Baby Panther w/ Eye Problem - Please Help!!

[KatelynnRawwwr]

So I have a new baby Panther (about 3.5 months old). I brought him home three days ago. I noticed he was having trouble with right his eye right away - before I even transferred him to his new habitat. He was bulging it frequently and I started to panic, so I searched the forums for answers. Within just a couple of hours he was keeping it shut most of the time, only opening it to look around if something got close.

He has recently shed (he still had shedding skin flakes on him when I got him) and I was hoping it was just that, but I picked up a baby-safe saline solution and tried to help him wash it out anyway. Yesterday (the next day after bringing him home) he stopped closing it all the time, but it was still visibly smaller than the other and he did bulge it occasionally. I gave him another wash with the saline solution. Today, he isn't showing any improvement. He's not necessarily worse, but I'm getting nervous that there's a real problem.

Does he need to see a vet? He was having these troubles before he was transferred to his new habitat (I picked him up locally and noticed these issues while in the car) so I know it's not my lights. (I have a ReptiSun 5.0, as I've seen is recommended.) He's my first and I'm really scared. He has no troubles eating, he's not sleeping during the day, and he does drink water (though I'm not sure how much is normal). He's not lethargic at all and actually always reaches for me when I put my hand in his cage. What do I do? He's the sweetest little boy ever and "trading" him is absolutely not an option! I just want to make him better.

For some reason it won't let me upload the same pictures I've already posted on another thread... Please follow this link to my first post to see: https://www.chameleonforums.com/proud-new-panther-owner-also-some-advice-144368/

The first pictures in that thread show him from the side of his "bad" eye. You might be able to tell that you can't see the small golden-brown ring around his pupil like you can in his other "good" eye, so it seems like he's not opening it all the way..?

What does this sound/look like? Vitamin A deficiency? Dehydration? Something stuck in it? Does he need a vet? Help us, please!!

 

[Carlton]

Could you describe your cage setup, including humidity levels, misting or spraying routine, etc. I would also call the seller to ask about their gutloading and supplement use (to eliminate a possible vitamin deficiency), and any health guarantee they offer (as you noticed this right after picking him up). Best to let them know there MIGHT be a problem right away.

If he can't seem to clear his eye since you have been flushing it with saline and misting him, there might be something stuck in it. A vet could take a close look with a scope to see if its scratched or injured.

 

[KatelynnRawwwr]

Hi Carlton,

He's in an 18x18x30" ReptiBreeze screen cage. He's got a live umbrella plant and a bunch sticks to climb on. UVB comes from a ReptiSun 5.0 and water comes from a Zoo Med Little Dripper system. Misting is done by a MistKing three times a day, 1 minute each. The monitor I have tracks current levels + highs and lows over the last 24 hours, and currently his basking temp is at 81 degrees with a range of 55 - 81, and his humidity is at 59% with a range of 55 - 78 (the high 78% of course is coming from when the MistKing is actually running; most often it sits around 58-62%). The breeder gutloads with fresh fruit and veggies and dusts the crickets with calcium w/o D3 each feeding and a multivitamin once every two weeks.

The breeder does offer a health guarantee, and I did contact him about an hour after I got home because I started to panic and wanted advice. He offered to replace him if the problem persisted, but I'm just far too attached to the little guy to trade him in. I spent quite some time picking him out specifically (the advantage to being local!) and he is by far the sweetest and most curious little thing. He let me handle him right away (even though he was and still is very stand-offish with my partner), so it was pretty much love at first sight. Even only three days in, if I put my hand in there he reaches for me almost instantly. He's taken an interest in my long hair so when I handle him, he'll reach for my face and try to grab on and if I let him, he climbs up my hair and holds himself near my forehead. He's absolutely the cutest thing. There was a point yesterday where he didn't even want to go back into his habitat; I tried to put him back in and he just turned around and ran half way back up my arm and stared at me lol. He's just too sweet to give up on. It might be silly to some, but I'd honestly take him to the vet to get treated a thousand times over before I ever thought about utilizing the health guarantee.

Someone recommended trying a short "shower" treatment. I'm gonna try that when I get home here soon, but am just going to schedule a vet appointment for tomorrow anyway. That way I can at least get some peace of mind and be sure I'm doing the best I can for him. I just really hope it's not anything serious.

 

[Maki]

He's definitely in good hands! With a little TLC I wouldn't be surprised if you see some improvements, let's hope! Glad to see some other members are helping. I am no expert (although I have some experience) but I would say you are doing great so far and if this eye problem is treatable you will find a solution. If you don't see improvement soon, I'd take him to the vet. Take pictures everyday and compare the them! Any improvement in his eyes will be more quickly seen if you compare the pictures.

I hope for the best!

 

[ponders]

Is the Reptisun a coiled bulb?

 

[KatelynnRawwwr]

No, it's a tube light. I took him to the vet yesterday, but unfortunately didn't get many answers. She gave me some ointment to try, applied twice a day for the next week to see if that helps at all. I'm scared for him.

 

[Narziza]

Hi Katelynn!

Your cham seems well but, the eye isn't bad as long as he can open it, probably was the diffrent weather he went to by the time you pick him from the other place. I have a panther too and sometimes his eyes are verry big that looks like almost pop off and sometimes one of his eyes are smaller that the other one, and i have my cham outdoor in a cage made of wood with screens allover it with natural plants in it so, its sunny and warm right now here in Baja California and sometimes colder specially at night when i have to put him inside the house. There is when i see one of his eyes smaller than the other but, as well as his drinking much water with a dripper over the leaves of the plants and specially one spot where he locate and knows that water is there he will go and drink as much as he needs so don't keep him without Drops of water that will keep him hydrated.

 

[KatelynnRawwwr]

Hi Narziza,

That makes me feel a little better!

He does have constant dripping water to drink and I've also increased his mistings to help him clean it out (humidity is ranging around 58-65% on average, it fluctuates throughout the day depending on how recent the last misting was), so I'm hoping that helps. He is showing some improvement with the ointment, but I still can't see his iris so I know he still isn't opening his eye all the way.

But he's only been on treatment for two days, so I'll give him some time. He's stopped shutting it all the time, so that's an improvement at least!

Thanks for all the support everyone, he's a rad little dude and I've been in a panic just hoping for him to get better. Here's hoping it's all cleared up soon!