Skin Issues -- What is it... Abscess? (Pics)

[SangrelX]

I have two male Veiled Chams. Each in their own enclosure of course.

Seeing that Chameleons are not exactly the touchy feely type of pet, we don't handle them unless it is to re-arrange their cages.

They are housed under 24" Dual Arcadia HO T5s
1 x 12%
1 x 6.5k Daylight
and a single spot light for basking.

We leave them alone to enjoy their lives as much as possible. We feed daily, and they are misted for 2 minutes 3 times a day from our mist king system.


The male I am having an issue with is Boogie... He was the first to come to us because I couldn't stand how Petco kept him in a tiny glass tank!

He is roughly 4 years old now.

Well usually Boogie sits near the top of the enclosure on his vines waiting for food to be put in. The way he sits you can only see one side of his body. We put the food in and go on our way. Sometimes we sit back to watch him and his buddy (Bob) catch crickets.

Well Today I was able to see his other side and I could clearly see something was wrong. On closer inspection there is a mid size white/yellowish growth on his rib cage.

Knowing that in order to research it for a better idea of what we are looking it I would have to at least examine and feel the lump.

I hate grabbing him because it stresses him out. I managed to pick him up and palpitate the lump. It was soft and fairly squishy. He didn't seem to be in any pain while I was feeling the lump.

While moving the lump around and applying slight pressure to it like a pimple. It split across the top and seeped blood. This was where I stopped, cleaned the area and sterilized it. Then put him back in the cage.

I wanted to dress it in some clean gauze but I am not sure how he would handle that. Plus I couldn't find any and it was only me here at home. So I just put him back in the cage.

I had expected it to ooze puss of some sort which would indicate it needed lanced and cleaned out thoroughly. However when blood started oozing out I wasn't entirely sure this would be an abscess full of puss.

I have no idea what it is. I put out an e-mail to two local vets. One is the same vet we take all our other animals to but I don't think they do any reptiles. The other listed reptiles but I am not entirely sure how qualified they are.

He is not happy with me in the attached photos. There is a good shot of the growth though. I am thinking its an abscess but I didn't expect it to be oozing blood out the top. I had expected just a thick puss.

Any general thoughts or ideas? Anyone seen this before?

 

[camimom]

Hey. not sure where in Va you are, but if you are kind of close to MD, I suggest calling Best friends animal hospital, located in Gaithersburg md, or VCA, same location, and get you cham in to be seen by them asap.

I have no idea what it is, but whatever it is, it needs vet attention asap.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[kinyonga]

I've seen something very similar to that once on a veiled chameleon but never did find out what it was. Sorry. I would take it to a vet ASAP.

 

[SangrelX]

Unfortunately I am too far from MD to drive there. I also have no way to get him to a Vet until Monday.

I hope the Vets I have e-mailed respond by tomorrow. I e-mailed our usual vet to see if they have anyone with reptile experience and I e-mailed another vet in town that does list reptiles.

I can only leave him in peace until Monday and see what happens. If I had the setup here at home I personally would excise, clean, suture and administer antibiotics. I doubt I can pay to send it off for further testing. So I would have to hope for the best.

 

[jannb]

I personally know Brad and if you get him there, he will be able to help your guy.

Bradley Waffa
MS, DVM
Churchland Animal Clinic
6030 High Street W
Portsmouth , VA 23703 USA
t: (757)484-2733
f: (757)484-8568

 

[SangrelX]

I personally know Brad and if you get him there, he will be able to help your guy.

Bradley Waffa
MS, DVM
Churchland Animal Clinic
6030 High Street W
Portsmouth , VA 23703 USA
t: (757)484-2733
f: (757)484-8568

-sigh- That is clear across the state. I am west side near Harrisonburg.

 

[Trace]

Well I have not seen something like that before on a chameleon. I don't want to steer you in the wrong direction. Who knows how long he has had the bump but would keep him comfortable until you can get an appointment. If you fear him bursting the lump, you can set him up in a Rubbermaid with a towel and a few sticks to perch on. He won't like it, but he will survive living in it.

These guys are also highly recommended. Perhaps they are closer. http://www.seavs.com/

 

[camimom]

you can try maybe calling those vets, and see if they know of any good reptile vets closer to you. I know for fact those two vets I suggested work with chams, and vets talk to other vets, so they may know someone who can help you.

 

[SangrelX]

Well I have not seen something like that before on a chameleon. I don't want to steer you in the wrong direction. Who knows how long he has had the bump but would keep him comfortable until you can get an appointment. If you fear him bursting the lump, you can set him up in a Rubbermaid with a towel and a few sticks to perch on. He won't like it, but he will survive living in it.

These guys are also highly recommended. Perhaps they are closer. http://www.seavs.com/

I just can't believe nobody here noticed it. He is always in the same spot every day when we go to feed him and we simply never saw it.

We put in crickets, he waits for them to climb up the screen and then shoots em. We simply never saw his other side.

I don't expect him to find a way to burst it. Due to its location its fairly out of the way and not touched.

 

[SangrelX]

you can try maybe calling those vets, and see if they know of any good reptile vets closer to you. I know for fact those two vets I suggested work with chams, and vets talk to other vets, so they may know someone who can help you.

