Will she recover? The battle continues . . .

dinomom said:
Baytril is hard on kidneys so make sure she is hydrated.
My tip for opening little mouths is a cheap plastic guitar pick. You can ease it in and then rotate it to make a space for meds
Click to expand...
Ahhhh, I like that idea! I was thinking credit card but guitar pick would probably be even easier to manipulate.
Sue
 
If you use anything to keep the mouth open be very very careful not to cause an abrasion to the mouth. You then risk mouth rot and an infection.

I have either injected feeders or when they get pissed and gape at me you get the syringe into the mouth toward the very back so they do not aspirate. This should be done semi quickly so being ready for the gape with the syringe.

My worry is that they suspect it is this and that. But no blood work and no xray to confirm. As mentioned baytril is hard on the kidneys... So if it is not an infection at all and it is a parasite issue you are giving meds that are hard on her organs and for no reason.

I really hope they did not charge you 1k for this visit... To just see her and do two meds that is way overpriced.

So at this point make sure feeders are size appropriate and get a variety for her. Even waxworms... with her being under weight getting her to eat on her own is more ideal then force feeding. Try different feeding methods. release a few crickets at a time on the screen near her. See if she picks them off after you move away from the cage.
 
Thanks. The emergency vet visit with the exotic pet doc including all meds and Critical Care was $281..... I thought that was fair. I appreciate the tips and advice on force-feeding and will try to incorporate them all. I was able to get a decent drop into the back of her throat when she gaped at me earlier and was THRILLED that she was strong enough to be mad at me! Prying her mouth open is my last resort, she is just so fragile and delicate. I will continue to try and hand feed her and I do have wax worms, fly larvae, roaches, and all sorts of other goodies. There are a couple of loose small crickets in there but she is ignoring them. I'm trying to be thankful for the small victories.... today's being that she is still alive!
Sue
 
It's going surprisingly well with the force feeding of Critical Care - it almost seems like she wants it. So my question today is: is it possible to overfeed her the Critical Care? The technician at the vet's office that demonstrated placed maybe 1 drop from a syringe in the side of her mouth and said that was fine for a daily dose. I asked if I could give more if able and he said "yes" but is there such a thing as giving her too much or should I build up her strength and weight as much as possible?

Thanks in advance.
Sue
 
SueAndHerZoo said:
It's going surprisingly well with the force feeding of Critical Care - it almost seems like she wants it. So my question today is: is it possible to overfeed her the Critical Care? The technician at the vet's office that demonstrated placed maybe 1 drop from a syringe in the side of her mouth and said that was fine for a daily dose. I asked if I could give more if able and he said "yes" but is there such a thing as giving her too much or should I build up her strength and weight as much as possible?

Thanks in advance.
Sue
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It’s best to give it 3 times a day. What kind of syringe are you using? I use a medical syringe and give a 1/3 syringe three times a day.
 
jannb said:
It’s best to give it 3 times a day. What kind of syringe are you using? I use a medical syringe and give a 1/3 syringe three times a day.
Click to expand...
I am using a 1 ml medical syringe and I would guess that I gave her about 1/2 a syringe 3 times today. I'm also wondering if I should leave it thin and runny or thicken it up a bit? Is there less chance of aspiration if I make it on the thick side?
Sue
 
SueAndHerZoo said:
I am using a 1 ml medical syringe and I would guess that I gave her about 1/2 a syringe 3 times today. I'm also wondering if I should leave it thin and runny or thicken it up a bit? Is there less chance of aspiration if I make it on the thick side?
Sue
Click to expand...

If she’s drinking well, then you could mix it a little thicker. If she’s not drinking she would need the extra hydration. There’s a reason why she’s not eating so be sure to get that fecal tomorrow.
 
Can I use the syringe to give her some warm RO/DI water? She seems interested in the water dripping from her dripper but I haven't witnessed her taking any of it in yet.
Sue
 
SueAndHerZoo said:
Can I use the syringe to give her some warm RO/DI water? She seems interested in the water dripping from her dripper but I haven't witnessed her taking any of it in yet.
Sue
Click to expand...

Are you misting her? You could give her a drip with the syringe but if you think she’s not drinking, I’d miss the critical care runny.

Also, if she has parasites Baytril will not help at all.
 
Yes, she's on her regular misting schedule and I have even rinsed her body under gently running, warm water after each feeding, then put her back to her basking spot.
Sue
 
I lost her a few days ago. Was able to keep her alive for 5 days after the second vet visit but I don't think any of my efforts helped her. All I can do is pray they didn't HURT her and didn't cause her any more suffering or discomfort than she was already in.

Some lessons learned:
  • Buy from a reputable breeder whenever possible
  • Don't get one that is too young unless you are very chammy-savvy
  • If the vet gives a clean bill of health but you still feel something is wrong, find another vet
  • Be prepared that these are very fragile, tender, sensitive creatures that are not easy to keep happy and healthy. I certainly put in the time, money and effort, but I think I had too many strikes against me from the start. :(
Sue
 
SueAndHerZoo said:
I lost her a few days ago. Was able to keep her alive for 5 days after the second vet visit but I don't think any of my efforts helped her. All I can do is pray they didn't HURT her and didn't cause her any more suffering or discomfort than she was already in.

Some lessons learned:
  • Buy from a reputable breeder whenever possible
  • Don't get one that is too young unless you are very chammy-savvy
  • If the vet gives a clean bill of health but you still feel something is wrong, find another vet
  • Be prepared that these are very fragile, tender, sensitive creatures that are not easy to keep happy and healthy. I certainly put in the time, money and effort, but I think I had too many strikes against me from the start. :(
Sue
Click to expand...
I am so sorry to hear that. Make sure you thoroughly clean her cage before you use it for another one. My worry here is that she had a parasite issue that can cross contaminate to another chameleon.
 
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