Vet over video call?

ssc97

Member
My cham has been having on and off eye issues but overall I think she's getting worse.

Very frustrating as I feel like I'm kind of at my wit's end here. Took the forum's advice and took her to a vet - the vet told me there's nothing wrong with her, might be stress, etc. But I've had her for over 6 months and never seen anything like this from her. She's not being handled more or anything else than before but now I've started to syringe feed her a bit.

I think it is very possible to be a vit a deficiency but I am nervous treating her without a professional opinion.

Would be great if anyone knew of a vet I might be able to video call or something. I also don't really want to transport her more than necessary. She's very lethargic and I think she was asleep most of today. When she was moving around only had her right eye open.

No other vet in my area can slot her in for a few weeks and we had a reptile vet leave recently so there's very few. The one who did see her didn't do much but said she doesn't have any infections (I don't know how she managed to behave for the vet then come home and look terrible again, unless the vet was very incompetent or didn't care - I hope not but kind of wouldn't be surprised).

Would LOVE if someone on here could direct me to a GOOD cham vet. I think over video would be the way to go for now. I know it's not ideal but I am frustrated the vet I took her to didn't help at all. I just really want to help my cham, she's my baby
 
BTW, Cham info:
  • Your Chameleon - Veiled, Female. Almost 1 year old. We've had her since the end of November 2020.
  • Handling - We were handling her once a week. Handling her a bit more now as we need to syringe feed and sometimes she grabs on to our hands (eyes closed).
  • Feeding - We gut load the crickets and she used to eat like a monster. 7-10 a day as a baby up to last week when appetite went to 0 overnight
  • Supplements - Calculum without D3 every day. Vit A once every 2 weeks on feeders.
  • Watering - We have a little dripper and mist her multiple times a day with long mists. When she first started to close her eye I put her in the shower but it didn't make a difference for her.
  • Fecal Description - Were looking good up until a week ago when she stopped eating
  • History - She has been fit and healthy until this all kicked off. Eating well, drinking well, sleeping well, etc. This really came out of nowhere
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type -Vivexotic terrarium (it's v cold in the UK so this keeps the warmth in for her)
  • Lighting - Reptile UVB . We keep it on 12h off 12h.
  • Temperature - Temp range is 26-29C during day (keeping it warmer for her as she is sick). We used to drop it down at night to closer to 20C but haven't done this recently given her state
  • Humidity - She gets misted a lot
  • Plants - Boston fern and camellia. She likes to play in the fern at times
  • Placement - Not near any high traffic areas / air vents etc. Enclosure is about 2ft off the ground.
  • Location - UK
 
What's form of vitamin A is in the vitamin powder?
No phos free calcium/D3 twice a month?
What up by light do you use? Long linear tube or compact?
Basking light? Temp?
Urates white? Orange tinge?
 
I would be using a phos free calcium/D3 powder twice a month if there's no D3 in the vitamin powder.
What does it say for vitamin A?
 
thanks I will order some, but is the D3 the issue then for her? Does that cause eye issues like what she’s having?
I agree with what you’re saying BTW and will order but I’m just wondering what the root cause of her current issue is as i really want to help her start to get better as a priority if that makes sense
 
Do you have an egg laying bin in her cage? Veiled females can lay eggs without having mated.
Yep, have an egg laying bin. I also asked the vet if she might be eggbound but the vet said she didn’t feel any eggs in her.
She has gone to the bottom of the enclosure but I would say no more so than normal. She hasn’t been digging or scratching at the sides at all
 
Her colours are interesting though last week I thought she may be in heat as she turned a spotty green colour. She’s 100% green most of the day now still and her Normal colour. Not fading or turning brown/black or anything. Sometimes she puts on some stripes or spotted colours.

but I can’t figure out how being in heat etc would equal eye issues and lethargy. It’s the lethargy and sleeping during day that’s really concerning me
 
Can you please post pics of the arcadia supplements your using? The only one that they make that contains vitamin A is their revitaliseD3. The others are just calcium without D3 and water soluble vitamins. So if you do not have the revitaliseD3 then she is not getting vitamin A or D3.

What are the actual humidity levels? They only need 25-40% during the day.

What is the actual uvb lighting your using? T8, T5, Murcury Vapor, coil compact bulb?
 
Can you please post pics of the arcadia supplements your using? The only one that they make that contains vitamin A is their revitaliseD3. The others are just calcium without D3 and water soluble vitamins. So if you do not have the revitaliseD3 then she is not getting vitamin A or D3.

What are the actual humidity levels? They only need 25-40% during the day.

What is the actual uvb lighting your using? T8, T5, Murcury Vapor, coil compact bulb?
Link to the vit a I am using: https://www.internetreptile.com/arc...=b08700a4c18cd200cb85c90ae3dd0045&fo_s=gplauk

It’s their Earthpro A - back says “provides high levels of vitamin A” - is that incorrect?

