reptilebrett
New Member
I recently rescued a Veiled chameleon and she has growths on her eyes, I took her to my vet and he said it was due to poor nutrition. Has anyone encountered this?
Has anyone seen this?
- Thread starter reptilebrett
- Start date
merumontanus
Avid Member
Those are not "growths" on her eye-- it is merely inflamed. This could be due to infection, a metabolic imbalance or conjunctivitis. What else did your veterinarian say? Poor nutrition isn't a good enough diagnosis. Did she/he prescribe any medicine? Was procedures did she/he perform to come to that conclusion?
Fabián
Fabián
luevelvet
Avid Member
To add to the above, what sort of lighting are you providing? What is your misting schedule? I agree with Fabián that it looks to be inflammation rather than a nutritional deficiency. Occasionally, prolonged periods without proper humidity or misting will prevent chameleons from being able to clear their eyes of any dust and debris.
Of course, we can't guarantee any thoughts or advice without a formal examination of husbandry, enclosure and the animal itself.
Luis
Of course, we can't guarantee any thoughts or advice without a formal examination of husbandry, enclosure and the animal itself.
Luis
reptilebrett
New Member
As far as her previous keepers, I don't have much on her. I volunteer for a reptile rescue in Colorado and we got a call that someone found her in a 38g exoterra cage in a dumpster. She was on cypress mulch and we replaced her cage with a better one.
She's now in a 38 gallon all screen cage with a 75 watt heat lamp and a 5.0 UVB bulb. She climbs on an all natural hibiscus potted plant and has many other sticks, vines and branches to climb on. I have been hand feeding her crickets and waxworms. I mist her twice daily, once in the morning and then in the evening, her lights do go off at night (it stays usually above 70 degrees in the room she is in at night). We also put icecubes on top of the cage to drp down throughout the day. I have consulted a good friend who breeds chams and modeled after him. Our vet is Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald from Alameda East, he had his show on Animal Planet "Emergency Vets." He has helped many of my reptiles and friends reptiles, I only trust him with them. He has helped me rehab a lot of reptiles. Does this help? I don't think I'm doing anything wrong, I have been reading tons of sites and books on chams and can't figure it out. The vet did give her vitamin a and dextrose to help.
She's now in a 38 gallon all screen cage with a 75 watt heat lamp and a 5.0 UVB bulb. She climbs on an all natural hibiscus potted plant and has many other sticks, vines and branches to climb on. I have been hand feeding her crickets and waxworms. I mist her twice daily, once in the morning and then in the evening, her lights do go off at night (it stays usually above 70 degrees in the room she is in at night). We also put icecubes on top of the cage to drp down throughout the day. I have consulted a good friend who breeds chams and modeled after him. Our vet is Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald from Alameda East, he had his show on Animal Planet "Emergency Vets." He has helped many of my reptiles and friends reptiles, I only trust him with them. He has helped me rehab a lot of reptiles. Does this help? I don't think I'm doing anything wrong, I have been reading tons of sites and books on chams and can't figure it out. The vet did give her vitamin a and dextrose to help.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
We have several members from Colorado. She needs a vet that will give treatment for the eyes besides Vitamin A. If it's an infection as several members think it can be treated with the proper anitbiotic. Your vet may be good with reptiles but chameleons are unlike any other reptile and she needs an expert chameleon vet. Below is a list of reptile vets in Colorado but I would get a personal recommendation from a member here to make sure you get a good one.
http://www.herpvetconnection.com/colorado.shtml
http://www.herpvetconnection.com/colorado.shtml
Dez
Chamalot Chameleons
prettykttkat
Established Member
I live in colorado also and I am probably not far from you I also used to work for a reptile rescue here in colorado and I take the rescues to Vet Katie Phillips at Dublin animal hospital as well as my personal pets. She is very good with reptiles and will do the research, take blood and send out labs(if necessary) to find out what is really wrong. I have taken rescued chams to her before and she is still currently helping me with the last one. Maybe you should try to see her, I bet she could help you.
In my opinion I think your vet's answer is a very generalized answer for reptiles. He sees eye problems and automatically says it is a vit A deficiency. In turtles I would most likely agree but not chams and certainly not your cham. I think it has an eye infection and needs antibiotics. I don't think most vets understand about the danger of vitamin overdose. If your cham is not vit A deficient than giving her too much of it could hurt her. I really think you should get a second vet opinion.
