What's going on with his mouth?

[Juliaf3]

mouth rot?!?!

Your Chameleon - xantholophus, male, approximately 1 1/2. October 2013 he came to live with me
Handling - once a month or so - he's not mean, doesn't bite, just doesn't like to be held. Displays stressed colors when I hold him so I avoid it.
Feeding - crickets, supers, butters, horns, pheonix worms then flies as they change(he loves anything that flies) Indian sticks, wax I use the moths to when they change. I had some silks for the first time but they died. Ugh. I had the chow to moist. The amount varies. I usually try and do a mixture of soft and crunchy. Let's just pretend here, so I'll put in about 6 crickets, 1 super, 1-2 horns depending on size, couple pheonix worms and flies, and a butter. i put these in about an hour after lights on. Later in the day if he has ate everything- I will give him And Indian or two. He is a free range fed boy. Crickets are gut loaded with bug burger and greens mixed in, supers get carrots and this lovely blended up dry mix my friend BKfritz makes. I'm not sure what all is in it, but it's from Sandra's blog I do believe. Horns with the chow they come with, butters get butter squash but they never eat it. Indians are getting rose bush and romaine.
Supplements - repashy superfood calcium plus LoD. Every other feeding. Except in the summer because he gets a lot of outside time then.
Watering - I have an aquazamp rain system. 4 times a day 9:31 -9:55 11:30-11:50 13:30-14:00 15:40-16:00. I see him drinking.
Fecal Description - good looking poop. Brown, firm but not rock hard. Nice white urate. Gets tested several times a year for parasites. Last test on 10/27 tested positive for round worms. Prescribed penacur. 4 ml for ten days.
History - no issues until the parasites on 10/27. He was a good 15 grams under weight then. He's up about ten grams now. In the 80 range.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - screen. 36 inches tall, 36 inches wide, 18 inches deep
Lighting - 36 inch HO T5 double light fixture from LYR. Currently at 12 on 12 off. Bulbs are 6500k and an Arcadia 6% bulb. 14 weeks old. Basking bulb is regular old house bulb. 75 watt
Temperature - We stay in the 70-77 range for ambient. Basking is always right about 83-84. Doesn't bask to often. Usually only after a good meal. Temp- 50-60 range. Temp gun.
Humidity - We stay in the 65-75 range. There are short periods of lower humidity. Usually in the morning. Occasionally I've seen humidity in high 80s-low 90s right after a session. His aquazamp and large pothos keep it nice and humid. In the winter I usually have to cover a side or two. I have a digital humidity gun type deal. I also have those round cheap humidity things but I don't really trust them.
Plants - large Pothos. Branches are from lilac bush.
Placement - his cage is located in my basement in a room. I'm able to achieve the proper temp drops this way. Very low traffic. No cents or fans. Cage top is about 6 1/2 from floor.
Location - Pipestone, MN


He has a vet appointment at 2:30 today. Just noticed this morning his lip was swollen. Just curious as to if any of yall had experience or seen such an issue. He's eating and drinking normal. Just hoping it's not ulcerative stomatitis but it's sure looking like it. I got him to open his mouth and if it's mouth rot I've caught it pretty early I think. Teeth look fine.

 

[Juliaf3]

Supplement

 

[Juliaf3]

Issue

 

[Juliaf3]

Another picture of issue

 

[Juliaf3]

Why he is not handled. It only gets worse when he's actually in my hand. He will hand feed and everything, just doesn't like being handled. He's really a sweet boy.

 

[Juliaf3]

Bump bump bump....


If it's mouth rot, how hard is it to treat?

 

[camimom]

It does appear to be some sort of infection, jax are super prone to it.

youll need to learn from a vet how to clean the mouth, and apply the topical stuff to it, I think its betadine mixed with something else.

if caught early, its not that hard to treat, but you need a vet to help.

 

[Juliaf3]

Well that's great news! He sees the vet at 2:30 today I'm actually going out of town for 10 days tomorrow, BUT my chameleon sitter is also a chameleon owner and member on here and I know she'll take very good care of him.

 

[Lathis]

Yep, he has a bit of a mouth infection. When my Jax got his temporal glad infection about a year and half ago, it presented much the same way. The vet should clean the area and sample the pus. He will probably prescribe an oral antibiotic for daily use for 7 to 10 days-ish. It cleared up really well for Ferdinand and I haven't had a problem since, although I do keep a close eye on him.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/pouty-lip-poor-muscle-tension-lower-jaw-jacksons-cham-109074/

Good luck at the vet today!

 

[Juliaf3]

Thank you Lathis! I'll let yall know as soon as I know.

 

[Juliaf3]

My husband just called. He actually took him to the vet today as I'm packing and have parent teacher conferences. I asked him a million questions and he said, no joke, "I don't know what it is, I just know he put a q tip in his butt and another all in his mouth and said there's infection, put ointment on twice a day for two weeks." I said well did he say what type of infection? He said "no he played with him for awhile though. Said it's important not to let the infection Get into his jaw." I said, yeah he likes me boys. He responded "I don't know how much he likes him if he's shoving things up his butt" LOL my husband is not a chameleon person or familiar with chameleon vet visits. I was quite shocked when he volunteered to take him in. I'm going to have to call and talk to the vet to get the answers I want lol the husband gets a A for effort though I'm assuming it's ulcerative stomatitis though since my husband heard "don't let it get Into his jaw" the vet will make all his appointment notes at the end of the day so I'll call back in the morning for an exact diagnosis. sorry guys lol

 

[Juliaf3]

Husband just got home. On the paper the vet gave it looks like he did a cytology and an examination recheck (he had parasites a couple weeks ago. Prescribed Muricin 2% ointment 15 gm tub. Suppose to put ointment on twice a day for two weeks.

 

[Juliaf3]

So I was on vacation for 10 days. Got back yesterday and just thought I'd update yall. It was in fact ulcerative stomatitis- despite my uneasy feeling about the antibiotic prescribed it does seem to be working. Snapped a little update for yall.

 

[Miss Lily]

Awww, I'm so pleased he's doing well! My Jackson, Monty, had a problem with his mouth too but the vet found that he had broken a tooth and some tissue had grown over it. I actually found the problem from a photo I managed to get when he was eating.

 

[Juliaf3]

Awww, I'm so pleased he's doing well! My Jackson, Monty, had a problem with his mouth too but the vet found that he had broken a tooth and some tissue had grown over it. I actually found the problem from a photo I managed to get when he was eating.

I remember monty. I miss seeing that beautiful boy. crazy that you were able to see it in a picture of him eating. I'm very pleased myself. When I was filling out the how to ask for help form I realized my boy is getting up there in his age and I got even more anxious about his mouth. It breaks my heart the average life expectancy for Jacksons is so short. All chams in general really. Jacksons just seem to have gotten the short straw when it comes to age.

 

[Miss Lily]

I had read that they can make it to 8 - 10 years, that's why it was so hard to lose him before his 3rd birthday. I really thought we would have a nice long time together. Glad your boy is doing well!

 

[junglefries]

Know problem is solved, but watch out. Jax like to get crix legs stuck in their mouth, causing issues. I feed mine smaller crix to help. Just a precaution.

 

[Lathis]

So I was on vacation for 10 days. Got back yesterday and just thought I'd update yall. It was in fact ulcerative stomatitis- despite my uneasy feeling about the antibiotic prescribed it does seem to be working. Snapped a little update for yall.

Looks like he's starting to do better! Glad to see some positive progress!