I can give that a try tomorrow. I expect the one vet I e-mailed will be able to help. I mean they did list reptiles on their site.

Honestly over the years of having pets I am pretty positive they are going to all recommend removing, cleaning, suturing, and a histology report.

Without a Histology they will probably admin a sub-cue wide spectrum antibiotic daily for about 7 days afterwards. They might just recommend a topical antibiotic but I prefer sub-cue and will administer it myself at home.

If I can afford a Histology report they will try to find a more localized antibiotic to administer when results come in etc.

I have been down the medical route more times than I want to admit with our pets. It seems we always find a pet who is prone to some sort of crazy cancer or health issues. I thought with the veileds we were safe from most of those.

 

[SangrelX]

Ask me about Marshall Farms Ferrets one day. Those people should be shut down and honestly Ferrets should NOT be sold as a pet. That is a whole other story though. The fuzzbutts are absolutely awesome companions but inbreeding and genetic issues make for horrendous health issues and major heartbreak.

 

[camimom]

I can give that a try tomorrow. I expect the one vet I e-mailed will be able to help. I mean they did list reptiles on their site.

Honestly over the years of having pets I am pretty positive they are going to all recommend removing, cleaning, suturing, and a histology report.

Without a Histology they will probably admin a sub-cue wide spectrum antibiotic daily for about 7 days afterwards. They might just recommend a topical antibiotic but I prefer sub-cue and will administer it myself at home.

If I can afford a Histology report they will try to find a more localized antibiotic to administer when results come in etc.

I have been down the medical route more times than I want to admit with our pets. It seems we always find a pet who is prone to some sort of crazy cancer or health issues. I thought with the veileds we were safe from most of those.

There have been lots of vets that say they work with chams, but then we come to find out that they suck at it. Don't have any idea what they are doing.

just something to keep in mind.

I just read a thread about someone who took their cham to a vet for a swollen leg, and the vet said it was mbd,and injected the leg with stuff, turns out its a bad infection from a lost toenail.


and fyi, I love ferrets, I just lost mine after 6 years of owning him.

 

[SangrelX]

There have been lots of vets that say they work with chams, but then we come to find out that they suck at it. Don't have any idea what they are doing.

just something to keep in mind.

I just read a thread about someone who took their cham to a vet for a swollen leg, and the vet said it was mbd,and injected the leg with stuff, turns out its a bad infection from a lost toenail.


and fyi, I love ferrets, I just lost mine after 6 years of owning him.

I would hope the typical vet would admit if they had no chameleon experience etc. I mean most people who become vets genuinely care about the animals they treat.

As for the Fuzzies... All three of ours were lost due to cancer. Lots of time and research into each one leads to genetic issues due to the breeding practices used for pet store ferrets.

 

[Trace]

These guys are also highly recommended. Perhaps they are closer. http://www.seavs.com/

I'm not sure if you saw this vet recommendation or not. I think they are fairly close to you.

 

[SangrelX]

I'm not sure if you saw this vet recommendation or not. I think they are fairly close to you.

I saw but they are out of range as well. I am banking on the two local offices here in town.

I had hoped someone would chime in who has seen something like this before. I know I can't find anything online about it.

 

[kinyonga]

Vet's...
http://www.veterinarians.com/services/exotic/va/harrisonburg/

 

[SangrelX]

Vet's...
http://www.veterinarians.com/services/exotic/va/harrisonburg/

Thanks.
I will contact Heartland Veterinary Clinic and Ashby as well. I already have two messages out to two other vets who list exotics/reptiles etc.

Someone here in town should be able to help. Its a college town so I know there are all kinds of pets here.

 

[camimom]

I would hope the typical vet would admit if they had no chameleon experience etc. I mean most people who become vets genuinely care about the animals they treat.

As for the Fuzzies... All three of ours were lost due to cancer. Lots of time and research into each one leads to genetic issues due to the breeding practices used for pet store ferrets.

Yea youd hope that, but there have been vets who have said they knew, and didn't have a clue. the thread I was referring to is a recent one, and the vet injected calcium and baytril directly into the infected arm, which was a huge no no.

try pm'ing ferretinmyshoes (no pun intended) shes a vet here on this forum.


my woozel was frm a small town pet store, he just got sick from old age. up till then hed only had one illness, a bowel infection.

 

[SangrelX]

Yea youd hope that, but there have been vets who have said they knew, and didn't have a clue. the thread I was referring to is a recent one, and the vet injected calcium and baytril directly into the infected arm, which was a huge no no.

try pm'ing ferretinmyshoes (no pun intended) shes a vet here on this forum.


my woozel was frm a small town pet store, he just got sick from old age. up till then hed only had one illness, a bowel infection.

Just have to wait and see what happens.

I am glad that your ferret lived to old age and didn't have major health issues arise.

 

[SangrelX]

More Photos

Lights flipped off about 30 mins ago and his Chromatophores were totally relaxed. When he is relaxed he is bright green and yellow.

I sort of woke him up when I opened the door to take photo's and he started to darken. You can almost see the lump in the first shot.

The last two photos are of his little brother Bob. When Bob is totally relaxed he is like rust red and bright green.