Kidney infection, possibly more. Looking for advice from someone who has experienced this with their cham.

SirWilliamj

Member
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Male Veiled Chameleon - almost 2 years old
  • Handling - daily - I also have hibiscus trees in pots outside where he likes to hang out when i'm home. He claws at the screen door to come out of the cage when he sees people around.
  • Feeding - Mostly crickets gut-loaded with repashy bug burger, and also carrots and various lettuces i chop up. Silk worms also, though he started getting sick right before i started adding these to his diet. A few hornworms as a treat - i would say 5 per month on average
  • Supplements - Cricket dusting: Repti calcium w/out D3 and Repashy vit A.
  • Watering - I have a fogger that is directed at pothos plants. It creates water droplets and good humidity on that side of the cage. I also spray him and the inside of the cage a couple times a day.
  • Fecal Description - Usually black with the typical white creamy substance (normally once per day in the morning after heating up) However since he's been sick he goes maybe once every other day and the physical description varies now (I have to force feed him or trick him to swallow food)
  • History - I had his light too hot when he was going through is rapid growth stage. As he grew i didn't move his branch down from the heat light soon enough and caused him some damage to the little spikes on his back.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Screen. 2x2x4 Ft. (See pics)
  • Lighting - Arcadia 6% UV with the HO bulbs. My vet tested the fairly new UV bulb and said the UV is weak. I am ordering a 5% reptisun 22" HO bulb in hopes it is better.
  • Temperature - Basking spot is around 85ish. The rest of the cage varies but averages around 77ish (our room temperature)
  • Humidity - 70-80s. Its naturally humid where i live
  • Plants - Pothos and an umbrella tree
  • Placement - 1 vent on the opposite side of the room near the ceiling. Cage sits on a tv stand about 20inches off the ground.
  • Location - South Florida

Current Problem - I've taken him to the vet a month ago and he was diagnosed with vit A deficiency. He became very weak, stopped eating, and his eyes became enlarged and appeared to be filled with fluid (see pics--though they were better today than other days).

I've been giving him red palm oil, meds for uric acid reduction, phosphorus lowering meds, pain med, and an injection of fortaz every 3 days. Some days are better than others but he is basically the same after more than 4 weeks. I have not seen him eat or use his tongue over this time. I have to trick him into eating and drinking by showing him his reflection so he opens his mouth. 1/2 the time he spits out the food but i'm getting him about 2-3 crickets a day and about 1 silkworm. I work during the day so it's become a difficult routine in the morning with the meds and feeeding.

Other symptoms: His back legs appear like they are in pain. Sometimes he is just laying on his branch with his back leg hanging off. His grasp is very weak - the vet thinks its due to pain so thats why she prescribed pain meds. He can still climb slowly but if he gets any worse he will start falling off the branches.

He takes a heavy breath occasionally, usually with his mouth open. It sounds like he is either in alot of pain, or has trouble breathing sometimes. Today i turned off his fogger in case there is too much humidity. He does sit under the vapor sometimes and breath in the humidity.
 

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I think he has multiple issues, can’t believe how swollen this eyes and casque is. So do you give him any D3 at all? D3 is required for him to process calcium correctly And calcium is also required for muscle control. since his movement is shaky and weak that could be the source of that...

Lighting- he’s a veiled so I’d step up 12% UVB along with a lot more vegetation.
 
Did the vet mention anything about his eye turrets being swollen and casque swollen?
I think he has multiple issues, can’t believe how swollen this eyes and casque is. So do you give him any D3 at all? D3 is required for him to process calcium correctly And calcium is also required for muscle control. since his movement is shaky and weak that could be the source of that...

Lighting- he’s a veiled so I’d step up 12% UVB along with a lot more vegetation.

I give him D3 about once a month. He gets 6-10 hours of bright direct sunlight on average each week since we live in Sunny south florida and I have him outside when i'm home. I read that with that amount of sunlight, the D3 isn't really necessary.

I will bring this up to my vet (Dr K from the tv show) and see what she says. Thank you!
 
Did the vet mention anything about his eye turrets being swollen and casque swollen?
His casque has always been like that. The vet said he looked great and well hydrated (while touching his casque) so i assumed it was a good thing. His eyes though.. this happened back in December. he went from a super energetic, aggressively territorial chameleon, and suddenly the next morning he was weak and swolen eyes (even worse that in the pics)... i took him in the vet that morning... since then there hasn't been much progress on his conditions. The vet says reptiles can take a long time to show recovery. :( :(
 
I give him D3 about once a month. He gets 6-10 hours of bright direct sunlight on average each week since we live in Sunny south florida and I have him outside when i'm home. I read that with that amount of sunlight, the D3 isn't really necessary.

I will bring this up to my vet (Dr K from the tv show) and see what she says. Thank you!

Also i'm planning to build a custom cage with lots more live plants. However since he got sick i put that on hold. There is also an umbrella tree that i remove occasionally and put outside for some good sunlight--so it looks a little more bare than normal.
 
I give him D3 about once a month. He gets 6-10 hours of bright direct sunlight on average each week since we live in Sunny south florida and I have him outside when i'm home. I read that with that amount of sunlight, the D3 isn't really necessary.

I will bring this up to my vet (Dr K from the tv show) and see what she says. Thank you!
If he’s getting direct sunlight that often I doubt D3 is a problem then, still can’t hurt to ask...
 
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