News From The Vet

[StarShadow197]

I took Zoey to a great vet that I was recommended. He is just awesome. Anyway. I explained all the issues that she has been having and showed him lots of pictures before she got sick and over the past week or so.

I was concerned because she has been really bloated and isnt wanting to eat. Zoey has gotten some of her adult coloring (blue striping and yellow blotches). I thought maybe it was eggs or something.

He confirmed that she was just too small in size to lay. So that was good, but that she had a firm mass in her stomach. The xray he took showed a mineral deposit in her stomach. It was probably from the calcium that she has been getting. She has gotten a lot better being on it. He recommended that I give her some laxatives to help push everything out and that once she poops to bring it in and he will make sure my little one is ok.

I am really happy that he was gentle with her and that he had experience with chameleons. Will keep everyone posted over the next couple of days.

 

[laurie]

That sounds good. I am glad the vet was able to help you and your girl. Do let us know how she does.

 

[StarShadow197]

So I have more news from my awesome vet. Zoey has a parasite called Coccidia. He said that she most likely had it from the breeder that I got her from. He said that when and if I get another one he wants to see them right away.

Tomorrow I will pick up some medicine and get her feeling better. Has anyone had an issue with these thing before?

 

[jannb]

I am sorry to hear about Zoey. IMO cociddia is the worst and hardest parasite to treat. I am attaching a couple of links for you. The clean up is the hardest part and I highly recommend the 40 volume liquid proroxide. The kind that you buy at a beauty supply store. Make sure your vet puts Zoey on Ponazuril. Please keep us posted on how she's doing.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/chameleons-coccidia-ponazuril-offers-new-hope-16409/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/coccidia-cleaning-need-advice-tips-please-42444/

 

[deerharvester]

From experience in the past get ponazuril. They take very well to it and it eradicated the dreaded coccidia that 3 of my chameleons came to me with. Albon can be very hard on chameleons, but if I were you I would push for ponazuril. Good luck, and clean, clean, clean.

Scott

 

[deerharvester]

Sorry jann, I must have started my post as you were posting. My vet recommended getting rid of the live plants for the time being and clean everything with a 1 to 9 bleach ratio. I found the coccidia while performing my own fecal, and they were littered with it. I was prescribed 90 mg/kg 1 day off the next then again the day after, then repeat in 3 weeks.

Scott

 

[jannb]

Sorry jann, I must have started my post as you were posting. My vet recommended getting rid of the live plants for the time being and clean everything with a 1 to 9 bleach ratio. I found the coccidia while performing my own fecal, and they were littered with it. I was prescribed 90 mg/kg 1 day off the next then again the day after, then repeat in 3 weeks.

Scott

Hi Scott,
I'll do some checking but I don't think bleach works on coccidia.

 

[deerharvester]

I said the same thing to the vet, and he told me that would kill it. I followed instructions from him to the t, and all 3 that came to me with a 100 plus per slide had 0 per slide for 2 follow up fecals after treatment.

Scott

 

[deerharvester]

I also used straight hot water when rinsing the cages.

Scott

 

[StarShadow197]

Oh wow. I hope that we are able to get rid of them. I will ask the vet about putting her on Ponazuril. He did mention to clean her cages with a bleach solution. I am thinking that my poor cham might have gotten these from a previous animal that I had. My first chameleon was from petsmart......yeah I know...... bad idea. How quickly do chams recover from this parasite?

I feel really bad for her. But I am happy that at least I know what is going on finally and that she will get better.

 

[kinyonga]

Btw...I looked in one of your previous posts...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/problem-phoenix-worms-135116/
... and she is old enough and big enough to produce eggs. I hope you have provided her a place in the cage to dig to lay eggs if necessary? Didn't any eggs show up in he xrays the vet took?

 

[StarShadow197]

No eggs showed up on the x-ray. I will try to get a picture of it today. She is too small and young to be ovulating. I did ask him about that on our first visit.

