Alfred has a follow up for his eye issue

[Alexander1]

Alfred is my male veiled chameleon who has started to show some eye issues, his turrets are starting to sag/lightly swell up. He was eating and drinking fine and the vet put him on eye drops but they didn't do anything.
Gentamicin Sulfate ophthalmic solution is the name of the drops.
I'm going back because he hasn't gotten better if not a little worst as far as the eyes go.
Now he's on somewhat a food strike, he'll eat a big or two and then eat his plants..
today he seemed a little lethargic and not as reactive to my hands, I shined light into his eyes and noticed his pupils didn't immidietly get smaller, but he does find his way around his cage.. I'm starting to worry.
Any questions I should ask the vet? Possible things to check or have performed?

 

[Alexander1]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Male veiled, about 11/2 years old, had him since he was about 2-3 months
• Handling - Rarely
• Feeding - Staple feeders are crickets, superworms, hornworms fed with cricket crack, repashy super load, dinofuel, veggies and fruits. Other feeders fed as a variety randomly are silkworms, walking sticks, leaf insects, wax worms, black soldier fly larvae
• Supplements - rep-cal calcium w/o d3 almost every feeding, with d3 2x a month. HERPTIVITE 2x a month also switching with reptivite with d3 recently for vitamin A
• Watering - mistking set to mist for 6 minutes in the afternoon and 30 sec in the eve
• Fecal Description - Looks normal, recently pooping thinner urates, history of pin worms was cleared before.
• History- known to go on food strikes!

Cage Info:

• Cage Type- lll reptile double extra large enclosure (2 cages mated to each other)
• Lighting - Light your reptiles quad fixture with a 12% uvb bulb, as Recomended by Todd. 75w incandescent bulb for basking, zoomed led light fixture as extra lighting
• Temperature - basking spot can range from the mid 80's to the mid to low 90's depending on the ambient temp. Ambient temp is usually around 72-73 degrees f
• Humidity - 40-99 % humidity, highest after misting. Usually hovers around 45-60%
• Plants - 2 large pothos, 3 fern plants 3 bromiliad some fake plants as well while my real plants grow in.
• Placement - in living room. Busy family he's usually home alone most days.
• Location - Chicago,Illinois USA (go bulls\bears!)

Current Problem - see post above

 

[jannb]

Please post some photos of his eyes. Here's a vet with chameleon experiance.

Dr. Todd Gray
Arboretum View Animal Hospital
2551 Warrenville Road
Downers Grove, IL60515
630-963-0424 - phone
630-963-0537 - fax
www.avah.org

 

[Alexander1]

This is a picture of today, I did scare him a little so he retracted his eye, but you can see his turret has some swelling around it.

 

[Alexander1]

@jannb

 

[Andee]

Is your mistking only set for twice a day?

 

[Alexander1]

Is your mistking only set for twice a day?

Yes, the days are shorter now and I want the cage to dry out some.

 

[Andee]

That may be your problem honestly. Is it his main source of water? He may need to desperately rinse his eyes, try showering at least once a day for 15 to 20 minute intervals. Can you post a pic of his entire enclosure? I want to see how much foliage you have just to be safe.

 

[Alexander1]

That may be your problem honestly. Is it his main source of water? He may need to desperately rinse his eyes, try showering at least once a day for 15 to 20 minute intervals. Can you post a pic of his entire enclosure? I want to see how much foliage you have just to be safe.

I'm on my way to the vet now but I can post a pic of his enclosure when I get home, I do about 10 minute misting on the weekends when I'm home, he usually hides for about 5. Minutes, drinks for about 2. Minutes then runs and hides under a plant or branch. minutes

 

[Alexander1]

@Andee

 

[Alexander1]

I just got back from the vets office
-the vet re-swabbed his eye
-found no signs of sever eye tissue damage, parasites or infection
-he showed me how to rinse out his eyes with a saline solution to try and help flush out anything that may need to come out
-he gave Alfred a vitamin A/D shot to see if there's any noticeable change in his eyes or behavior, more like a preventive if anything
-alfred actually gained some weight.
Im gonna keep an eye on him

 

[Andee]

I honestly think you don't have enough foliage in there to protect his eye health from the 12% uvb light. Which could be what's causing the problem.

 

[Andee]

Sounds like you at least have a relatively good reptile vet now.

 

[Joleen]

Thanks Jannb for recommending the Vet Dr Todd Grey as having Chameleon experience in the Chicago area. I go to that VCA specialty clinic with my Old Bull Terrier to see a Veterinarian Dermatologist and a few different vets had their cards out at the Reptile Show in Tinley Park Oct 16th but i prefer to hear it from one in the know as far as having a vet to go to once I finish my enclosure to the highest specifications and actually purchase my Panther Chameleon!

 

[jannb]

The eye doesn't look that bad but I can see the area you are concerned about. You might try changing the UVB bulb. I normally recommend the Reptisun 5.0 and longer misting might help too. For now I'd just keep an eye on it.

 

[Alexander1]

I went with an Arcadia 12% because of Todd but I've been thinking of switching back, I'll try that.