Flushing Eyes
- Thread starter snitz427
- Start date
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
Awww poor girl I hope she gets better
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
Frustrated. Its now been two weeks and Ive not seen any improvement in penne’s eyes. I’ve found several old threads that seem to show a similar lump to Penne’s, all of which were shed or solidified buildup in the eyes.
Im reaching out to the vet for a 3rd visit. Penne gets so upset with me handling her for the drops. The trip to the vets will be very stressful as well.
I also ordered a case of sterile saline drops. My plan is to give her saline drops a few times a day in place of the antibiotics, along with 10-15 min showers daily, in hopes she will eventually work out the lump.
Im reaching out to the vet for a 3rd visit. Penne gets so upset with me handling her for the drops. The trip to the vets will be very stressful as well.
I also ordered a case of sterile saline drops. My plan is to give her saline drops a few times a day in place of the antibiotics, along with 10-15 min showers daily, in hopes she will eventually work out the lump.
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
@ferretinmyshoes if you see this (Im sure you get lots of messages!).... in the other threads Ive seen the keepers attempted to gently move the lump to the opening of the eye with a warm, damp qtip (after a long misting). Would you caution against this or recommend giving it a try? I do believe Ive seen it move slightly while she cleans her eyes... but have not attempted to assist other than the drops.
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
A small update on Penne. Her eye issues have persisted, but due to the enormous stress she was under, I left her alone for March and April. Her spirits greatly improved, but her eye issue obviously won't clear up on its own. I felt that while her eye won't kill her, the stress she was under might.
Now that she was less stressed, I started home treatment again. I've been flushing her eyes at least once per day with sterile saline solution...a healthy amount and a good rinse. It startles her a little, but it must provide a little relief, as she doesn't fight it. She does get very disoriented, though, as she can't see very well with the drops in her eyes. At night, she's getting her antibiotic drops again (2 weeks). I'm also giving her reptaid daily for those same 2 weeks, as she is showing signs of a potential URI... but it might be related to her nasal/eye ducts being blocked up. Her original treatment was an oral antiobitic along with eye drops, so the Reptaid is filling those shoes. I know there are some lovers and some skeptics, but I've seen good results with Reptaid.
I've also started taking her outside on rainy days to let her decompress and clean her eyes naturally. She seems to really enjoy it, me not so much. We were out in the rain for an hour last week. Joy. On nice days, she gets to free range in a window that gets lots of natural UVB (2-3uvi when window open). It gives her a chance to relax after getting her drops.
I emailed my vet some research I've found, and Penne's current state. He gave me a call and wants me to bring her in next week. He speculates she'll need a vitamin a shot, and if they're unable to remove the debris easily, possibly incisions on her eye lids. I'm going to ask about a nasal/tear duct flush, if they'll be sedating her. He encouraged me to continue to flush her eyes to help soften it up, as well as to put a drop of mineral oil on her eye. He said nothing will soften it up as well as the mineral oil will. He said he's seen this in leos, mostly, with vita deficiencies, where they develop a full keratin cap over the eye. He agrees Penne's may be a small keratin plug in the corner, or attached/imbeded a bit in the eyelid. So it sounds like he read the research I sent and the over all info, and I agree with his treatment plan. Hopefully this gets poor Penne some relief so she can go back to being her sweet, stress free self.
The dark rain cloud moving in, though, is that I think Penne is also now gravid. She's got a belly on her. Hopefully this one incredibly stressful vet visit will mean less discomfort and stress for her in the future. Wish us luck. We see the vet in a week.
Now that she was less stressed, I started home treatment again. I've been flushing her eyes at least once per day with sterile saline solution...a healthy amount and a good rinse. It startles her a little, but it must provide a little relief, as she doesn't fight it. She does get very disoriented, though, as she can't see very well with the drops in her eyes. At night, she's getting her antibiotic drops again (2 weeks). I'm also giving her reptaid daily for those same 2 weeks, as she is showing signs of a potential URI... but it might be related to her nasal/eye ducts being blocked up. Her original treatment was an oral antiobitic along with eye drops, so the Reptaid is filling those shoes. I know there are some lovers and some skeptics, but I've seen good results with Reptaid.
I've also started taking her outside on rainy days to let her decompress and clean her eyes naturally. She seems to really enjoy it, me not so much. We were out in the rain for an hour last week. Joy. On nice days, she gets to free range in a window that gets lots of natural UVB (2-3uvi when window open). It gives her a chance to relax after getting her drops.
I emailed my vet some research I've found, and Penne's current state. He gave me a call and wants me to bring her in next week. He speculates she'll need a vitamin a shot, and if they're unable to remove the debris easily, possibly incisions on her eye lids. I'm going to ask about a nasal/tear duct flush, if they'll be sedating her. He encouraged me to continue to flush her eyes to help soften it up, as well as to put a drop of mineral oil on her eye. He said nothing will soften it up as well as the mineral oil will. He said he's seen this in leos, mostly, with vita deficiencies, where they develop a full keratin cap over the eye. He agrees Penne's may be a small keratin plug in the corner, or attached/imbeded a bit in the eyelid. So it sounds like he read the research I sent and the over all info, and I agree with his treatment plan. Hopefully this gets poor Penne some relief so she can go back to being her sweet, stress free self.
The dark rain cloud moving in, though, is that I think Penne is also now gravid. She's got a belly on her. Hopefully this one incredibly stressful vet visit will mean less discomfort and stress for her in the future. Wish us luck. We see the vet in a week.
The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
Good luck with her
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Aww...poor little sweetheart. Hope everything gets worked out.
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
No improvement. Penelope’s eyes are about the same if not worse. I hear an occasional “pop” when I flush her eyes which I’m fairly certain is due to her tear duct and nasal passage being blocked.
