I e-mailed a friend that I think may know the Vet that does the consults, though Lele’s suggestion to try Dr. Alfonzo is a great one!
Along the lines of Eric’s question.... I have some thoughts... or more a story, Archimedes “short” story....
Archimedes prolapses were caused by an obstruction, but there were many factors that caused the obstruction.... prey being primary. His problems began about a month or two into the “silkworm virus” nightmare. It was also about this time that I changed gutloads, not sure that it had an effect, but it was a change. Up to this point, his staple diet consisted of crickets and silkworms with the random super, wax, hornworm, roach etc. thrown in to round it out. Obviously I had to make up the loss of the silkies with the other mentioned items, but few of them contained the same moisture content that the silkworms did.
Archimedes hydration had never been a concern as he drank readily from a dripper, auto mister and hand mistings. His bowel movements had been “regular” up to this point at usually a couple times a week. They were always well formed and the urates white.
I believe the causing factor of the obstruction was appropriately sized, de-legged hissers. He had refused the hissers for quite some time, so unfortunately I didn’t limit his intake of them and allowed him to take 4 at one sitting. This by itself without the other factors I don’t believe would have been a problem, but he prolapsed within about a week of eating the hissers... I did not recognize any outward signs of trouble until about day 3 or 4. This was when I started to worry as he hadn’t had a bowel movement for about 5 days, although he had, on occasion, been known to go as much as a week between.
I increased his misting durations, added more warm showers/soaks and even tried a small amount of psyllium in a tsp. of watered down prune juice (ok’d by vet).... No go....Within a day he quit drinking and was “antsy”. When I checked on him the next morning he had prolapsed. Off to the vet.
The vet was able to push the tissue back in and put in a purse string stitch. Fluids were injected directly into the impacted mass threw his side inhopes of softening and making it easier for him to pass. He was put on antibiotics, pain meds, a strict diet of carnivore care 1-2 mls 2 x daily and sent home. During this 2 week time he only had one bowel movement and it was small, but enough to be tested for parasites, negative as were the next 2 tests. When the stitch was removed at the 2 week mark, he immediately had a large movement. He remained on the carnivore care for 2 additional weeks after the removal of the stitch, but prolapsed again not long after going back on bugs. So, there was a repeat of the first time around at the vet as well as the addition of the abdominal tacks. He went back on the carnivore care for another 2 weeks before returning to a diet of NO chitin. For the most part he has been ok ever since, despite a huge weight loss. He dropped from 180g’s to just over 140....
I have recently started introducing medium sized, newly shed, de-winged, de-legged , well gutloaded crickets! (What a mouth full!) The difference I see in him already is amazing, though I am being very careful not to over do it as there is concern that things could get “tangled up” in the tacks..... I don’t believe his bowel movements will ever be the same... They are very “loose”.
But alas, he is coming around. His colors are coming back, he is alert, bright eyed and curly tailed and as of a few days ago back up to 163g’s!!!
I blame myself for the problems with Archimedes and wish that I had seen the potential for disaster when I still could have done something to prevent it. Chameleons systems are so sensitive to even the slightest of changes and unfortunately the results of some of these may not be seen for days, weeks, months ......... or longer. Time is crucial.
I continue to hope for the best with Archimedes, he is a very gentle tropper that truly seems to enjoy living.
I’m sorry this was so long (and I know there were things I didn’t mention!), but I hope that Archimedes story can give you some hope.
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~Jamie
Pic's! pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/herphappy/my_photos
. we know about keeping intestines moist with sugar water, etc but what we would like to know if there have been any miracle recoveries after 3 prolapses?
