nicks picks

Hi all...

I've had lots of herps, including chameleons over the years. I've seen
all kinds of health issues with them, but this is a new one.

I've been gone a few days and returned home to find my Veiled Cham on
the floor of his cage w/half of his guts haning out of his ass !!

Fine one day, like this the next is what i'm told.

He's obviously not doing well. looks dehydrated..not able to get around
very much and breathing very deeply.
I can't do a thing about it now and finding a vet asap is the obvious
plan for tomorrow.

any ideas what this is?
some sort of deviated rectum issue?

chris mcmartin

SOUNDS like a severe prolapse. What's it been eating?

justin williams

This is called a prolapse. Try to keep those intestines hydrated. The
vet will surgically pack them back inside, if possible. Then you're
going to have a pretty intensive care dealing with a cham who can't poop
normally until the stitches are removed...

fr0glet

HGHAHAHA deviated rectum!!~@@!

He may need surgery. Prolapsing is serious.

Until you can get him to a vet, you must keep the tissue nice and
moist and warm so it doesn't dry up.

Some people have excellent success in making lizards withdraw their
prolapses using the following technique: make some very hot water,
dissolve as much sugar in it as humanly possible. It must be FULLY
dissolved, no crystals. Allow the water to cool to room temp
(certainly no hotter than 80F), soak the lizard's butt in the water.
The dissolved sugar results in an osmotic effect, the tissue absorbs
it and can often be then easily reabsorbed into the animal's body.

Detrius matter (dirt and shit) getting on the tissue are a big risk.
Set up a "hospital" environment immediately. Reduce stress, limit
handling to bare minimums. Unless the animal is emaciated, limit food
avilability to limit stress.

Causes may include an eggbound female or an impacted animal. Either
way qualified vet assistance is in order... let us know how it does!

fr0glet

zetekitoxin

The vet may also be able to reduce the cloacal prolapse
non-surgically. Your first step is to get the cham off
of any particulate bedding and on to damp papertowels.

Next stop is definitely the vet.

-M

nicks picks

thanks all...

its morning now, still too early to call a vet but that will happen.
looks like I did everything right, with the exception of keeping his
guts moist. I thought of that, but couldn't see how it would stay moist
w/o a cold lizard. I'm in Maine, and its very dry in the house due to
the heat.

his guts are dry, definately. there is fecal matter on them, but no
dirt. I tried to wash him last night, but he was obviously in a lot of
discomfort when i'd touch him w/warm water.

feeding this guy has been business as usual. Crickets..wax
worms...starndard fare.
not sure how this happened.

I'll try the sugar water technique this morning and see how that fairs
while im vet hunting.

nicks picks

a successful trip to the vet. packed his ass back together, gave it a
stitch to hold it in place. a few injections and some meds.

I hope he'll get better, but he's been laying on the floor since I
brought him home (as he was before we left).

anyone have any force feeding tips?
I may have to result to that, though I hate to add stress to this. I
hope he pulls through.

another thing that i'm sure is stressing him. I have to keep him in a
different cage as his big maine cage is too big for him in this
condition. I can't keep lights on him when he's on the bottom of a 4
foot reptarium.

Thanks for all the DX work peeps. I appreciate it.

jim smith

More important than eating right now, I would mist him as much as
possible. Get him hydrated, and hopefully the eating will take care
of itself.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

nicks picks

I think misting him will stress him out. hes just laying in a pile
right now...has been for two days.
water is given via a dropper in his mouth. not easy....
I have to give him some meds this way too. little bastard wont open his
mouth at all, so its a fight..and it causes his wang to come out through
the stitches. the vet told me that this was absolutely crucial though.

nicks picks

....and another update.
if he's not dead now, he will certainly be by tomorrow.
He was too far gone. should have just saved the $150 and euthanized him
while I was at the vet.
sheesh..you think i'd know better by now after so many years of this.
Its hard to pull herps back from the brink.
I've never had any luck.

I think I'll have to bow out of reptiles for a while...which pains me.
I've always had "something"...but with a two year old, and another on
the way in a month...I just dont have the time.