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Not eating on his own. Looking very lethargic. Not at all himself. Legs seem rubbery and difficulty with mobility. Diagnosed with early kidney disease. So, syringe feeding, getting injections of antibiotics every 3 days, oral liquid calcium and lactose to help ease the way for feces. Seems to be getting a little better but he still can’t eat on his own Going back to the vet this week to check his tongue/mouth more thoroughly and asked for X-rays to see if kidneys are enlarged. If I use my finger nail to gently very slightly open his mouth and put a worm in when he opens it a bit more, he takes it but has trouble getting it past his tongue to swallow it. But that’s progressWhy is he taking medicine?
Not eating on his own. Looking very lethargic. Not at all himself. Legs seem rubbery and difficulty with mobility. Diagnosed with early kidney disease. So, syringe feeding, getting injections of antibiotics every 3 days, oral liquid calcium and lactose to help ease the way for feces. Seems to be getting a little better but he still can’t eat on his own Going back to the vet this week to checking
So sorry that your big handsome guy isn’t doing so well. Sending healing vibes and prayers.![]()
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his tongue/mouth more thoroughly and asked for X-rays to see if kidneys are enlarged. If I use my finger nail to gently very slightly open his mouth and put a worm in when he opens it a bit more, he takes it but has trouble getting it past his tongue to swallow it. But that’s progress. It’s been a very rough road over the last few weeks.
Thanks. I have another appointment on Thursday so I’ll see how that goes.You can post the labs and some of us may be able to tell you what the different values are, but to interpret them all together as a whole requires higher skill such as that of a veterinarian. You may want to call to go over all of the abnormal values with your vet and have him/her explain them and how they all fit together into the diagnosis given.
Thank you. The vet did prescribe lactose to facilitate easier bowel movement. She said that enlarged kidneys interfere with feces getting through resulting in constipation. Thing is, she didn’t do an X-ray so I think she’s assuming they are enlarged. I’m going back thursday and have asked her to do an X-ray and more thoroughly check his tongue and mouth. He has has problems with constipation in the past.Kidneys are delicate organs. In chameleons they sit in the pelvic canal making them vulnerable to damage from constipation as well as the usual dehydration and infection.
Hope things turn out well for your handsome guy.
You said…”Not eating on his own. Looking very lethargic. Not at all himself.”…how long has he not been eating on his own?
JANUARY: HAD TROUBLE HITTING TARGET WITH TONGUE.
FEBRUARY: I HAD TO HAND FEED HIM. HE COULD TAKE FOOD WITH LIPS BUT WASN’T SHOOTING TONGUE. TOOK TO VET AND HE SAID HE SEES NOTHING OUT OF ORDINARY.
MARCH: LOST APPETITE AND ONLY ATE FROM HAND FEEDING PERIODICALLY AND WAS GETTING WEAK AND DEHYDRATED. WENT BACK TO VET AND ASKED FOR BLOOD WORK BECAUSE HE WAS STILL NOT ESTING AND WAS GETTING WORSE. HE SAID HE FELT BLOOD WORK WAS TOO INVASIVE AT THIS TIME!!!
SUGGESTED GIVING IT A COUPLE OF MORE WEEKS TO SEE IF HE IS JUST REACTING TO THE SEASON AND PERKS UP AT THE END OF THE MONTH!!! I WAS FLABBERGASTED SO WENT HOME AND STARTED LOOKING FOR A NEW VET. FOUND ONE BUT COULDN’T GET AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL APRIL 25.
You said…” Legs seem rubbery and difficulty with mobility”…this sounds like a nutrient issue..like calcium imbalance. YES. IN FACT I WONDERED IF THE WHOLE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS WAS A NUTRIENT ISSUE BUT AS MENTIONED ABOVE MY ORIGINAL VET WAS NOT AGREEABLE TO BLOOD WORK. WHEN MADE THE APPOINTMENT WITH NEW VET, I TOLD THEM THE HISTORY AND SAID I THINK HE NEEDS BLOOD WORK.
You said…”Diagnosed with early kidney disease.“…diagnosed on what basis? BASED ON LAB RESULTS AND SYMPTOMS
You said…”So, syringe feeding, getting injections of antibiotics every 3 days, oral liquid calcium and lactose to help ease the way for feces”…
syringe fed what? EMERAID FOR EXOTIC ANIMAL CRITICAL CARE. What antibiotic? CEFTADIZIME. What UVB light specifically are you using? Long linear? Brand? ARCADIA 12% ON RISERS TO ACHIEVE RANGE OF 3.2-4 UVI Long linear? 42” Brand? ARCADIA
What supplements and how often for each…particularly interested in the phis, calcium, D3 and form of vitamin A. FLUKERS CALCIUM WITHOUT D3 AT EVERY FEEDING EXCEPT ON 1st AND 15th OF MONTH WHEN FEEDERS ARE DUSTED WITH REPASHY CALCIUM PLUS. Does he drink well? NO HE NEVER HAS. LEAVES ARE MISTED BEFORE LIGHTS ON AND AFTER LIGHTS OUT; FOGGER RUNS STEADY 10pm TO 6am FOR AVERAGE 90% HUMIDITY; DRIPPER IS RUN TWICE A DAY AND HE SHOWS NO INTEREST IN IT.
