DaChameleonKing
Avid Member
Oh then its a parasite.
OH YUCK! filarial worms- now what? *WARNING - nasty worm pics!
- Thread starter little leaf
- Start date
Oh then its a parasite.
little leaf
Avid Member
From my understanding, they must be removed surgically, even if you tried to treat them with dewormer, they (the worm) would not get it due to where it is in the body (sub Q) and how it feeds, it would not come in contact with the dewormer - I just want to be sure if I do in fact have to have them removed, how soon- but I will have any remaining one removed, I could not stand the fact to know those were in there - and leave them - it takes A LOT to gross me out- and boy buddy this did - lol
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
Are you sending them to a pathology lab for identification?
I don't think the usual anti parasite meds touch anything outside the gut. I discussed this with my vet when that one little quad died of respiratory failure from three huge lung worms in the lungs. We also found a couple of worms about 2" to 3" long swimming around in his abdomen. Ivermectin has quite a high morbidity rate for chameleons. I think that might be the only thing that would touch them.
Why do you think they are filarial? They might have entered the chameleon through the mouth and migrated to different parts of the body. Lots of "normal" parasitic intestinal worms burst through the gut and travel through the body at different stages of their life cycle.
I don't think the usual anti parasite meds touch anything outside the gut. I discussed this with my vet when that one little quad died of respiratory failure from three huge lung worms in the lungs. We also found a couple of worms about 2" to 3" long swimming around in his abdomen. Ivermectin has quite a high morbidity rate for chameleons. I think that might be the only thing that would touch them.
Why do you think they are filarial? They might have entered the chameleon through the mouth and migrated to different parts of the body. Lots of "normal" parasitic intestinal worms burst through the gut and travel through the body at different stages of their life cycle.
little leaf
Avid Member
I think they could also be pin - still waiting for the vet to call back to see if he wants them to see- but today is his surgery day- so he probably won't call until later, or even Monday being it's not an emergency - the animals were just there last week- these things were all over- in the neck, free ranging the abdominal cavity, and sub Q on the sides -
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
I don't think it is pin worms. That's a worm that lives in the GI tract.
When were they imported and why do you have them? If they've been kept in poor conditions for a long time, their immune system will be pretty low and the worms will have been able to grow unchecked, but you know all that. I know you desperately want to medicate with something, but I would be inclined to not and let them start to recover from their stress.
How's that little chameleon that had the surgery?
little leaf
Avid Member
Pin and round worms can migrate to be sub Q- they are all so nasty- lol
They have been with me about 3 weeks- they were rescue - even tho in quarantine, I am just nervous of the chams getting/having this also-
The little pygmy that had surgery is still alive, but did not want to eat or drink today - I am worried for her- I did not think she would even wake up, let alone live - but I think she is fading
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
Pin and round worms can migrate to be sub Q- they are all so nasty- lol
They have been with me about 3 weeks- they were rescue - even tho in quarantine, I am just nervous of the chams getting/having this also-
The little pygmy that had surgery is still alive, but did not want to eat or drink today - I am worried for her- I did not think she would even wake up, let alone live - but I think she is fading
They just seem too large to be a pin worm.
I'm sorry the pygmy is not doing so well.
Last edited:
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
Filarial worms are transmitted by blood feeding insects which is not how pinworms are transmitted. Pinworms are transmitted by the ingestion of eggs by the host.
Filarial worms are from the family Filarioidea while pin worms are from the family Oxyuridae. And yes, both belong to the phylum nematode (round worms). If they are not a flat worm--tapeworms and flukes--they will all be round worms.
Another interesting bit...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/parasite-videos-etc.17739/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/parasite-videos-etc.17739/
Onemorecast
Member
Sweet jesus I would have screamed like a little girl who scrapes her knee, bahhh
little leaf
Avid Member
deerharvester
Established Member
I believe Ivermectin is the drug used when there is excessive amounts of f. Worms. You can nick the skin with a razor and pull them out with tweezers. Someone has a post about it about a year or so ago I can't remember who but this is another reason why for newer enthusiasts to stay away from wcs.
Scott
Scott
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