Panther Eye Problem

[Lingling]

My panther, Huxley, seems to be having trouble with his left eye. I noticed tonight that he wasn't opening it all the way... it wasn't closed, just not as wide open as his right eye. He rubbed it on my hand a time or two. Ofter a closer look, his eye seemed to have some sort of film over it. It's hard to tell exactly what is going on, but it doesn't look right. Either there's a film or it's just really dried out. I gave him a hot shower which helped him open it back up, but there is still that filmy look. I also noticed once he opened it back up the at eye wasn't as dilated as the other. He's following me with both eyes, so he's seeing out of it.

His humidity has been very low between mistings, usually 30%. I suppose this is what's causing it. I'm going to get a humidifier after work tomorrow, and if his eye doesn't look better by Monday he'll have a trip to the vet. Is there anything I can do for him right now? What other causes, beside low humidity, could there be for this?

 

[Hoj]

i have had the same problem as my guy sometimes likes to go right up by the basking light. first off i would fill out the how to ask for help form in the heath section. what i have done tho i give a drop of plain saliene solution in the eye. he should use that to flush it out, after that keep the humity up so that it dosent dry up again. humidity is the key.... i will give drops of saliene a few times a day untill it goes away, sometimes between the saline i will just drop some plain water on his eye as well just to keep it moist. if it last longer than a day or two i would get to a vet...there may be something in your husbandry that could be changed to help as well

here is the form https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[Lingling]

Thanks Hoj. I'll pick up some saline tomorrow when I get the humidifier. Here's more info:


Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male Panther, about 7 mo. old, I've had him since last October. He came from LLL.
Handling - Perhaps once or twice a week to take him out of his cage and put him on the free range for awhile, or to take him to the shower.
Feeding - 8-12 gutloaded (fruits and veggies) crickets 5-6 days a week
Supplements - Ca at every feeding, CaD3/multi 2x a month
Watering - Heavy mistings several times a day. I see him drink daily.
Fecal Description - All normal, white urate.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 2x2x4 Screen
Lighting - Old 2.0 and a newer 5.0, 60 watt house bulb for basking. Additional T5 bulb (no UVB) to light the back of the cage, all 12 hours a day.
Temperature - 75, 86 under basking light
Humidity - Hand misting, drops to 30% between mistings... probably the issue. Three sides of the cage are covered in plastic to hold in moisture.
Plants - Ficus benjamina & alii, Pothos
Location - NW Indiana


He looked better after his shower, but now he's looking bad again. Perhaps worse.... it's closed even more, and his eye still looks filmy.

 

[Eltortu]

Hmmm... a good vet visit maybe in order.

 

[Hoj]

i noticed you dont seem to be useing a multivitamin, could be part of your prob, vit a helps with eyes. my camo has a vit a/beta carotine problem and when he seems to need vit a the eye issue presents itself. that with my guy anyway. if it looked better after the shower than i would do the saline and even drop some drips of water in the eye, my camo always seems to use the fluid saliene or wate to get out whatever is bothering his eye, he does the eye bulging thing and the rubbing you were speaking of. i have even used a wet paper towel to help him out, but i dont know that i would suggest that, as the eyes are very delicate.

 

[Lingling]

i noticed you dont seem to be useing a multivitamin, could be part of your prob, vit a helps with eyes. my camo has a vit a/beta carotine problem and when he seems to need vit a the eye issue presents itself. that with my guy anyway. if it looked better after the shower than i would do the saline and even drop some drips of water in the eye, my camo always seems to use the fluid saliene or wate to get out whatever is bothering his eye, he does the eye bulging thing and the rubbing you were speaking of. i have even used a wet paper towel to help him out, but i dont know that i would suggest that, as the eyes are very delicate.

I actually do use a multivitamin 2x a month...

Looks like another vet visit... I don't know where I'm going to get the money for this one. These things always happen when I'm broke. No lunch money for me this week...

 

[Hoj]

what multivite do you use?

 

[Lingling]

Zoomed Reptivite

 

[Hoj]

the zoomed reptivite is much weaker than most multivitamins it is designed to be used afew times a week, the repcal that most members use is much stronger hence why only twice a month.

