New Male not doin so good

[Collide]

Iv had a new panther male for about 3 weeks now he is 1 1/2 and since i have got him he is continually going down hill, His eyes have continuasilly been sinking even though we are misting the hell out of him and he is drinking like mad. I have never seen him eat although i have noticed diminished crix. I have tryed him with different foods with ne sucess although i do think he has eatin some silks. I resorted to force feeding him today with out much luck so i mashed up some crix ewwwww but that dident work well too many cricket parts clog the tube, and he refuses to open his mouth and when he finaly does he trashes his head. still strong.

Prob # two some discoloration around his tail it looks like brusing similar to a females vent after laying eggs, ill show a pic. also when i run my finger along his tail the discolored area seems to bee soft not like my other male.

so ony sugestions on how to force feed him easier. or what the discoloration is. I have delt with sick chams b4 but this guy seems to want to suffer.

sorry had to take these pics with my webcam so there not that great

http://www.u4iainteractive.com/images/one.jpg
http://www.u4iainteractive.com/images/two.jpg

[meow_mix450]

hmmmmm, when you got him, was he in perfect condintion????did the person you get it from have it for a while??? Cause the person could have been feeding him differently. Have you tried the shower theory???I really hope he feels better. One mroe thing has he been weird latly. Just thoughts, keep us posted

Meow

[Collide]

Iv been in contact with the people i got him from they were good people they raised him from birth i dont think the problem lies there could thiss all bee stress from the move still its been 3 weeks and i think he should be gettin somewhat comphy by now ahh...

And he has no issues drinking god i think he drinks more then me...

I hate sick chams

[meow_mix450]

Ya i forgot to say stress, it took my cham about a month to get use to me and everything, i guess just give it time?

Meow

[Trace]

I wouldn't give it time. I know you haven't had the greatest experiences with the vets in your area, but I think he should see one. There has recently been a thread about good vets in the GTA, I'll find it and post the recommendations here. High Park rings a bell?

I saw the pics you posted 3 weeks ago and he looked fantastic compared to the ones now. To me, that's such a short amount of time for him to go downhill. I suspect there is something more going on than simple new owner stress.

Keep us posted.

Trace

[Trace]

Oh geez! Sifting through Linds' posts takes FOREVER! That girl can chat! :p Although she is filled to brim with good information.

Linds does recommend the High Park Animal Clinic. They are located at 3194 Dundas St W. and the number is: 416-763-4200. I have seen other members recommend this clinic as well.

Hope this helps!

Trace

[Collide]

Thanks trace ill give then a call in the morning , in the mean time any ideas on what it could be?

[Trace]

Originally posted by Collide
Thanks trace, in the mean time any ideas on what it could be?

I'm by no means a vet... but that bruising on his vent, tail and legs indicates an injury of some sort. When did develop that and did it develop quickly? Did he fall or get caught somewhere? Is he in with the female you got at the same time as him?

I saw the pic of your new cage on another thread and I'm assuming he's in that one... am I right? All the plants looked like non-toxic ones, but maybe double check them to rule out any accidental poisonings. Did he maybe eat something he shouldn't have a few weeks back? I know certain softwoods are toxic to chameleons but I think pine is ok for cage construction, although I'd have to look that up.

I'm just throwing some ideas out there to start.

Trace

[Collide]

All my cages are pine, Iv had some for years. as for falling i guess that is a possibility but he is still very strog despite how he looks though. the female is in another cage and i have not put them togeather. Plants ficus benjamina, and pothos, and that i bucket feed him thats how he was fed b4, I put silks on the branches for him just put a few more in just now im hoping he will grab them. I have watched to see if he is drinking off the wood he never does always off the leaves, he looks horrible tonite im gonna get him somewhere tomorrow, I also got a vets name from my local reptile store for a vet. O I hate this everything i know isent working and ahhh well i got one large crix in him today and some from the tube but no way to tell how much.

and heres something else his poo is very white and runny like bird poo . ahhh i feel soo helpless

It just dosent make sence

[Collide]

humm he just went to bed now that u mentioned injury/poisioning in having some new thoughts looking at the brusing it sems to be spreading he has lightened up now that he is in bed and i notice a line almost following his spine of brusing soo my thoughts are if it is poisioning (in which case i have no idea how that would have happened) if they are poisioned would it effect there nervous system? which would be in the sine right but in that case wouldent that cause other problems? If its injury is it possibel that something is broken or mabey he has hurt his spine? Im just trying to come up with some rational explanation for this. just trying to figure out what would cause this. Ill be going to the vet tomorow if one of the two leads will take me. guess i just need to vent out my worries.. just thinking...

