dumbblondie
New Member
1 of my chameleons have a bulging neck i looked it up & found edema but it didn't give much info on it how serious is it? & why has it only affected 1 of my chameleons?
whats Edema?
- Thread starter dumbblondie
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sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
gular edema may be due to hypervitaminosis
Can you post a picture?
Can you tell us about your chameleons set-up? (temp, supplements, watering schedule, lighting, etc)
I am not an expert on this, but I believe hypervitaminosis, chronic dehydration, and very old age (in that order) are the three most common causes of gular edema.
Hypervitaminosis means there an excess of vitamins in the animals system, such that its body cannot process (and/or rid itself of) them properly. This can cause all kinds of health issues, including liver and kidney damage. The effects of hypervitaminosis will often be noticeable due to edema (accumulation of fluid between tissue cells), which usually appears as swelling under the neck (gular edema), sometimes swelling of the limbs too. Other symptoms can include weakness, listlessness, poor appetite, and maybe sunken eyes (dehydration from kidney damage). It’s pretty serious.
Over supplementation is the most common cause of hypervitaminosis. The vitamins that most cause problems for reptiles are vitamin A and D3.
If you use vitamin supplement powders, Make sure that the product you’re using does NOT use pre-formed vitamin A. Pay attention to your gut loads too. What’s in that goes into your cham.
There are likely some that will heartily disagree with my statement about Vit A. I’m in the camp that strongly favours beta carotene over pre-formed Vit A, as it is believed Vit A builds up in their system over time. However even so I don’t think very occasional Vit A is going to be an issue (but I do mean occasional, as in a couple times a year only).
Similarly, if you supplement vitamin D3, do so in careful moderation. You should be using a calcium supplement without D3 most of the time, and with D3 a lot less often. My chams do not get outdoors real sunlight exposure, so I do use D3 once a month or so.
It may seem counter intuitive that swelling could mean dehydration, but it can. How often and in what way do you provide water?
Can you post a picture?
Can you tell us about your chameleons set-up? (temp, supplements, watering schedule, lighting, etc)
I am not an expert on this, but I believe hypervitaminosis, chronic dehydration, and very old age (in that order) are the three most common causes of gular edema.
Hypervitaminosis means there an excess of vitamins in the animals system, such that its body cannot process (and/or rid itself of) them properly. This can cause all kinds of health issues, including liver and kidney damage. The effects of hypervitaminosis will often be noticeable due to edema (accumulation of fluid between tissue cells), which usually appears as swelling under the neck (gular edema), sometimes swelling of the limbs too. Other symptoms can include weakness, listlessness, poor appetite, and maybe sunken eyes (dehydration from kidney damage). It’s pretty serious.
Over supplementation is the most common cause of hypervitaminosis. The vitamins that most cause problems for reptiles are vitamin A and D3.
If you use vitamin supplement powders, Make sure that the product you’re using does NOT use pre-formed vitamin A. Pay attention to your gut loads too. What’s in that goes into your cham.
There are likely some that will heartily disagree with my statement about Vit A. I’m in the camp that strongly favours beta carotene over pre-formed Vit A, as it is believed Vit A builds up in their system over time. However even so I don’t think very occasional Vit A is going to be an issue (but I do mean occasional, as in a couple times a year only).
Similarly, if you supplement vitamin D3, do so in careful moderation. You should be using a calcium supplement without D3 most of the time, and with D3 a lot less often. My chams do not get outdoors real sunlight exposure, so I do use D3 once a month or so.
It may seem counter intuitive that swelling could mean dehydration, but it can. How often and in what way do you provide water?
opihiman
New Member
edema is build up of fluid due to infection or trauma or both. 
The reason for one cham having it can be one or both of the causes. If it is an infection and the chams are in the same viv the likehood it will be passed on is fairly good.
You need to determine the cause and in that way can prevent your other cham from getting it.
this may require a visit to a good vet in any case.
Hope that helps.
OPI
The reason for one cham having it can be one or both of the causes. If it is an infection and the chams are in the same viv the likehood it will be passed on is fairly good.
You need to determine the cause and in that way can prevent your other cham from getting it.
this may require a visit to a good vet in any case.
Hope that helps.
OPI
CleanLineChameleons
Avid Member
Many times edema is caused from an improper vitamin balance in chameleons. I would look more into your supplement schedule and watering schedule. Edema is fluid outside of the chameleon blood vessels within tissues.
-chris
-chris
dodolah
Retired Moderator
edema is build up of fluid due to infection or trauma or both.
The reason for one cham having it can be one or both of the causes. If it is an infection and the chams are in the same viv the likehood it will be passed on is fairly good.
You need to determine the cause and in that way can prevent your other cham from getting it.
this may require a visit to a good vet in any case.
Hope that helps.
OPI
Are you talking about abscess?
as far as i know, Gular Edema is not infectious.
Here's an excerpt from Mader's Reptile medicine and surgery:
"Edema is a feature of many disorders, ranging from Hypovitaminosis A that mainly affects the eyelids to cardiovascular or renal disease that causes generalized fluid accumulation. Edema warrants full diagnostic investigation. (p207)"
So, your best action is by going to the vet
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
edema is build up of fluid due to infection or trauma or both.
You need to determine the cause and in that way can prevent your other cham from getting it.
OPI
This quote comes from another thread in the forum, but seems relevant and useful so I hope you dont mind!?
opihiman
New Member
Are you talking about abscess?
as far as i know, Gular Edema is not infectious.
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So, your best action is by going to the vet
just edema in general.
OPI
dumbblondie
New Member
i've recently been 2 the vets about a different problem with the female the vet gave a lot of advice about keepin the humidity up so the r gettin sprayed with water more but any suggestions on how 2 keep it up when i'm at work will b a big help & she seemed quite happy with the viv they r in i was told by the pet shop 2 dust the crickets with 2 different powders 1 one day the other the next i think 1 isa vitamin A powder what do u mean by gut loads? is that what the crickets r fed on b4 the chameleons eat them? if so i give the crickets lettuce
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes, gut-loading is feeding good stuff to the crickets (or other feeder insects) so that the nutrients get into your chameleon in turn
Lettuce isnt a good gut-load (very little nutritional value to lettuce, except perhaps romaine lettuce). Everyone seems to rave about the receipe on adcham: http://www.adcham.com/html/husbandry/gutload.html
Lettuce isnt a good gut-load (very little nutritional value to lettuce, except perhaps romaine lettuce). Everyone seems to rave about the receipe on adcham: http://www.adcham.com/html/husbandry/gutload.html
