Pretty sure that I'm losing him

MelissaB

MelissaB

Avid Member
Yesterday afternoon I noticed my Jackson chameleon hanging from the top of the cage with his eyes closed, during the day. He's not eating or drinking, and he's dehydrating fast. I was able to get him into the vets, this morning. He had treated him before for a RI. He's knowledgeable about chams, and asks all the right questions, and has treated chameleons. The vet couldn't get his mouth open, I wish he would've tried harder. I'm thinking he may have swallowed his tongue. I did mention that to the vet, but I don't think he seriously considered that as a possibility. He said that in order for that to happen there would have to be an underlying issue to cause it to happen. :confused:
If anyone knows of a good chameleon vet in the Joliet area, please let me know. I didn't fill out the the ask for help form, because the only help I could use is a good chameleon vet's phone number. His cage, temps, humidity, UVB and food are all within the accepted guidelines. I'm absolutely sick over this.
The vet gave him subcutaneous fluids and a baytril shot, but I don't think that it's going to do it for him. He thinks that it's mouth rot, but I don't see the usual signs. And when he opened his mouth for a brief moment this morning, something looked off with his tongue. I didn't get a good look, and he closed it too fast to really see what was going on. He wouldn't even make a go at a snail or a super worm, and those are his go to favorites. I hope I'm wrong and the vet is right, but it's just not looking good for Winston. He was doing so well I can't believe how fast it can all fall apart. He goes back to the vet on Friday.
 
Oh no. I've no info re vets but wanted to send my best wishes and I hope Winston improves.
Are you able to open his mouth? I'm sure there was a thread here about ways to open chams mouth.
Good luck. Kath.
 
Thank you, Kath. I hope he gets better, too. I tried to open it with a credit card, but he really had it clamped tight. I was afraid of hurting him. I tried applying pressure to the sides, but he did not want to open his mouth. The vet tried using a qtip, and applied pressure for a minute, and couldn't get him to budge. He said he didn't want to stress him anymore than necessary. :(
 
I'm sorry, what a terrible way to spend christmas eve!

To force his mouth open another trick is to carefully but firmly grab the front of his gular flap, close to his chin and as close to the edge as possible, and pull down while holding his head (usually with a thumb and an index finger on each cheek). If you have a second person, at that point you can slip in a spatular or something to pry the mouth open the rest of the way and keep it open. But with gentle but consistent force, after a couple seconds they will open up.

If it's a tongue or serious mouth issue it's vital that you look in there. I know it makes us uncomfortable to stress out our pets but it has to happen.

Let us know what you find and we'll try to help more!
 
Thank you, Olympia. First thing in the morning I'll have my son help me, and we'll try your method. It's bugging the h3ll out of me, thinking he could be in pain.
 
Thank you, Sandra. There is one in the vet list thread, that is semi-local. I'll give them a call after I get his mouth open and see what's going on. I'm hoping I'm wrong about what his problem is, but I have a really bad feeling that I'm not.
 
Sorry your cham is unwell.
Jackson's relatively gentle nature means they typically won't gape even when annoyed, as you probably already know.

On the chance that he is having difficulty opening up due to infected matter sort of gluing his mouth closed, it may be good to mist him with warm water for several minutes before trying to get him to open up.

Sometimes you can get a cham to open up by putting your fingers over his nose holes.

I find it relatively easy to get a male Jackson's to open up by bracing a finger on the nose just beneath the base of the rostral horn while pulling on the gular pouch.

Here are other 2 more vet resources you may wish to look at:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/healthx/vet/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/veterinarian-resources-67/

I hope that all goes well with the vet visit and that you and your loved ones enjoy your Christmas despite the cham troubles.
 
Thank you Lovereps, I will mist him well before we give it a go. I never thought of infected matter gluing his mouth shut, that makes a lot of sense. As soon as my son wakes up, we're getting his mouth open. I feel so bad for him, it breaks my heart.

Thank you, Lathis. I hope so, too.
 
Did you say your cham only got one Baytril shot?
Antibiotics need to be given every day, for at least 10 days before it will do any good.
Did I misunderstand you?

Did your vet give him a saline solution via IV or syringe to hydrate his?

I couldn't get Squee to open his mouth to give him meds either.
The vet told me, "you just have to piss him off!!"
So the way I do it is to grab him from the top, my palm against his spine, and my fingers around him, my thumb and forefinger on each side of his head, where his neck is, and hold firmly.
If held tight (but gentle) enough so he cant move, then he opens his mouth.

You have to be firm, but careful.

If your jax is not drinking, try using warm water in a misting bottle. Turn the nozzle from a fine mist, to a coarse spray, and spray him from above so water drips down on him.
Do this until you see his mouth starting to move, it could take a while before they start to drink.
If you do this while he is in his cage (his "territory") he will be much less stressed then taking him out.
 
Iv been checking back on this thread for an update today hoping for good news, I said a little prayer for him. I'm really hoping for the best for your Jackson. Best wishes.
 
Melissa, I am really sorry that you are having to go through this esecially over the holidays. I am also praying for your little man. Please keep us posted.
 
Pyschobunny: He's getting baytril injections. I'm not sure if it takes 10 days for the injections to start being effective. When he had the RI, it worked really well. He gets one shot every 3 days. He's also giving him subcutaneous fluids. I've been misting him and dropping droplets on his nose, but he's not drinking. I do do it while he's in his enclosure, and go through an entire spray bottle worth of water. He's usually not a shy drinker, so I think he just feels so bad, that he just doesn't want it. He doesn't move or try to get away, or even turn his angry colors. He just sits there. :( However he hasn't lost any weight, so he may be drinking when I'm not there, but not enough. He's eyes are more sunken in than they should be. When he's feeling good, he'll watch and wait for me to fill his dripper, and stick his mouth under the tube and take a good long drink. I haven't seen him do that in days. :(

I tried really hard to get him to open his mouth on Christmas, and couldn't do it. Today the vet tried, repeatedly, and couldn't get him to open his mouth. He had to use anesthesia gas to finally be able to open his mouth.
For as sick as he is, I'm amazed he was able to keep his mouth clamped shut. We tried pulling on the skin flap under his chin, while holding his head, and prying with a qtip.
Anyway, he did not swallow his tongue, but did have some signs of infection inside his mouth, and on a few of his toes. No big abscesses, but a scab and a few small sores, for lack of a better word. The vet said the infection present in his toes isn't from an injury, that it's where the infection settled because of the smaller blood vessels. I don't understand how that would be, but there isn't an injury, so I'm relying on what I'm being told.
He said it's a systemic infection, and that if he doesn't look any better for his 3 day recheck/baytril shot that we would have to think about what was in his best interest. That he could linger and suffer for a long time without getting any better. I'm hoping that it doesn't come down to that, and that the antibiotic helps him. I feel terrible for him.

PoshPenny and Jann, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I hope he pulls through.
 
Kath44 said:
How's Winston doing? Kath.
Click to expand...

Not so good. :( He's still super lethargic and not eating or drinking as far as I can see. He hasn't lost any weight, and got another baytrill shot and subcutaneous fluids. He goes back to the vet on Monday. I hope the baytril kicks in, and he starts feeling better.
 
Thank you, Penny. I hope so, he's such a beautiful guy and full of personality. It hurts to see him like this.
 
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