RescueMom
Avid Member
My 8 month old Panther started acting strange last week, not coming up to his basking spot until around noon. I thought "ehhh...adolescence ?" He was eating and he finally pooped on Wednesday, so I thought maybe he had been constipated.
Yesterday he started gaping, and then I heard a sniff, not really a wheeze. I watched him closely and it continued so I really thought it was the beginning of a RI.
I had to take him an hour away to an emergency vet. I couldn't go in with him due to their COVID protocol, but I talked to the doctor and she said she didn't hear or see any signs of respiratory infection, but he was upset, hissing, the whole nine yards. She said he was also a bit dehydrated. They gave him fluids and started him on an antibiotic, trimethoprim-sulfa. She wasn't the exotic specialist, so I have an appt for a follow up with the other vet on Wednesday.
Here's where the real problem is. Today he can't shoot out his tounge more than about an inch. This is very sudden! He is still gaping, but I haven't heard any of the noise he was making. Also, his throat looks swollen and his tounge looks thick and goopy.
He had been eating Hornworms last week that I received on Monday. Could he have been bitten on the tounge and that's caused swelling so he's opening his mouth to breath? Could that cause him to not use his tounge anymore?
I called the vet and they said to bring him back in, but I don't see the point since the exotics specialist isn't there. I'm not giving him any more of the meds until I can figure out what's going on All I know is that before I took him there, he had use of his tounge and it wasn't swollen.
All of his information is below :
Chameleon Info: Your Chameleon - 8 month old, male Ambilobe Panther. I've had him since he was 4 months old
Handling - never. He's afraid of everything. I've worked with him by hand feeding him. He has gotten on my hand to get a feeder that's out of his reach, but that's all.
Feeding - crickets, 8-10/day (sometimes he eats less, but usually has a good appetite).
Gutloading with repashy superload (changed from Bug burger). Has had bsf (won't eat them in the larva state, but loves the flies), occasional superworm and wax worms used as "bribe". Hornworms when I can get them.
Supplements - Zoomed Calcium without D3 6 days a week, Zoomed calcium with D3 2x month, Reptivite without D3 2x month, Sticky Tounge miner-all outdoor formula (without D3) 2-3x week.
Watering - Cli-mist misting system, installed in January. 1-2 minutes @9am, 1pm, 5pm & 7:30pm. Dripper on all day. **He was traumatized by the previous mist system, which was a monsoon. I had hoped he would get better, but he still runs from the water** I do not see him drink.
Fecal Description - last poop was March 3rd (it had been a while) . Urate was white, followed by orange, then large amount of normal feces. No undigested feeders. Nothing unusual. He is somewhat dehydrated. He hasn't been tested for parasites.
History - appetite is always good. use of his tounge has been without issue until today
Cage Info: Cage Type - 2x2x4 screen reptibreeze with dragonstrand ledges
Lighting - Reptisun T5 HO 36" linear (diagonal across cage), Exotera 50w Basking light in dome fixture hanging above cage. Timer, lights on from 8am to 8pm
Temperature - 3 thermometers: 1 digital, 1 wired with probes and 1 temp gun. day time ambient temps stay between 72-75, night time can drop down to 68. Basking temp on the branch with probe measures 86-88, with temp gun measures 88-90. BASKING BRANCH IS NOT TO HOT FOR MY HAND
Humidity - measured with digital hygrometer and wired hygrometer with probe Day time level between 60-80%, using mister to raise humidity and clear plastic shower curtain on three sides of the cage.
Plants - 4 live plants - 2 pothos, 1 dracena, 1 shefflera
Placement - cage is in room by itself on a shelving until 3+ ft off the floor. Air vent is deflected so nothing blows toward it. no other animals, or kids in the house (only a husband )
Location - Florida
Current Problem - I thought he had a respiratory infection, but after taking him to the emergency vet yesterday his tounge won't go out more than an inch
Yesterday he started gaping, and then I heard a sniff, not really a wheeze. I watched him closely and it continued so I really thought it was the beginning of a RI.
I had to take him an hour away to an emergency vet. I couldn't go in with him due to their COVID protocol, but I talked to the doctor and she said she didn't hear or see any signs of respiratory infection, but he was upset, hissing, the whole nine yards. She said he was also a bit dehydrated. They gave him fluids and started him on an antibiotic, trimethoprim-sulfa. She wasn't the exotic specialist, so I have an appt for a follow up with the other vet on Wednesday.
Here's where the real problem is. Today he can't shoot out his tounge more than about an inch. This is very sudden! He is still gaping, but I haven't heard any of the noise he was making. Also, his throat looks swollen and his tounge looks thick and goopy.
He had been eating Hornworms last week that I received on Monday. Could he have been bitten on the tounge and that's caused swelling so he's opening his mouth to breath? Could that cause him to not use his tounge anymore?
I called the vet and they said to bring him back in, but I don't see the point since the exotics specialist isn't there. I'm not giving him any more of the meds until I can figure out what's going on All I know is that before I took him there, he had use of his tounge and it wasn't swollen.
All of his information is below :
Chameleon Info: Your Chameleon - 8 month old, male Ambilobe Panther. I've had him since he was 4 months old
Handling - never. He's afraid of everything. I've worked with him by hand feeding him. He has gotten on my hand to get a feeder that's out of his reach, but that's all.
Feeding - crickets, 8-10/day (sometimes he eats less, but usually has a good appetite).
Gutloading with repashy superload (changed from Bug burger). Has had bsf (won't eat them in the larva state, but loves the flies), occasional superworm and wax worms used as "bribe". Hornworms when I can get them.
Supplements - Zoomed Calcium without D3 6 days a week, Zoomed calcium with D3 2x month, Reptivite without D3 2x month, Sticky Tounge miner-all outdoor formula (without D3) 2-3x week.
Watering - Cli-mist misting system, installed in January. 1-2 minutes @9am, 1pm, 5pm & 7:30pm. Dripper on all day. **He was traumatized by the previous mist system, which was a monsoon. I had hoped he would get better, but he still runs from the water** I do not see him drink.
Fecal Description - last poop was March 3rd (it had been a while) . Urate was white, followed by orange, then large amount of normal feces. No undigested feeders. Nothing unusual. He is somewhat dehydrated. He hasn't been tested for parasites.
History - appetite is always good. use of his tounge has been without issue until today
Cage Info: Cage Type - 2x2x4 screen reptibreeze with dragonstrand ledges
Lighting - Reptisun T5 HO 36" linear (diagonal across cage), Exotera 50w Basking light in dome fixture hanging above cage. Timer, lights on from 8am to 8pm
Temperature - 3 thermometers: 1 digital, 1 wired with probes and 1 temp gun. day time ambient temps stay between 72-75, night time can drop down to 68. Basking temp on the branch with probe measures 86-88, with temp gun measures 88-90. BASKING BRANCH IS NOT TO HOT FOR MY HAND
Humidity - measured with digital hygrometer and wired hygrometer with probe Day time level between 60-80%, using mister to raise humidity and clear plastic shower curtain on three sides of the cage.
Plants - 4 live plants - 2 pothos, 1 dracena, 1 shefflera
Placement - cage is in room by itself on a shelving until 3+ ft off the floor. Air vent is deflected so nothing blows toward it. no other animals, or kids in the house (only a husband )
Location - Florida
Current Problem - I thought he had a respiratory infection, but after taking him to the emergency vet yesterday his tounge won't go out more than an inch
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