You said…” Seems to be getting a little better but he still can’t eat on his own Going back to the vet this week to check his tongue/mouth more thoroughly and asked for X-rays to see if kidneys are enlarged. If I use my finger nail to gently very slightly open his mouth and put a worm in when he opens it a bit more, he takes it but has trouble getting it past his tongue to swallow it. But that’s progress. It’s been a very rough road over the last few weeks.”…do you think/know something is going on with the tongue or mouth? Is his tongue swollen? I DO THINK SOMETHING IS GOING ON WITH HIS TONGUE BUT IT IS NOT, FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, SWOLLEN. VET SAYS TONGUE ISSUES ARE ANOTHER SYMPTOM OF KIDNEY ISSUES. NONETHELESS, I’VE ASKED THAT THEY MORE THOROUGHLY EXAMINE IT ON THURSDAY AND THAT THEY X-RAY TO SEE IF KIDNEYS ARE ENLARGED AND INTERFERING WITH BOWEL MOVEMENTS.
You said…”JANUARY: HAD TROUBLE HITTING TARGET WITH TONGUE.
FEBRUARY: I HAD TO HAND FEED HIM. HE COULD TAKE FOOD WITH LIPS BUT WASN’T SHOOTING TONGUE. TOOK TO VET AND HE SAID HE SEES NOTHING OUT OF ORDINARY.”…the tongue not working properly is definitely out of the ordinary and it should have been investigated to see why IMHO.
You said…”MARCH: LOST APPETITE AND ONLY ATE FROM HAND FEEDING PERIODICALLY AND WAS GETTING WEAK AND DEHYDRATED. WENT BACK TO VET AND ASKED FOR BLOOD WORK BECAUSE HE WAS STILL NOT ESTING AND WAS GETTING WORSE. HE SAID HE FELT BLOOD WORK WAS TOO INVASIVE AT THIS TIME!!!”…tongue issues are not just something caused by the season…and IMHO should have been investigated further.
You said…”SUGGESTED GIVING IT A COUPLE OF MORE WEEKS TO SEE IF HE IS JUST REACTING TO THE SEASON AND PERKS UP AT THE END OF THE MONTH!!! I WAS FLABBERGASTED SO WENT HOME AND STARTED LOOKING FOR A NEW VET. FOUND ONE BUT COULDN’T GET AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL APRIL 25.”…good idea to look for a good exotics chameleon vet.
You said…”JANUARY: HAD TROUBLE HITTING TARGET WITH TONGUE.
FEBRUARY: I HAD TO HAND FEED HIM. HE COULD TAKE FOOD WITH LIPS BUT WASN’T SHOOTING TONGUE. TOOK TO VET AND HE SAID HE SEES NOTHING OUT OF ORDINARY.”…the tongue not working properly is definitely out of the ordinary and it should have been investigated to see why IMHO.
You said…”MARCH: LOST APPETITE AND ONLY ATE FROM HAND FEEDING PERIODICALLY AND WAS GETTING WEAK AND DEHYDRATED. WENT BACK TO VET AND ASKED FOR BLOOD WORK BECAUSE HE WAS STILL NOT ESTING AND WAS GETTING WORSE. HE SAID HE FELT BLOOD WORK WAS TOO INVASIVE AT THIS TIME!!!”…tongue issues are not just something caused by the season…and IMHO should have been investigated further.
You said…”SUGGESTED GIVING IT A COUPLE OF MORE WEEKS TO SEE IF HE IS JUST REACTING TO THE SEASON AND PERKS UP AT THE END OF THE MONTH!!! I WAS FLABBERGASTED SO WENT HOME AND STARTED LOOKING FOR A NEW VET. FOUND ONE BUT COULDN’T GET AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL APRIL 25.”…good idea to look for a good exotics chameleon vet.
I think posting the lab reports wouldnt hurt…some people on here can read them…and it might help us figure out what’s going on.
I think posting the lab reports wouldnt hurt…some people on here can read them…and it might help us figure out what’s going on.
think posting the lab reports wouldnt hurt…some people on here can read them…and it might help us figure out what’s going on.
