Best Way to Medicate a Lockjaw Chameleon? And

[Rytoast18]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone has had experience with medicating their chameleons with liquid oral meds. My chameleon won't open his mouth for feeding the meds. It has already been about 3-4 weeks with medicating him and each time I have to force open his mouth by pulling on the bottom of his chin. It's a pretty traumatizing experience for him and puts him under a lot of stress. Therefore, I was wondering a better way or technique for me to medicate him.

Also, he seems like he chokes on the medicine after and has to breathe through his mouth to swallow it after, for a while. I really don't want to have to resort to the physical injections as that is the only other option if the meds don't seem to work.

Any advice sincerely helps.

Thank you.

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums. I’m sorry to,hear that your chameleons is ill. What’s wrong with him? Is he still eating? If so try giving hi. His meds while he’s eating. You have to put the liquid in the back of his mouth so it doesn’t get in his windpipe in the from bottom of his mouth. If he’s eating the windpipe will most like be closed.

You might find this older thread helpful.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-open-a-chameleons-mouth.132390/

 

[Rytoast18]

My vet thinks he has a central nervous system infection that is causing him to "come up short" when trying to shoot his tongue. And yes he still eats a lot but is having trouble doing so. Thank you very much for the info.

 

[Darthroastcoffee]

I’ve found it is easier to do it when they are eating or drinking also

 

[Rytoast18]

Exactly how could I do it, then?

 

[Darthroastcoffee]

Assuming you have a small syringe just wait till he opens his mouth to drink or eat they keep opening there mouth as they try to swallow you should get a few good opportunities to get the syringe in his mouth and squeeze the medicine in the back of his throat hopefully that helps

 

[Rytoast18]

Thank you for that information

 

[jannb]

What kind of medication are you giving him? How old is he? Do you have any photos of him? What kind of supplements are you using? It might be a problem with the way you are supplementing him that causes him not to shoot as far as he use to.

 

[Rytoast18]

He gets Rep-Cal w/o d3 5 times a week and w/ d3 once a week. Every other week one day a week switches off with Rep-Cal Multivitamins and Sticky Tongue Farms Miner-All. He is 2 years old. And I don't have any photos of him. He is a blue bar ambilobe panther chameleon.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

Is it possible for you to take a picture or two of him? I am curious.

 

[Rytoast18]

Sorry about the bad quality had to turn up the exposure all the way. It's not actually that bright. Btw, he is sleeping because his cage lights just went off.

 

[Rytoast18]

 

[kinyonga]

What medication are you giving him?
What UVB light are you using on the cage and how old is it?
What do you feed/gutload the insects with?

 

[JacksJill]

This page has a section on giving oral meds but the meds are better if given in the back of the mouth as stated above.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/health/vet/
In other reptiles I have used a paperclip with the rubber coating to get between their jaws and then slowly turn it sideways to open the mouth and give the meds thru the opening. You have to be extra careful/gentle with chameleons because of how their teeth are formed.