JSkelt
Member
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Initial Problem:
Woke up one day ( I believe it was Halloween actually ) to see Mr. Lahey had a swollen eye. I had noticed him rubbing it on a stick day before. Initially thought some debris got in there. Day 2, eye was HUGE. And I mean absolutely, ridiculously enormous, see pic dated Nov. 1 - that literally happened overnight ( 12hrs ). Immediately went to our vet that caters to exotics ( very good vet ). Mr. Lahey had stopped eating completely and was sleeping most of day. Weight 24g.
Initial Treatment:
Recommendation was to do a course of antibiotics before trying anything invasive such as lancing to drain. Diagnosis was edema behind the eyeball. Vet administered Baytril subcutaneously ( tiniest little bit, was either 0.5ml, or 0.05ml, I don't recall ). Received 5 total injections 3 days apart for 18 days of total antibiotic treatment. On day 5, the eyelid ruptured at the base where it meets his head and drained.
After 5-7 days Mr. Lahey's eye returned to mostly normal but the saggy, stretch skin never really tightened back up. The ruptured skin scabbed and healed. He began being more active and hunting again. At last vet visit he was 27g and seemed to be on path to full recovery.
Current Problem
Fast forward to earlier this week and Mr. Lahey is doing great, eye still saggy but his vision seems normal. Then he took a fall about 3ft to floor. My wife heard it happen and Mr. Lahey seemed to brush it off climbed right back up top. But since then his eye flared up again.
Last few days, eye remains swollen, see pics dated December 14. Clearly has saggy skin around his eye filled with clear fluid. There is no fluid leaking / crusting over his eye at this time. Its just swollen enough that he has trouble triangulating to hunt on his own. Needs to be hand fed so he has a lot of opportunity to connect with his strikes.
Advice was to flush daily with saline and administer very very very small doses of vitamin a ( from softgel caps ). Have done this for 2 days so far. Small dose = head of a pin's worth smeared on a superworm.
Prior to going back to vet for another $80 visit, I'd like to hear if some experienced members have thoughts on this eye problem. Of course I understand the comments here are no substitute for a vet visit, but I highly value the voice of experts on this forum.
I've read vitamin A deficiencies can lead to eye problems. But that they also take a long time to develop and usually affect both eyes. This is just one eye, the other is perfectly fine.
Could this be a lingering bacterial infection that may potentially require another round of antibiotic treatment? Or does this look indicative of a vitamin deficiency?
Thanks so much for having a look at homeboy and sharing your thoughts!
- Your Chameleon - Trioceros jacksonii, possibly WC, approx 7-8mo? ( "Mr. Lahey" )
- Handling – As needed only for medication. Approx 1x per day lately.
- Feeding - Daily: 3x crickets gut loaded w/ CricketCrack. 2-4x Superworms. Couple Dubias, 1 small Hornworm as treat after handling.
- Supplements – 2x week: light cricket dusting with Flukers Calcium without D3. 2x month: light dusting Flukers Calcium with D3. 2x month: light dusting with ExoTerra MultiVitamin or Zilla MultiVitamin spray ( alternating ).
- Watering – 3x Daily with distilled bottled water.
- Fecal Description – Brown stool with white urea. Usually an orange bit at boundary of urea and stool.
Cage Info:
- Cage Type – 24x24x48 aluminum screen
- Lighting -2x 24” T5 6% Arcadia bulbs. 1 60W ExoTerra basking bulb. Both on timer 12/hr cycle
- Temperature – Basking 85-88º, ambient 78º
- Humidity - 60-80% depending on proximity to misting. Never less than 60% ambient.
- Plants – Plastic vines and bamboo, both sanitized.
- Location – Northern New Jersey
Initial Problem:
Woke up one day ( I believe it was Halloween actually ) to see Mr. Lahey had a swollen eye. I had noticed him rubbing it on a stick day before. Initially thought some debris got in there. Day 2, eye was HUGE. And I mean absolutely, ridiculously enormous, see pic dated Nov. 1 - that literally happened overnight ( 12hrs ). Immediately went to our vet that caters to exotics ( very good vet ). Mr. Lahey had stopped eating completely and was sleeping most of day. Weight 24g.
Initial Treatment:
Recommendation was to do a course of antibiotics before trying anything invasive such as lancing to drain. Diagnosis was edema behind the eyeball. Vet administered Baytril subcutaneously ( tiniest little bit, was either 0.5ml, or 0.05ml, I don't recall ). Received 5 total injections 3 days apart for 18 days of total antibiotic treatment. On day 5, the eyelid ruptured at the base where it meets his head and drained.
After 5-7 days Mr. Lahey's eye returned to mostly normal but the saggy, stretch skin never really tightened back up. The ruptured skin scabbed and healed. He began being more active and hunting again. At last vet visit he was 27g and seemed to be on path to full recovery.
Current Problem
Fast forward to earlier this week and Mr. Lahey is doing great, eye still saggy but his vision seems normal. Then he took a fall about 3ft to floor. My wife heard it happen and Mr. Lahey seemed to brush it off climbed right back up top. But since then his eye flared up again.
Last few days, eye remains swollen, see pics dated December 14. Clearly has saggy skin around his eye filled with clear fluid. There is no fluid leaking / crusting over his eye at this time. Its just swollen enough that he has trouble triangulating to hunt on his own. Needs to be hand fed so he has a lot of opportunity to connect with his strikes.
Advice was to flush daily with saline and administer very very very small doses of vitamin a ( from softgel caps ). Have done this for 2 days so far. Small dose = head of a pin's worth smeared on a superworm.
Prior to going back to vet for another $80 visit, I'd like to hear if some experienced members have thoughts on this eye problem. Of course I understand the comments here are no substitute for a vet visit, but I highly value the voice of experts on this forum.
I've read vitamin A deficiencies can lead to eye problems. But that they also take a long time to develop and usually affect both eyes. This is just one eye, the other is perfectly fine.
Could this be a lingering bacterial infection that may potentially require another round of antibiotic treatment? Or does this look indicative of a vitamin deficiency?
Thanks so much for having a look at homeboy and sharing your thoughts!