Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Having brought my cham to visit local vet for his prolapse problem and paying $200 for consultant fees, my cham is still suffer from his illness....

The reason I'm so disappoint is that he seems to know very little of reptile and had no idea the root caused of the sickness. From what I know, he had been x-ray my cham (no to mention the charges) and claim that there should have no problem from is internal organ and replace it by surgery. However, when I call him today and telling him my cham looks suffer from 'purge' things and asking him indept of what we saw from the x-ray, he just reply that there isn't much to see from it (so what's to point of taking the x-ray from the first place? $$$ issue?).

Also, from the very beginning, I'd already addressed that if illness can't be treated for certain, it is better to put him to sleep to end his suffer. However, perhaps he could charge me more of all the x-ray, surgery, medication, consultant fees....and prolong his poor life. I don't see what this vet has been helping on resolving my problem.....

Sorry to hear that
i hope that he gets better!

Poor guy, I hope he gets better.

Is this vet the only vet you can use? Is there one that specializes in reptiles?

Sorry about your problem, have a lot of reptiles I can tell you that finding a good reptile vet is really hard and sometimes even the good ones have trouble (I've used some of the best in the business and heard the phrase "We just don't know enough about these guys yet" many times out of several different vets.)If you are really into reptiles I would suggest trying to find a vet listed with the Assoc of Amphibian & Reptile Veterinarians for vet in your area who legitemately specializes in reptiles (many vets claim to treat reptiles but actually have little or no experience.) As far as the cost goes you need to decide for yourself on that is this a valued pet or is this an animal you use for breeding puropses (depending on the nature of the prolapse it may not be any longer.) or an animal you would keep even if it was no longer capable of reproduction. And of course your finances. $200 seems high btw I could probably get a prolapse fixed and get shots for one of my dogs for that much at my vet.

This is a very common story... vets can try treatment but may not see enough of these types of problems to be SURE of the cause or outcome. Part of the problem is the all the variations in how people keep and feed their animals. Even herp vets don't see that many chams or if they do they are so far gone (due to ignorant first time keepers) that they don't have a chance to treat them and gain much experience. Many times the cham heals well after one episode but not always. Some times xrays would show a hardened dense urate mass in the intestine, so it is one way to see "inside". For this small an animal it may be the only option. I can sure understand your disappointment with the vet, but it doesn't sound as if the vet did anything really terrible. Exotic vet fees are expensive...the vet may also be passing phone consultation fees with a herp specialist on to you. $200 in fees from a smaller practice isn't that rare. If the practice is large and busy with lots of more routine procedures on the mainstay animals like dogs and cats or birds they can afford to charge lower fees for the fewer exotics they see.

Hope he gets better!

Do you have a local herp society that may be able to help guide you to another vet? Where do you live?
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (both MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta
1.0 African Clawed Frog (for summer)
0.5 Mad. Hissers (for summer - all girls, no little ones, whew!)

I live in orlando FL and have probably the best chameleon vet ever! it is very comforting to know you have a good vet. I'm very sorry that your vet is just trying to make money, maybe you should call around and find a new vet. (or move to FL and get ivan as your vet)
I hope your little guy improves soon.
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From Sunny Florida
Jovana's kids listed below
1.1 Ambanja Panther
1.1 Tamatave Panther
1.1 Ambilobe Panther

Thanks all for the concern, but Ray just left me....

Well, I'm lived in Hong Kong where I know there are two reptile clinic knows how to deal with reptile (now I believe only one left). The reptile clinic I when was operated by 3 vets. The reason I go there because 2 years ago while my tortoise got URI. One of the vet has actually able to treat her well. But this time, it is a different story. A different vet at the same clinic take up my case (I presume he know the herp stuff at the time) and you all the result....

Unlike other reptile keeper in HK(may be), I'm actually joined the local herp society and being active in our local forum. I constant talk to various herp keeper as well as reptile shop keeper to gain knowledge from them. So, I believe I had a certain level of understanding of how to properly treat my reptile. (no to mention that I had subscribe to reptile mag from US to gain more update knowledge).

Anyway, it is lucky that I finsih off with my work early today and able to be with him from the very last sec. Now, I'm glad that he is no longer suffer and just hope that he living happy from other domain...

Sorry to hear about that. You did your best, more than what your cham would have asked for.

Thanks, despite my lost. Ray has left me a lots of good memories and he will be in my heart always.

I am sorry that you lost your Chameleon, sometimes that happens and there just isn't anything you can do. But don't give up on keeping chameleons. While prolapses aren't usually the result of husbandry problems, what I usually do if something dies is re-examine how I kept it what killed it and try to correct any husbandry conditions that may have led to the problem. Mistakes aren't necessarily bad if you learn from them and improve because of them. I noticed that you live in Hong Kong that must be interesting for keeping reptiles. Is hong Kong Temperate like most of mainland China or is it Sub-tropical or Tropical. I've never noticed before as A palnt fanatic as well as an avid herper I'm just randomly curious.

Thanks for you advise and encouragement. Hong Kong I believe is more like a sub-trop. where humidities range between 60 - 85% and temp can get as high as 90F in the summer and 45F in winter. Also, to overcome the hot summer, most of us has equipped with air conditioner to maintain cool temp at home.

Anyway, I'll continue my hard work on chameleon and share my joy with other keeper in this forum

very sorry to hear about this. You sound like a truly caring and concerned keeper and I am sure you did what you could. It is too bad that we don't have more vets knowledgeable in this species (all over the world) and hopefully more will see the need and maybe make an effort to learn more. I hope you and the rest of your companions remain safe and healthy.

Forgive me if I am being redundant and that someone sent you to this site (a bit late now ) on hemipenal prolapse.

lele & Luna

prolapse

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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (both MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta
1.0 African Clawed Frog (for summer)
0.5 Mad. Hissers (for summer - all girls, no little ones, whew!)

Hi lele, thanks for you care and concern. Yes, I would keep up my work with rest of my babe and hope they can be living happily and in good health.