Veiled Chameleon with Prolapsed Rectum

[inlinefourpower]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, I've had him for 14 months. He's probably 15-16 months old.
Handling - Every other week or so. I hand feed him and he's never been hostile towards me.
Feeding - Exclusively crickets. I feed him every other day and he eats around 20 large crickets. They are fed OxBow critical care.
Supplements - Calcium without D3 daily, Calcium with D3 every other week, vitamin dusting once a month.
Watering - Automatic mister. I rarely see him drink, but every once in a while I do see it.
Fecal Description - I don't have much good info here. He was blood tested in May or July for an unrelated problem and they said his immune panel made it look like he didn't have parasites.
History - Last summer he went to the vet because his back legs weren't working well. He just wouldn't use them and dragged them around. The vet found that he had extremely high cholesterol (I'd apparently been feeding him too many hornworms) and now on a more strict cricket only diet he has resumed using his back legs at around 95% capacity.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen 2x2x4
Lighting - 12 on 12 off, one halogen heat/uva bulb, 2 CFL UVB bulbs.
Temperature - Lowest overnight temp is 65, it's probably close to that temp near the base of his cage (not much light gets there), highest seems to be up to 100. I had to back his lights off because he burned the tip of his crest a few times.
Humidity - I lack a reliably hygrometer, but my dude is misted automatically by some exoterra mister. It goes off every hour or so.
Plants - He has a live umbrella plant but it died recently...
Placement - On the floor, unfortunately. Extremely low traffic, though, he's alone except for maybe an hour a day and when we're both asleep.
Location - Michigan

Current Problem - Prolapsed rectum.

I arrived home today, grabbed my little buddy some crickets and went to feed him. Found that his bulb was burned out and changed that then peeked in to see how he was doing. And my nightmare begins!

He seems to have a prolapsed rectum. I immediately prepared a little water bath for him and while that's working its magic (hopefully) started typing up this post. I have a vet specializing in reptiles that I can take him to but I probably can't get out of work tomorrow too easily.

Also it's like, 2 degrees out right now and I really dont want to transport my guy to the vet if I don't have to.

Does anyone have any advice? Picture coming soon

 

[Carlton]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, I've had him for 14 months. He's probably 15-16 months old.
Handling - Every other week or so. I hand feed him and he's never been hostile towards me.
Feeding - Exclusively crickets. I feed him every other day and he eats around 20 large crickets. They are fed OxBow critical care.
Supplements - Calcium without D3 daily, Calcium with D3 every other week, vitamin dusting once a month.
Watering - Automatic mister. I rarely see him drink, but every once in a while I do see it.
Fecal Description - I don't have much good info here. He was blood tested in May or July for an unrelated problem and they said his immune panel made it look like he didn't have parasites.
History - Last summer he went to the vet because his back legs weren't working well. He just wouldn't use them and dragged them around. The vet found that he had extremely high cholesterol (I'd apparently been feeding him too many hornworms) and now on a more strict cricket only diet he has resumed using his back legs at around 95% capacity.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen 2x2x4
Lighting - 12 on 12 off, one halogen heat/uva bulb, 2 CFL UVB bulbs.
Temperature - Lowest overnight temp is 65, it's probably close to that temp near the base of his cage (not much light gets there), highest seems to be up to 100. I had to back his lights off because he burned the tip of his crest a few times.
Humidity - I lack a reliably hygrometer, but my dude is misted automatically by some exoterra mister. It goes off every hour or so.
Plants - He has a live umbrella plant but it died recently...
Placement - On the floor, unfortunately. Extremely low traffic, though, he's alone except for maybe an hour a day and when we're both asleep.
Location - Michigan

Current Problem - Prolapsed rectum.

I arrived home today, grabbed my little buddy some crickets and went to feed him. Found that his bulb was burned out and changed that then peeked in to see how he was doing. And my nightmare begins!

He seems to have a prolapsed rectum. I immediately prepared a little water bath for him and while that's working its magic (hopefully) started typing up this post. I have a vet specializing in reptiles that I can take him to but I probably can't get out of work tomorrow too easily.

Also it's like, 2 degrees out right now and I really dont want to transport my guy to the vet if I don't have to.

Does anyone have any advice? Picture coming soon

The key thing to do here is keep the prolapse moist (K-Y jelly will help the most) so he may hopefully draw it back in. If he can't he MUST see a vet ASAP. Keep the prolapse moist until you can get to one. You can take him to a vet safely even in this weather. Get a cardboard box or a lunch cooler, line the bottom with a moist towel, wedge a stick for him to cling to, and you can keep the box warm with a plastic bottle of water warmed in the microwave (not hot, just warm...and your hand is 98.6 F or so...if it feels warm to your hand its too hot). Pre-heat your car. He should be OK as long as the car is comfortable for you.

Some possible reasons for a prolapse are too many shelled feeders or build up of exoskeletons in the GI tract, slight dehydration (the GI tract tries to reabsorb water from food) which can lead to constipation. As this goes on the fecal matter and urates get dense, harder and are that much harder to pass.

 

[inlinefourpower]

How long should I give him to try and draw it back up into his body?

 

[Carlton]

How long should I give him to try and draw it back up into his body?

If you have K-Y jelly I'd use it now. I think if it can go back in it would pretty quickly after the soaking. If it doesn't, I'd be heading for the vet. The longer the prolapse is out the more it can swell, get irritated or damaged.

 

[inlinefourpower]

I'm taking the little dude to the vet right now, I think.