I don’t have a humidity gauge but I dont think it is exceptionally humid in her enclosure

t5 UVB bulb
 
Link to the vit a I am using: https://www.internetreptile.com/arc...=b08700a4c18cd200cb85c90ae3dd0045&fo_s=gplauk

It’s their Earthpro A - back says “provides high levels of vitamin A” - is that incorrect?

I don’t have a humidity gauge but I dont think it is exceptionally humid in her enclosure

t5 UVB bulb
That is what I was afraid of. No it is not preformed Vitamin A. There's is a carotenoids and bee pollen. It is not actually the same thing. And in my experience using their products and the research I have done on supplements including theirs it should never be used for actual Vitamin A.

This one is meant to be used at all feedings. It is calcium without D3. This has water soluble vitamins in it including B and K Vitamins.

Then two times a month you have to provide a calcium with D3 and Vitamin A supplement. There are a few options. Arcadia RevitaliseD3 (must be used with proper T5 UVB lighting at the correct UVI level), Repashy calcium Plus LoD version, Or Reptivite with D3.

I would suggest getting a humidity gauge especially since you said you mist a lot.

Your T5 Uvb bulb. What strength is it and when did you last replace it?
 
All my questions are to eliminate things or correct husbandry things that could contribute to health issues.

Vitamin D3 and vitamin A interacts some ways so they need to be in balance...but I doubt that's part of an eye issue. Is the vitamin A prEformed or prOformed? Retinol or beta carotene?

The lethargy and sleeping during the day can be signs of eggbinding....but can be from other things too.is she sit int low in the cage too?

You mentioned color changes. In this thread there are photos of gravid females...do these match what you're describing?..
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/pictures-of-gravid-females-wanted.52392/
 
All my questions are to eliminate things or correct husbandry things that could contribute to health issues.

Vitamin D3 and vitamin A interacts some ways so they need to be in balance...but I doubt that's part of an eye issue. Is the vitamin A prEformed or prOformed? Retinol or beta carotene?

The lethargy and sleeping during the day can be signs of eggbinding....but can be from other things too.is she sit int low in the cage too?

You mentioned color changes. In this thread there are photos of gravid females...do these match what you're describing?..
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/pictures-of-gravid-females-wanted.52392/
Lynda it is carotenoids and B pollen. It is not Preformed A or retinol.
 
That is what I was afraid of. No it is not preformed Vitamin A. There's is a carotenoids and bee pollen. It is not actually the same thing. And in my experience using their products and the research I have done on supplements including theirs it should never be used for actual Vitamin A.

This one is meant to be used at all feedings. It is calcium without D3. This has water soluble vitamins in it including B and K Vitamins.

Then two times a month you have to provide a calcium with D3 and Vitamin A supplement. There are a few options. Arcadia RevitaliseD3 (must be used with proper T5 UVB lighting at the correct UVI level), Repashy calcium Plus LoD version, Or Reptivite with D3.

I would suggest getting a humidity gauge especially since you said you mist a lot.

Your T5 Uvb bulb. What strength is it and when did you last replace it?
Ok thanks. So I need to go out and urgently get her vit a. I don’t think I can get a reptile supplement tomorrow as I’d have to order it in. Any suggestions on how I can get some for her... maybe from a human pharmacy??
Definitely will get a humidity gauge.

it’s been 6 months with my UVB bulb. I got her at the end of November
 
All my questions are to eliminate things or correct husbandry things that could contribute to health issues.

Vitamin D3 and vitamin A interacts some ways so they need to be in balance...but I doubt that's part of an eye issue. Is the vitamin A prEformed or prOformed? Retinol or beta carotene?

The lethargy and sleeping during the day can be signs of eggbinding....but can be from other things too.is she sit int low in the cage too?

You mentioned color changes. In this thread there are photos of gravid females...do these match what you're describing?..
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/pictures-of-gravid-females-wanted.52392/
No she sits pretty high in the enclosure most of the time. She gets a bit of this colour but this week she’s been mostly green
 

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Ok thanks. So I need to go out and urgently get her vit a. I don’t think I can get a reptile supplement tomorrow as I’d have to order it in. Any suggestions on how I can get some for her... maybe from a human pharmacy??
Definitely will get a humidity gauge.

it’s been 6 months with my UVB bulb. I got her at the end of November
I am not saying it is definitely Vitamin A deficiency without seeing pics of her. There are other stand outs... Starting with only one eye closing. The not knowing humidity and the going off food. Also the color change. Then you add in the amount of feeders she was eating and the basking temp is being kept at... These two factors increase clutch size drastically.

There is some beta carotene conversion that can happen, this is what Arcadia is meaning by their supplement being a source of A. Although it is a largely debated topic within the hobby as to beta carotene converting to Vitamin A.

Force feeding is not needed when she has only been off food a week. It actually can cause more stress then you want.

Take pics tomorrow of her and the entire enclosure for us.
 
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