Puffy bloody eye lids

[ChameleonChef]

Hello! I have a Helmeted chameleon (trioceros Hoehnelii) named Chef. We noticed a few weeks ago that one of her eye lids were puffy. We took her to the vet and they thought it was a vitamin a deficiency. We reviewed her supplements and gave her one with a higher amount of vitamin A and she received a vitamin a shot from the vet. After some time it started effecting both eyes. We took her back to the vet and got eye drops and another vitamin A shot. After the drops it had gotten worse and she received another vitamin a shot and some antibiotic shots to do at home. Now they are so swollen in front of her eyes she is not able to aim for her food because she cannot see in front of her. Our vet seems a bit stumped by this. They drained the fluid from her eyes once and it was completely full of just blood. They removed as much as they could but couldn’t remove it all because they were worried about too much blood loss. It does not have an abscess or anything in the swelled area except for blood. It has been a few days since they drained the eyes but they have refilled with blood and it is about as puffy as it was before they were drained. I’m concerned because she’s still active but just cannot eat her food and now seems disinterested in eating. My vet is reaching out to other exotic vets to get some other opinion but I can’t really find anything about this online. She thought maybe she has a blood clotting disorder. I will add photos of what her eyes look like. My set up, lights, plants, humidity, supplements, etc has been reviewed by the vet and is correct. I can’t think of anything else to do. Has anyone seen anything like this before?

 

[kinyonga]

What kind of vitamin A were they giving to your chameleon? PrEformed or prOformed?

Did they look at the “blood” removed from the eyes under a microscope?

You said…”She thought maybe she has a blood clotting disorder.”…you mean that it’s not clotting like it should?

Is the chameleon wild caught or captive born?

 

[ChameleonChef]

What kind of vitamin A were they giving to your chameleon? PrEformed or prOformed?

Did they look at the “blood” removed from the eyes under a microscope?

You said…”She thought maybe she has a blood clotting disorder.”…you mean that it’s not clotting like it should?

Is the chameleon wild caught or captive born?

The invoice just says Vitamin A, D3 and E injection. I believe it is preformed but Im not certain. I’m not sure if the blood was examined under a microscope, the vet just stated it was just blood coming from the area. Yes like it is not clotting like it should. She is captive born.

 

[MissSkittles]

What supplements exactly are you using and how often for each? I’m not at all knowledgable about T. hoehnelii husbandry but @kinyonga @BleuSaphir and @Motherlode Chameleon are and know the supplement routine.
I can tell you that chameleons aren’t just a standard lizard and so many vets lack more specific knowledge of them. Additionally, there are some who are very well experienced and knowledgable about them. I’m attaching our list of some of those. Depending on your location, there may even be one who has taken a special interest in them near you.

 

[ChameleonChef]

What supplements exactly are you using and how often for each? I’m not at all knowledgable about T. hoehnelii husbandry but @kinyonga @BleuSaphir and @Motherlode Chameleon are and know the supplement routine.
I can tell you that chameleons aren’t just a standard lizard and so many vets lack more specific knowledge of them. Additionally, there are some who are very well experienced and knowledgable about them. I’m attaching our list of some of those. Depending on your location, there may even be one who has taken a special interest in them near you.

The vet that we saw is actually on that list. And it’s the only one in Michigan on that list.
We use Arcadia earth pro A every feeding and repashy calcium plus twice a month. The vet reached out to other vets to get more opinions. It sounds like they believe it could be a heart or circulation issue. It’s not looking good for little chef

 

[BleuSaphir]

I don’t supplement the vitamin every feedings. Actually I do the opposite of Bill recommended. Once o a month for vitamin supplements and every feeding with calcium dusting.

 

[MissSkittles]

The vet that we saw is actually on that list. And it’s the only one in Michigan on that list.
We use Arcadia earth pro A every feeding and repashy calcium plus twice a month. The vet reached out to other vets to get more opinions. It sounds like they believe it could be a heart or circulation issue. It’s not looking good for little chef

Is it Repashy calcium plus or calcium plus LoD? The LoD has doses more appropriate for chameleons. I hope your little guy pulls thru whatever is going on.

 

[kinyonga]

You said…”It sounds like they believe it could be a heart or circulation issue. It’s not looking good for little chef”…did the vet say why all that blood might be in the eye turrets and yet be a heart condition? Why does he think it’s a heart condition? Does he just think it’s a clotting thing?

I’m not a vet and just speak from over 30 years of experience with chameleons and many other reptiles. I was told if the blood won’t clot, “bruising” the area where the wound was would encourage clotting in chameleons….but check with the vet.

I also don’t understand/know why you there would be a bleed into both eye turrets at the same time.

 

[ChameleonChef]

Is it Repashy calcium plus or calcium plus LoD? The LoD has doses more appropriate for chameleons. I hope your little guy pulls thru whatever is going on.

We were recommended the calcium plus. But that’s good to know. Thank you so much

You said…”It sounds like they believe it could be a heart or circulation issue. It’s not looking good for little chef”…did the vet say why all that blood might be in the eye turrets and yet be a heart condition? Why does he think it’s a heart condition? Does he just think it’s a clotting thing?

I’m not a vet and just speak from over 30 years of experience with chameleons and many other reptiles. I was told if the blood won’t clot, “bruising” the area where the wound was would encourage clotting in chameleons….but check with the vet.

I also don’t understand/know why you there would be a bleed into both eye turrets at the same time.

our vet thought it could be a clotting issue. But she reached out to other vets and one of the other vets said due to the swelling of both of the turrets they thought maybe a heart or circulation issue. My husband will be talking to the vet today to get more info. But I really think none of them have seen this before so they are guessing at what it could be

 

[ChameleonChef]

We were recommended the calcium plus. But that’s good to know. Thank you so much

our vet thought it could be a clotting issue. But she reached out to other vets and one of the other vets said due to the swelling of both of the turrets they thought maybe a heart or circulation issue. My husband will be talking to the vet today to get more info. But I really think none of them have seen this before so they are guessing at what it could be

She looks look like she has some bruising around her face and on the eyes. Both eye lids are pretty dark now

 

[Action Jackson]

Could you post a picture of its enclosure?

 

[kinyonga]

Maybe some of this will help the vet…
“The Chameleon Heart, Circulatory System and the Magic of the Renal Portal System”…
https://www.chameleons.info/l/the-chameleon-heart-and-renal-portal-system/