Repashy Plus also has Vit D so I guess the LoD has less Vit D? I will switch to LoD if it’s more suitable.Repashy calcium plus has preformed vitamin A. It’s ok to use, but the Repashy calcium plus LoD is more appropriate for chams.
I think posting the lab reports wouldnt hurt…some people on here can read them…and it might help
I think posting the lab reports wouldnt hurt…some people on here can read them…and it might help us figure out what’s going on.
You said…”YES. IN FACT I WONDERED IF THE WHOLE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS WAS A NUTRIENT ISSUE BUT AS MENTIONED ABOVE MY ORIGINAL VET WAS NOT AGREEABLE TO BLOOD WORK. WHEN MADE THE APPOINTMENT WITH NEW VET, I TOLD THEM THE HISTORY AND SAID I THINK HE NEEDS BLOOD WORK.”…I assume they did it since you have lab reports. YES. I‘M HAVING TROUBLE TRYING TO POST THE VETS NOTES AND LAB REPORTS BUT WILL DO AS SOON AS I CAN
You said…”BASED ON LAB RESULTS AND SYMPTOMS”…what did they say the symptoms were? COVERED IN VETS NOTES TO FOLLOW (basically just what I told them)
You said…”EMERAID FOR EXOTIC ANIMAL CRITICAL CARE”…this is ok for a few days. VET SAID TO CONTINUE UNTIL HE IS EATING ON HIS OWN BUT THATS NOT HAPPENING. IVE STOPPED FEEDING IT AND AM TRYING TO GET A LEAST A COUPLE OF FEEDERS INTO HIM EVERY 2ND DAY. SHE FID TELL ME NOT TO GIVE HIM ANY VITAMIN D.
You said…” CEFTADIZIME“…why an antibiotic? They are almost all hard on the kidneys….and unnecessary unless the chameleon had an infection. Does it? THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT, THE LAB RESULTS SHOW INFLAMMATION BUT SHE COULDNT BE CERTAIN IF THAT WAS FROM THE KIDNEYS SO SHE PRESCRIBED THIS JUST IN CASE(?). IS ADDRESSED IN HER NOTES/LAB REPORTS TO FOLLOW.
You said…,”FLUKERS CALCIUM WITHOUT D3 AT EVERY FEEDING EXCEPT ON 1st AND 15th OF MONTH WHEN FEEDERS ARE DUSTED WITH REPASHY CALCIUM PLUS“…I don’t know the form of vitamin A in the repashy. Anyone? @Beman ? @MissSkittles ?
You said…regarding drinking…”NO HE NEVER HAS. PLANTS ARE MISTED BEFORE LIGHTS ON AND AFTER LIGHTS OUT; FOGGER RUNS STEADY 10pm TO 6am FOR AVERAGE 90% HUMIDITY; DRIPPER IS RUN TWICE A DAY AND HE SHOWS NO INTEREST IN IT”…what colour are his urates? WHITE WITH SMALL AMOUNT OF PEACH COLOUR, BUT URATES ARE USUALLY UNFORMED. SEEMS LIKE OVER HYDRATION BUT HE REALLY ONLY GETS HYDRATION FROM FEEDERS AND FOGGING. NOT A DRINKER. HE WONT EAT CRICKETS OR BSFL OR FLIES, SO HIS STAPLE FOODS ARE HIGH IN HYDRATION.
You said…”I DO THINK SOMETHING IS GOING ON WITH HIS TONGUE BUT IT IS NOT, FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, SWOLLEN (Not sure I would recognize it if it were swollen). VET SAYS TONGUE ISSUES ARE ANOTHER SYMPTOM OF KIDNEY ISSUES. NONETHELESS, I’VE ASKED THAT THEY MORE THOROUGHLY EXAMINE IT ON THURSDAY AND THAT THEY X-RAY TO SEE IF KIDNEYS ARE ENLARGED AND INTERFERING WITH BOWEL MOVEMENTS”…I'm not a vet…but the only thing I can think of that could affect the tongue that would have to do with kidneys is that the vitamin D3 could be off because damaged kidneys wouldn't be able to store D3…so calcium levels could be off. As for bowel movements…is he not pooping? VERY INFREQUENT; AT TIMES TO THE POINT OF BEING WORRISOME. HE HAS BEEN TREATED IN THE PAST WITH ENEMA FOR IMPACTION. SINCE STARTING HIS TREATMENT ON JUNE 8th, HE POOPED A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF POOP, VERY SOFT UNFORMED URATE, AND PUDDLE OF WATER ON JUNE 18th, AND THEN ON JUNE 26 (yesterday) HE AGAIN POOPED and itwas a little too firm, urate was well formed with orange bit on end again a water puddle)