I also used to work for a reptile rescue here in colorado and I take the rescues to Vet Katie Phillips at Dublin animal hospital as well as my personal pets. She is very good with reptiles and will do the research, take blood and send out labs(if necessary) to find out what is really wrong. I have taken rescued chams to her before and she is still currently helping me with the last one. Maybe you should try to see her, I bet she could help you.In my opinion I think your vet's answer is a very generalized answer for reptiles. He sees eye problems and automatically says it is a vit A deficiency. In turtles I would most likely agree but not chams and certainly not your cham. I think it has an eye infection and needs antibiotics. I don't think most vets understand about the danger of vitamin overdose. If your cham is not vit A deficient than giving her too much of it could hurt her. I really think you should get a second vet opinion.
CleaTheChameleon
New Member
I have never seen anything like this before. Get her to a chameleon vet ASAP. I wish you the best with her. It goes to show what idiots leave a chameleon in a dumpster
You can actually see what looks like puss near the eyeball. Hard to look at for me. Hopefully getting her on the right meds asap will fight the infection, and save the eye. Even if the eye can't be saved, I've read vet articles where chams who lost function of one eye went on to live long and healthy lives in captivity. Good luck, we're all pulling for you and the animal.
QuioteCham
New Member
A dumpster?! Thats just sick and inhuman. Its possibly he has an actual piece of something in his eye, preventing the infection from clearing up.
reptilebrett
New Member
I will be taking her in for a check up next week. This guy knows reptiles, why would he steer me wrong?
ColorCham427
Avid Member
If I were you, I know this sounds brutal... but it looks to me that your chameleon has a crap load of bacteria build up. Try massaging her eye in circular motion with a Q-tip... and believe me, you MUST massage extremely gentley!!! Have you ever cleaned a chameleon's eye before?
reptilebrett
New Member
i never have cleaned a cham's eye. I've done it to snakes and other lizards, but not a cham. Should I use any kind of saline solution?
summoner12
Avid Member
Do you live near Brad Ramsey? Isn't littleton where the colombine school shootings happened? I was trying to get a job at the Volvo dealer there...........
Um as for your cham.... I think that is a serious eye infection and you need to order up some terramycin. You can get it at LLL Reptile for $17. If you have a vet though, I would take her there first and let them take a look at her. If you have saline solution (with no added ingredients) you can lay her on her side and gently spray the solution into her eye. You want a steady and light stream (not dripping). Her eye turret will inflate with the fluid, this is good and means the fluid is moving around hopefully loosening up any of the gunk in her eye. I would then treat with the terramycin. In her case, twice a day dab some on her eye. If she has control of the eye still, she'll move her eye around trying to spread the medication.
I would rinse and apply the terramycin twice a day, daily until the infection is gone.
Edit: I am not a vet..... but this is how it was explained to my by my vet. He even showed me how to do the wash just as I described.
Um as for your cham.... I think that is a serious eye infection and you need to order up some terramycin. You can get it at LLL Reptile for $17. If you have a vet though, I would take her there first and let them take a look at her. If you have saline solution (with no added ingredients) you can lay her on her side and gently spray the solution into her eye. You want a steady and light stream (not dripping). Her eye turret will inflate with the fluid, this is good and means the fluid is moving around hopefully loosening up any of the gunk in her eye. I would then treat with the terramycin. In her case, twice a day dab some on her eye. If she has control of the eye still, she'll move her eye around trying to spread the medication.
I would rinse and apply the terramycin twice a day, daily until the infection is gone.
Edit: I am not a vet..... but this is how it was explained to my by my vet. He even showed me how to do the wash just as I described.
Last edited:
summoner12
Avid Member
It is pretty common for chams to have eye issues when lacking in Vit. A. This is especially true with Panther chameleons. There has been a lot of discussion on this topic on this forum.
reptilebrett
New Member
Yes I live not far from Brad, he is a great guy and I have seen his chams, they are gorgeous! He has been a great source for cham help. I will call my vet about the t-mycin for her eyes. I'm still listening to everyone's opinion.
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