He prescribed Albon for her. He felt that since she has so many of the coccidia parasites in her that this will work best in getting of them. He told me to give it to her once a day for about 2 weeks and then we will make sure that they are all dead. He seems to know chams very well and Zoey has taken to him quite well. Which is great. I always wanted my pets to have a vet that they can trust.

Will keep you all posted on her recovery.

 

[jannb]

No eggs showed up on the x-ray. I will try to get a picture of it today. She is too small and young to be ovulating. I did ask him about that on our first visit.

He prescribed Albon for her. He felt that since she has so many of the coccidia parasites in her that this will work best in getting of them. He told me to give it to her once a day for about 2 weeks and then we will make sure that they are all dead. He seems to know chams very well and Zoey has taken to him quite well. Which is great. I always wanted my pets to have a vet that they can trust.

Will keep you all posted on her recovery.

Trust me, from experience. DO NOT use Albon. It will make your girl stop eating and become very sick. Please read my links above. More info: be sure to read post #10
https://www.chameleonforums.com/strongyle-coccidia-parasite-treatment-38963/
Read post # 3 https://www.chameleonforums.com/zephyrs-fecal-results-coccidia-parasite-39733/
Another one: https://www.chameleonforums.com/chameleon-coccidia-parasite-treatment-119307/

 

[StarShadow197]

Hey all. I just finished cleaning all of the little cages and things that Zoey has come into contact with. She happily ate a small hornworm yesterday and today she ate 4 wax worms. For some reason she is just wanting softer prey...which is fine by me as long as she is eating something. I will keep a close eye on her over this period of treatment with her medicine.

I understand that it has been known to make some animals stop eating, but a few have had no adverse side effects. If anything happens you all can be reassured that I will rush Zoey to the vet asap.

I did want to thank you all for all the advice and help that I have been getting.

 

[jannb]

Hey all. I just finished cleaning all of the little cages and things that Zoey has come into contact with. She happily ate a small hornworm yesterday and today she ate 4 wax worms. For some reason she is just wanting softer prey...which is fine by me as long as she is eating something. I will keep a close eye on her over this period of treatment with her medicine.

I understand that it has been known to make some animals stop eating, but a few have had no adverse side effects. If anything happens you all can be reassured that I will rush Zoey to the vet asap.

I did want to thank you all for all the advice and help that I have been getting.

Didn't you just start treatment? It's two to three days into the treatment before they stop eating. Hasn't your chameleon already had some health issues? I wouldn't want to see her have to go through more problems. I would highly recommend asking you vet to order the ponazuril for her. The reason I'm so persistent is because my first chameleon Luie went through Albon treatments before ponazuril came out and I ended up taking him off of the Albon and had to force feed him for weeks and I ended up ordering a drug from Europe that wasn't even approved in the US.

 

[kinyonga]

Veiled chameleons can start producing eggs when much younger than 8 months of age.

 

[StarShadow197]

Hey all. Sorry it has been a while. Zoey has been responding very well to her medication. The swelling in her belly is going down and she has gained a lot of her mobility back. This is the second week of her treatment. After this coming weekend she will be off her meds for a week and then back to the vet to see if the coccidia has cleared up. She has not lost her appetite for the most part. She has been eating every other day. Today she ate 5 crickets.

I did buy her some silk worms as I heard that they are good for chams. She seems a little put off by them to be honest. Not sure how to show her that they are edible lol. But they sure are cute little things.

 

[StarShadow197]

Hey everyone. Today is Zoey's last day of treatment. She has greatly improved since over these past few days. Her voracious appetite has returned and she can't seem to eat enough crickets. I have moved her from the little critter keeper to a 10 gallon tank. I did buy a fixture so her uvb light is sitting on top. She has a platform for basking and resting, some branches for climbing and hunting and a drip cup for access to water.

She is less hissy and bitty now. And her poop is looking more like normal instead of the bright green that is was 2 weeks ago. Her color is looking amazing. Lots of blues and orange and yellows and bright greens. Though she does a lot of forest greens in the morning.