given to me by someone who thought he had MBD. An exam discovered he has a spinal injury which was probably from falling on the edge of a pot with the previous owner. His bones are strong and stable but his spine is curved, so he needs daily help to feed and get water, as he has trouble moving fast. Any advice?



Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon – Panther- Male- 8 months. Handling – Daily to feed
• Feeding – Reptiboost, water, calcium dusted gutloaded crickets, hornworms- hand feeding.
• Supplements – Repashy Calcium, D3 biweekly, vitamin A monthly
• Watering – I mist, but I also offer water by syringe if he doesn’t drink
• Fecal Description – Brown, infrequent, mushy
• History - Given to me by someone who thought he had MBD. In fact, he has a spinal injury and needs daily help to feed and get water, as he has trouble moving fast.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type – Screen- 18x18x36
• Lighting – Lugarti T5 UV 22” (diagonal across top) w reflector, basking bulb, heat bulb if temp drops during day
• Temperature - 72-82
• Humidity – Use a diffuser and misting
• Plants – Combined fake plants and vines with screen canopies. Set this one up a little different because he looses balance, so there are canopies and a substrate to prevent him losing balance and falling.
• Placement – Near window.
  
  

 

[Beman]

@GoodKarma19 can you offer any input here

 

[GoodKarma19]

I'm practically dead after a graveyard shift and am preparing for bed, but the absolute worst case scenario with aspirating fluids is generally aspiration pneumonia, which would likely require a vet visit and an antibiotic. I've used Baytril to treat it in the past (my Benny bird aspirated water as a chick), but I don't see pneumonia all that often in reptiles so I honestly couldn't tell you what the treatment plan would be.

Keep a close eye on his breathing (crackling, labored) and if he seems to be struggling/is lethargic/etc over the next few days I'd bring him to an experienced reptile vet for a check up. Otherwise, he'll probably be fine. Make sure to keep his head down if it ever happens again to let any fluid drain freely. Happens with birds and oral meds alarmingly often!

Hopefully you'll get some folks chiming in that are more awake/coherent lol, I'm useless right now!

 

[MrsM]

Thank you so much.

 

[Beman]

Ok let me tag in a few others on this one. @Brodybreaux25 @jannb @Andee
Can you offer info on the OP post?

 

[Andee]

Hey sweetie how do you offer food? Does he have tongue usage? As far as aspiration pneumonia is the worst thing that could happen and I've had it happen before. You need to listen for the usual stuff with respitory issues.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

GK covered it fine, just keep an eye out...

 

[MrsM]

I am pretty new with chameleons, and I was kindly given this great little guy free because he was injured and needed more attention than the owner had to offer. I have not noticed him use his tongue, but I know he could, and I am hoping he will.
He is a feisty guy. He puffs his chin. I am trying to stimulate his appetite with the reptiboost. I have been successful at feeding him dusted crickets and worms that he chews up by placing them in his mouth when he gapes it. That is it. He doesn't hunt. He gets really happy and moves around when I take him outside or when his mister is on, but he doesn't look for leaves to drink.
I am working on his environment to help him- he seems to have gotten better at moving around when he wants to change his body temperature. His back legs just do not go where he expects them to since he has a crooked spine, so sometimes he will lose balance. His tail is very strong and he uses that to help him move as well. I am trying to rehabilitate him by giving him time outside with different width of vines and branches.
I made the milk carton feeder but he has not tried to catch anything yet.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

I have not noticed him use his tongue, but I know he could,

How?

 

[MrsM]

How?

The previous owner said he can. I see him use it to puff his chin, so I’m hoping he will use it to catch food again.

 

[MrsM]

GK covered it fine, just keep an eye out...

Just got home from work and Scary Terry got stringy saliva and is opening his mouth every so often. I looked in and he had a snot bubble. We’re on our way to the emergency vet.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Just got home from work and Scary Terry got stringy saliva and is opening his mouth every so often. I looked in and he had a snot bubble. We’re on our way to the emergency vet.

Please keep us posted . I have been lurking . Did not post because you have great keepers here already . Best of luck .

 

[MrsM]

My husband isn’t thrilled that I keep bringing home critters to rehabilitate, and it is approaching the end of the month. TBH I’m probably in more trouble right now than ScaryTerry. We’re at the vet. Will keep you posted.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

My husband isn’t thrilled that I keep bringing home critters to rehabilitate, and it is approaching the end of the month. TBH I’m probably in more trouble right now than ScaryTerry. We’re at the vet. Will keep you posted.

It’s a passion they just wrap their little grabby feet around our hearts .

 

[MrsM]

It’s a passion they just wrap their little grabby feet around our hearts .

Still waiting for the doctor

 

[MrsM]

She heard a little noise in his lung so she is giving antibiotics

 

[MrsM]

Enroflaxin... hope that works.

 

[MrsM]

The doctor said he may have had the infection longer. He could have been trying to breathe through his mouth this morning when I fed him.
So I came home with the remaining rounds of Enroflaxin but after he got his injection tonight his eyes sunk in and he looks groggy. I’m worried but hopefully it will work and he will get better.

 

[GoodKarma19]

Enrofloxacin (Baytril) is commonly used for URIs. Make sure he stays well hydrated - it can be very rough on the kidneys!

Keep us posted.

 

[MrsM]

Okay thanks for letting me know about hydration! I gave him a little water by syringe and three silkworms this morning. Just trying to baby him.
When I gave him water I moved the syringe in farther, but honestly now I’m thinking he may have had a snot bubble yesterday morning and aspirated his breakfast BECAUSE of an URI he already had, and this was not started by aspirating liquid- just made worse.
So, I’ve got to spend time trying to get him healthy and figure out a way to set up his cage differently based on his special needs- so he can move to optimize his temperature without any struggling and hunt more easily. I think that’s another thread though...