[Trace]

Don't feel helpless. Don't feel guilty. Try not to worry. I know it's hard not to, but try! Keep him stable overnight until you can see a vet tomorrow, it's the best you can do.

Now I threw out those questions in my previous post just to get you to think about what he's been up to for the last 3 weeks. I could be way off base with my line of thinking. In the second pic though, it certainly looks like he's been crushed or he got pinched somewhere. It could also be a symptom of something else going on too. I think you made the right choice by taking him to a professional. Let's hope it's something that is simple and easily remedied.

Good luck tomorrow! Keep me posted.

Trace

[Collide]

hey guys no one would see him till monday :( in afraid at this point that is way to far a way. His eyes have sunken even more which i dont understand due to the amount of water he is drinking. I guess all I can do now is wait till monday and do my best to keep him going. I got a plastic baby spoon from a friend and im trying to scoop some muched silks/crix/ect in his mouth i tryed many times today with no luck so i think im just going to have to be more ruff with him i guess. his colors are muted today not a good sign... I just dont understand it dosent make any sence to me.. will im trying to say hopefull but my hopes are dwindaling i hope he is strong enouf to make it through the weekend...

[choriona]

just out of curiousity : does the coloration seem to be a shade of grey, black and white on his tail, head, tip of the limbs and stuff? But not really on the tummy region? Is the de-coloration spreading?
Or is the "bruised" area staying the same?
Is he very active?
Give him lots of water. Thats the first line of defence for a vet, hydration. Try not to stress him too much. Maybe you can put him in a small container with a warm bottle of water and some wet towels. Try to keep him surrounded with moisture/humidity and warmth until you can get him to the vet. It may not be so important for you to be feeding him at this point. Focus on keeping him calm and feeling safe.

[choriona]

oh, when was the last time he passed a fecal? Have you ever seen one from him in your 3 weeks? If so, did it look normal? Could he of injested something that has caused an impaction? This may result in a diminished appetite.

[J-Man]

Hi,

Sorry about all of your troubles. I know what it's like to have a sick cham.. it's not fun and very upsetting. The only input I have is that I think sunken eyes can either be a sign of dehydration or kidney failure? I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere.

[Collide]

the discoloration is just on the base of his tale and it seems to be not spreading now, the last poo i saw was white and very runny like bird poo. he moves around and seems to be strong there is no was he would let me put him in a container he is still moving around drinking uper well but that does not seem to be helping, he is basking and then he goes down in the plants so he seems to be regulating himself. Those eyes keep going deeper i dont understand it.

[eyespy]

I'm worried that discoloration might be a sign of infection. If so, he might be getting very dehydrated in spite of drinking a lot.

[Collide]

he really is not well he is sitting there with his mouth open and his eyes are soo bad Im afraid he will not make it through the nite. Im trying not too think about it too much very sad. If he makes it through the nite im very doubtfull he sill make it to monday god i hate vets.....

[Trace]

Are there no 24 hour emerg clinics down your way that could see him tonight? It will be horribly expensive, but at least he could possibly be stabilized and treatments started.

Good luck, he's in my thoughts.

Trace

[Collide]

there are 3 emerg clinics around here non will even look at reptiles. he went to sleep on a branch an when i went to check him right now he has fallen and is sleeping in the foliage. his breathing is now labored and he is suffering i can tell I doubt he will wake up in the morning, he was so handsom, I was so happy to get him now i feel horrible.

[Dani33]

I am so sorry. It must be aweful to go through this.

[Collide]

Automn passed a way last nite I burried himin the garden. I was gonna take im to get an autopsie to find out but i think that I would not be able to be in the vets presence Id get too mad. He keept his colors even in death poor guy. RIP Automn

thanks for every ones support!

[Trace]

Ohhhhh... I'm so sorry to hear about his passing. I was really hoping he would hang in there until tomorrow. There is nothing I can say that will help you in this sad time, I'm not good at things like that, except I know it feels when you lose one so cherished.

My deepest condolences.

Trace

[choriona]

oh gosh, I am really sorry for your loss. It is upsetting to sit around and watch something you love suffer, wanting to make it better for them, but not knowing how. I don't think the vet would of been of much help anyways, being in the condition you described. Animals are so good at hiding their pain until it is too late. And reptiles are expecially devious.
That is the hardest thing about owning these animals I think, we really don't know what is going on with them. But please don't feel bad, i bet you gave him a great last few weeks.

[gfisher2002]

I can't say how sorry I am. I wish I could have helped. If I knew you and lived close I'd have been right there beside you trying to keep him alive and to a vet. Sorry for your loss. Your love for him will be remembered in your next chameleon. You might just be twice as fond of the next. Keep your spirits up, sometimes there's just nothing you can do.

[CDN-Cresties]

Sorry about your loss :(

-Steve-