 

[Lingling]

Oh wow... I didn't know that. Would you recommend keeping the reptivite and using it more often (2 or 3 times a week) or getting the other and sticking with the 2x a month schedule?

 

[Hoj]

thats a tough call i got the info from a top breeder who spoke directly to ZooMed. one thing you could do if you have any would be to get a vit a capsule cut it open and dip a toothpick in it and put a TINY!!!! dab on the back of a cricket A TINY DAB one capsule is enough for like 1000 doses. i know of a few people who do this with all their chams to make sure they r getting enough vit a. be aware too much vit a can kill your cham. so a tiny drop. i do this with my guy when i see him have the eye problem along with the saline and it usually clears up in a day. again this is what works for me and some others i am by no means a vet or supoer exoerienced keeper, the only reason i know this is my guy lost his tounge and the vet said he would make it and i have had alot of work to get him where he is today

 

[kinyonga]

Are your UVB lights compacts or spirals or long tube lights? What brands?

 

[Hoj]

now you got a great help here kinyonga is great she will have the help you need
best of luck hope to hear all is well soon. 1am here im off to bed

 

[Lingling]

Are your UVB lights compacts or spirals or long tube lights? What brands?

They are reptisuns, a old 2.0 and a newer 5.0. The back of the cage was still pretty dark, so I used an extra light l had from an old fish tank to brighten it up. Those bulbs are 2 T5s... I believe one is 10,000K and the other is actinic. Just something I had laying around from an old saltwater tank.

 

[bluemooon]

Does his eye look something like this
https://www.chameleonforums.com/baby-panther-eye-infection-please-help-56201/
I am still looking for solution to cure him.I wash his eys every day and it help a little, but unfortunately there is no available reptile vet here. It is already 10 days he has this problem.
If you go to the vet I would like to know what he said.

My panther, Huxley, seems to be having trouble with his left eye. I noticed tonight that he wasn't opening it all the way... it wasn't closed, just not as wide open as his right eye. He rubbed it on my hand a time or two. Ofter a closer look, his eye seemed to have some sort of film over it. It's hard to tell exactly what is going on, but it doesn't look right. Either there's a film or it's just really dried out. I gave him a hot shower which helped him open it back up, but there is still that filmy look. I also noticed once he opened it back up the at eye wasn't as dilated as the other. He's following me with both eyes, so he's seeing out of it.

His humidity has been very low between mistings, usually 30%. I suppose this is what's causing it. I'm going to get a humidifier after work tomorrow, and if his eye doesn't look better by Monday he'll have a trip to the vet. Is there anything I can do for him right now? What other causes, beside low humidity, could there be for this?

 

[EvilLost]

@OP and Bluemoon: TERRAMYCIN has yielded absolutely fantastic results for me whenever Clark has something in his eye...it ususally clears out by the next morning. In my case though, the issue keeps coming back every few weeks >.<

 

[kinyonga]

I'm not sure, but the actinic light could be providing the wrong range of light for the chameleon (they produce light in the blue area heavily) and might be causing the eye problems as a result. I don't know what the other fish light is that you mentioned. It might be worth removing them to see if it helps. I use a regular incandescent light in a dome if I need to produce a basking area and if I just want more light in the cage I use a regular fluorescent long tube light in a double fixture with the other light in the fixture being the Repti-sun 5.0.

 

[Lingling]

Huxley's eyes were the worst this morning - and it was both of them. I showered him for about 20 minutes, which cleared him up almost completely, at least for about half an hour. I set him up with a humidifier later this afternoon, and he LOVES IT! It's an small ultrasonic (no hot or open areas) so I put it right in his cage. His eyes cleared back up and he just chilled in the mist. He was very active, as well. I got some saline as well, which I haven't used yet. I'm going to give him a day or two with the humidifier and see it he problem persists. I'm going to have some terramycin on hand as well, and keep a close eye on him. He seems to be doing well right now, but it's the worst in the mornings, so we'll see tomorrow...

I read tonight that burning candles and using air fresheners can bother them. I didn't know that... My sister was burning a particularly strong candle the other day, about the time his eye gooped up. I asked her not to use them anymore. Could burning the candle have caused the eye problem, or do they just cause respiratory issues?