Im new guys and need urgent help.

[spudsgirl]

I own a Yemen cham, Bertha now bout 2 weeks ago I noticed she had a blocked nostril thought it was just shed then within the week a swelling came out around the nostril, got her to the vets and he lanced the swelling draining a hard white gunk and blood but did not get it all out. Bertha was extremely stressed when I went to pick her up and vet advised we leave it alone, he gave her a jab of anti biotics. I went to speak to the vet yesterday as there is a film over the eye and even though I had mentioned this during my first visit I am so worried, he said to leave alone till he comes back off his hols and then get her booked in.

To cut it short guys she going back tomorrow before he goes on holiday I cannot free the nostril the swelling is no worse no better, Bertha is eating like a pig but drinking nothing and I am so worried, vet said that he may have to knock her out to get rid of this build up in her nostrils as now the other side is coming out in sympathy, me personally I dont think the rep vet I am seeing knows much could anybody give me any advice so I can go to him in the morning and give him some ideas. I do think it is a salt build up her colours are brilliant as said eating is not a prob drinking is. I need to free this nose guys any advice would be great her eye is now another worry as it has a film of dirty yellow fluid covering it, I have been bathing it and it looks brand new after I have cleaned it.

Any advice would be great guys am loosing the plot over my baby girl and dont know what to do next.

 

[Miss Lily]

Hi and welcome to CF! This is a great place for everything chameleon! Please fill out the info as listed below - the more info the better:

Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
* Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
* Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
* Location - Where are you geographically located?


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
* Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.


Pictures are helpful

 

[justjumpit621]

This sounds like too much supplements to me. Yemen's have the ability to excrete access calcium out their nose. Also, it sounds like she's got conjunctivitis. maybe connected to the supplements, maybe not. Fill out the form above so we can see what you are doing with her.

 

[spudsgirl]

Hope I dont forget anything.

Cage is combo mesh and glass approx 4ft tall

Lighting, I use reptisun 5.0 and a sunglo spread bulb 50watt

Humidity struggling at mo

Plants all fake.

Temps 80 -83 in the basking area and 73 - 76 in cooler areas

Type - Yemen approx 1 year old owned for 6 month previous owner was cruel Bertha came to me with eye sight probs, and her tail had been trapped in a door previous owners used to go into the viv and grab her peeling her off the branch so it has taken me along time to gain her trust. Previous owners give her up as they said she was EVIL!!!!! Not the case in my house.

Handling every day and she loves being out and spending time with us, and likes to sit on a tree in the front room and watch the world go by through the window.

Feeders are locusts approx 5 large a day size below the winged ones. Dusted with calci dust 3 days per week and 2 off dusted with nutrabol but not on consecutive days. Locusts are gut loaded with salad leaves ect.

Misting is three times daily using warm water over the vines before this problem Bertha drank fine and now she will not.

Bertha has been checked for parasites and all is clear.

Feacal is now going orange which as I understand is dehydration.

Bertha is still quite happy in herself and is showing no signs of being affected by her nose even though she will be.


Thanks guys.

 

[justjumpit621]

the nutrobal may be the answer to your nose problem. It seems like your probably giving her too much calcium. Try using a calcium w/o D3 or phosphorous every other feeding, calcium w/ D3 (no phosphorous) twice a month, and a multivitamin supplement once a month, preferably Herptivite http://www.repcal.com/supp.htm

everything else looks perfect except you can try feeding her every other day by now if she is in fact 1 year old.

 

[jessica]

May be add an extra misting until shes hydrated. Do you have a dripper?
She may drink more if you make shift a temp. drip system

 

[spudsgirl]

I dont use a drip system I just give the leaves a good drenching. I have seen a dripping system and now wondering if it would be best to get one.

I had to up the calcium to 5 days a week again as suggested by the vets as she was loosing the sticky in her tongue, she also wont fire it like my senegal does, now I have dropped the calcium back down to 3 times a week I am even more so gutted that I have probably caused this. I will take her to the vets tomorrow as arranged get her eye seen to and tell him that it could possibly be a calcium blockage and hopefully he can give me something to rectify this without lancing it again.

Thanks for the advice hun it is appreciated and will drop the calcium intake to what you have said I just hope I havent done to much damage to her and this can be sorted.

 

[justjumpit621]

No problem.

 

[Miss Lily]

You can make a simple dripper using a large plastic cup with a pin hole in the bottom. You may need to get a pack of cups from somewhere like Poundland, as it takes a few goes to get the drip rate right! Then just place the cup on top of the cage so it can drip onto a plant. Before I made Amy a proper dripper, I bought a pack of plastic pint glasses and used those. Just make sure that the water has somewhere to drain into so it doesn't flood the bottom of the cage.

 

[Pure]

I would be hesitant to call this a problem derived from excess calcium. Your dusting schedule is fine, unless you are dusting to the extent that you have ghost crickets after dusting. You want just a fine coat of the powder on them.

I am more prone to thinking this is some sort of sinus infection. You mention it effecting the eyes, this is not uncommon for a sinus infection in chams. Just about every thread I've read on here involving sinus issues has also mentioned problems with they eyes.

I can't help you on the vet, as I think he's doing about what can be done. He may need to actually take a sample of the "puss" to find out if it is a gram positive or a gram negative bacteria causing the infection. Both required different antibiotics.

About the best thing you can do is to double check this vets cham credentials, and verify they have experience dealing with Chams. Don't let him put the cham under unless absolutely necessary. Reptiles don't respond well to anesthesia, and it is generally not a good idea and avoided as much as possible. If he can find out the source (gram neg or Pos) he shouldn't need to go to such extremes to "clean" the swollen area. The right antibiotics will make a world of difference.

 

[kinyonga]

If the area is infected it needs to be properly debrided/cleaned out. IMHO, the vet is right when he/she says that it might be best to put her under in order to do it properly...it prevents the struggling and pain that doing the job with her awake will cause. Failure to clean the area out well enough and to put the chameleon on the proper antibiotics will only lead to a recurrence of the swelling.

As was said, there should be a culture and sensitivity test done to determine what antibiotic is needed...and the chameleon should be put on antibiotics for a while. Although some antibiotics kill both gram negative and gram positive germs doing a culture and sensitivity test will determine which antibiotic works the best on the bacteria involved.

Here are a couple of sites about bacteria and antibiotics....
http://www.chemheritage.org/educationalservices/pharm/antibiot/activity/cultur.htm
http://lecturer.ukdw.ac.id/dhira/ControlGrowth/antibiotic.html