Connorology
Avid Member
Good Afternoon All,
So the takeaway to the attached novel is that I'm looking for some community input on my chameleon's health issues. I have taken him to an experienced exotics veterinarian and I am a veterinary student myself. That said, chameleons are unique animals, and it can be tough to find good chameleon specific information through the official veterinary channels I am aware of. If anyone here has had a similar experience and is willing to provide some input, I would be grateful.
Unfortunately my Jackson's Chameleon Pig seems to be having some serious health issues. I have taken him to my local exotic vet twice in the past two weeks. The issues started with general lethargy and a small growth on his foot. I was worried about an infection or maybe gout, so I took him in to the vet and she ran a CBC (blood analysis) and chem panel.
The results weren't great but weren't terrible either. He had an elevated white count indicating an infection, and high uric acid levels, along with a couple of other elevated markers suggesting dehydration (not unexpected - due to the lethargy, I was having difficulty getting him to eat and drink). I was given fortaz injections (broad spectrum antibiotic) and lactated ringers to keep him hydrated. I also started feeding him hornworms from my local reptile shop to try and entice him to eat and ensure his hydration stayed up to hopefully reduce the number of shots I'd have to give him.
Long story short, I gave him the shots and a couple of small hornworms which he voraciously ate. I gave him another two hornworms the next day and he ate those too, but then he just got periodically sicker over the next week. Most noticeably, he stopped eating and pooping and in the last day or two has essentially stopped using his hind legs. His tail appears to be fully functional and his hindlegs are not paralyzed. He'll respond to pain and can grip weakly, but doesn't seem to want to use his hind legs. I have found him dangling from his vines with his forelimbs once or twice in the last couple of days.
So, back to the vet for an enema and radiographs. The radiographs showed a lot of poop in his bowels but nothing particularly abnormal. The enema got him to defecate, and he passed some normal poop and normal urates and a big chunk of orange goo that was crusty on the outside and gelled on the inside (see attached picture). Examination for parasites was negative, with the exception of a few sporadic flagellates that the vet told me were an incidental finding and nothing to be worried about. The vet wasn't sure what to make of the orange crud, my belief is that it's a result of dehydration and inability to pass the feces.
I have him back at home now, but he's still dragging his hind legs. I have read that severe constipation can cause hindlimb dragging. However, some sort of weird neural damage could also cause difficulty passing stools, so it's a chicken and egg kind of deal as far as I'm aware. I'm hoping for an improvement but I'm not super optimistic.
Does anyone have any thoughts or similar experiences they'd be willing to share? I know these forums are used by a lot of dedicated chameleon keepers and a few vets with a specific interest in chameleons. I'd appreciate any relevant accounts/suggestions.
I will also attach the husbandry information below, but I have consulted folks on this site before when setting everything up so it should be up to snuff so to speak.
Best,
Connor
So the takeaway to the attached novel is that I'm looking for some community input on my chameleon's health issues. I have taken him to an experienced exotics veterinarian and I am a veterinary student myself. That said, chameleons are unique animals, and it can be tough to find good chameleon specific information through the official veterinary channels I am aware of. If anyone here has had a similar experience and is willing to provide some input, I would be grateful.
Unfortunately my Jackson's Chameleon Pig seems to be having some serious health issues. I have taken him to my local exotic vet twice in the past two weeks. The issues started with general lethargy and a small growth on his foot. I was worried about an infection or maybe gout, so I took him in to the vet and she ran a CBC (blood analysis) and chem panel.
The results weren't great but weren't terrible either. He had an elevated white count indicating an infection, and high uric acid levels, along with a couple of other elevated markers suggesting dehydration (not unexpected - due to the lethargy, I was having difficulty getting him to eat and drink). I was given fortaz injections (broad spectrum antibiotic) and lactated ringers to keep him hydrated. I also started feeding him hornworms from my local reptile shop to try and entice him to eat and ensure his hydration stayed up to hopefully reduce the number of shots I'd have to give him.
Long story short, I gave him the shots and a couple of small hornworms which he voraciously ate. I gave him another two hornworms the next day and he ate those too, but then he just got periodically sicker over the next week. Most noticeably, he stopped eating and pooping and in the last day or two has essentially stopped using his hind legs. His tail appears to be fully functional and his hindlegs are not paralyzed. He'll respond to pain and can grip weakly, but doesn't seem to want to use his hind legs. I have found him dangling from his vines with his forelimbs once or twice in the last couple of days.
So, back to the vet for an enema and radiographs. The radiographs showed a lot of poop in his bowels but nothing particularly abnormal. The enema got him to defecate, and he passed some normal poop and normal urates and a big chunk of orange goo that was crusty on the outside and gelled on the inside (see attached picture). Examination for parasites was negative, with the exception of a few sporadic flagellates that the vet told me were an incidental finding and nothing to be worried about. The vet wasn't sure what to make of the orange crud, my belief is that it's a result of dehydration and inability to pass the feces.
I have him back at home now, but he's still dragging his hind legs. I have read that severe constipation can cause hindlimb dragging. However, some sort of weird neural damage could also cause difficulty passing stools, so it's a chicken and egg kind of deal as far as I'm aware. I'm hoping for an improvement but I'm not super optimistic.
Does anyone have any thoughts or similar experiences they'd be willing to share? I know these forums are used by a lot of dedicated chameleon keepers and a few vets with a specific interest in chameleons. I'd appreciate any relevant accounts/suggestions.
I will also attach the husbandry information below, but I have consulted folks on this site before when setting everything up so it should be up to snuff so to speak.
Best,
Connor