We’ve had 3 or 4 vet visits now (lost count). Antibiotics, antibiotic drops, medicated drops (to break down the blockage), regular saline flushes, vit a shot, outside time, etc to no avail.
I really believe her only chance of removing the buildup is an incision and nasal flush (which I suggested at our appt a few months ago).
She is extremely easily stressed, always has been. She takes her eye drops like a good girl, but Im sure thats partly because she cant see well enough to scurry off once she gets them! Traveling to the vet and the vet visit is extremely traumatic to her... so Im at a loss of what to do.
She’s been worrying me lately as she seems overly stressed. So she’s going outside every day after her drops, which she seems to enjoy and perks up. Ive seen her with her eye(s) closed more than once this past week. I know her eyes bother her as she itches them... I am hoping they’re closed due to irritation. Flushing them with saline does seem to provide some relief.
My vet is very well known and experienced locally. He had mentioned that he has seen and removed these keratin buildups in Leos... but after 3-4 visits I think it may be time to get another opinion. Im going to let her destress before another visit, though. This poor girl... she is so so sweet. I feel so terrible for her.
We’ve had 3 or 4 vet visits now (lost count). Antibiotics, antibiotic drops, medicated drops (to break down the blockage), regular saline flushes, vit a shot, outside time, etc to no avail.
I really believe her only chance of removing the buildup is an incision and nasal flush (which I suggested at our appt a few months ago).
She is extremely easily stressed, always has been. She takes her eye drops like a good girl, but Im sure thats partly because she cant see well enough to scurry off once she gets them! Traveling to the vet and the vet visit is extremely traumatic to her... so Im at a loss of what to do.
She’s been worrying me lately as she seems overly stressed. So she’s going outside every day after her drops, which she seems to enjoy and perks up. Ive seen her with her eye(s) closed more than once this past week. I know her eyes bother her as she itches them... I am hoping they’re closed due to irritation. Flushing them with saline does seem to provide some relief.
My vet is very well known and experienced locally. He had mentioned that he has seen and removed these keratin buildups in Leos... but after 3-4 visits I think it may be time to get another opinion. Im going to let her destress before another visit, though. This poor girl... she is so so sweet. I feel so terrible for her.
The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
So sorry about penne at least it hasn’t gotten worse. Good luck!
NashansCamos
Chameleon Enthusiast
aw sorry you have to through this
how old is she?
how old is she?
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
aw sorry you have to through this
how old is she?
She’s 15 months old.
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
Thank you. Since it is both eyes, and it progressed slowly, I think it may have been supplementation... but who knows. We were using LoD, and I switched to RepCal right around the onset. Her breeder used Repashy Calcium Plus. I have no proof, but think that my whole crew was a little "off" after a few months on LoD. Penne also had artillery fungus crop up in her substrate, so its possible a foreign object, but the timing doesn't seem right ... and it seems very unlikely due to how it onset and progressed. I wish my vet would have taken my request to examine and flush her eyes a little more seriously when I first noticed the small bump back in December. I feel so terrible for her. So she's gentle and sweet. I guess that's a blessing, as it would have been a lot harder to give her daily flushes and drops if she were feisty!
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
I am updating this regularly in case someone with similar issues stumbles upon this thread in the future. It stinks when you find someone with the same issue, but no status updates as to what worked or didn’t.
Penne’s been doing great the past month. She takes her drops w/o issue and doesn’t seem to mind. I’m alternating between “flushing” (more like long drippings) with Saline, and 1-2 drops of Remend Eye Health drops, which are lubricating drops for dogs & cats that contains a mild acid ingredient which my vet thought might help.
She’s been going outside almost daily, for the entire day, immediately after getting her drops. The whole clan is going to be pretty disappointed soon, as fall weather has already begun to set in.
I think Penne was previously closing her eyes due to discomfort. The lumps are still present, but keeping her eyes lubricated seems to help. I have been looking into other vets... mine is experienced and recommended by many local herpers, but I think the next step is having her sedated so that her ducts can be flushed and eyes cleaned out. Its just a question of if it is worth adding that stress to her, if she is otherwise healthy.
I have no idea why Penne has developed the issues where the rest of the crew has not. I still feel that the supplement I was using contributed to the issue... but thats speculation at this point.
Penne’s been doing great the past month. She takes her drops w/o issue and doesn’t seem to mind. I’m alternating between “flushing” (more like long drippings) with Saline, and 1-2 drops of Remend Eye Health drops, which are lubricating drops for dogs & cats that contains a mild acid ingredient which my vet thought might help.
She’s been going outside almost daily, for the entire day, immediately after getting her drops. The whole clan is going to be pretty disappointed soon, as fall weather has already begun to set in.
I think Penne was previously closing her eyes due to discomfort. The lumps are still present, but keeping her eyes lubricated seems to help. I have been looking into other vets... mine is experienced and recommended by many local herpers, but I think the next step is having her sedated so that her ducts can be flushed and eyes cleaned out. Its just a question of if it is worth adding that stress to her, if she is otherwise healthy.
I have no idea why Penne has developed the issues where the rest of the crew has not. I still feel that the supplement I was using contributed to the issue... but thats speculation at this point.
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
Here’s a brief video I took of our eye routine today. She got a treat and went outside for the day afterwards.
Initially, she jerks and closes her eyes with the first drops. Once she gets passed the initial shock she will keep her eyes open and allow me to run a steady stream over / into her eye. I try to squirt it (gently) into the corner, as occasionally it will get under the eyelid and pool (which is my ultimate goal).
Initially, she jerks and closes her eyes with the first drops. Once she gets passed the initial shock she will keep her eyes open and allow me to run a steady stream over / into her eye. I try to squirt it (gently) into the corner, as occasionally it will get under the eyelid and pool (which is my ultimate goal).
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