Edna and her eyes

[KrakenQueen]

Edna's Health Journal

Hello!

I'm new to leopard geckos, but I have worked with reptiles in the past and own a monster of a bearded dragon. I'm coming here in hopes that I could get some support and I want you guys to know that I am more than willing to take suggestions and learn more about leo's considering my first acquired leo is today and was basically a rehab case.

Originally Edna belonged to someone, who was passed onto someone else who now passed her onto me since I have at least some knowledge on herps. We went down to the FL/GA border with my friend caskrenian (Bethany) to pick up Edna and when we saw her eyes we were unsure what kind of horrible mess I got myself into. The eyes were literally locked open by plugs of yellow. The ex owner and I talked about how he did try to take care of her (they thought she was a he) and honestly did try their best. They gave her nutrients (though I note they didn't supply calcium) and because she couldn't see he fed her pureed crix and meals. They used the dog/cat antibiotic ointment on her eyes but I have a feeling they didn't get the actual eye.

Anyway, aside from a few notable things like dry moss and tree bark, my only thoughts are that she didn't shed properly and it's possible the dust from the moss and bark could have caused both eyes to become highly irritated.

When we got home I got myself a cup of warm water, cotton swabs and qtips, and went to work. The left eye I spent about an hour soaking with a damp cotton ball before I was able to work it off the eye. I was absolutely STUNNED at the size of this plug! The size of a large pea D: Immediately her tongue started flicking out and cleaning away, so I let her relax for a bit before I myself went to work on the right eye, which went much quicker and the plug was a little larger (it even had a concavity from the eyeball). I put both plugs in separate bags and into the fridge for the vet trip tomorrow or tuesday.

I can see the pupils of both eyes, which I was SO relieved to see. The eyes were cloudy but so much better, last I checked they were clearing up a LITTLE but I will do a moisturizing in the AM. The plugs were so large that they stretched the skin of her eyelids, and the plug of her right eye seems to have created an abscess below the eyelid.

(click for a larger view)


Right now she's sleeping with her eyes closed (I bet she's so content to have them closed now, I felt so awful for her) in her cleaned cage. We put in a soft astro turf, a water bowl, calcium bowl (should I hold off on the calcium until her eyes are cleared up??), some waxworms, and a hidey area. I'm keeping it pretty bare right now so that I can clean the tank easily and keep a watch on her until she clears up.

Thanks for reading, I'll keep you all updated on the vet visit and her (hopeful) improvement.

 

[bjleemkuil]

Poor baby! Sounds like you're doing a pretty good job so far! I hope she does well! Keep us updated!

 

[KrakenQueen]

Thanks bjleemkuil!

And good news, we have an appointment at 4:30 today!

I just moistened her eyes since they were sealed shut this morning, now they're open again, still milky/cloudy, but she went'a'lickin.

The husband and I have been wondering just how long this had gone on and how long it would take for plugs to build up to the size of a pea. It must have been awful for her eyes to be caked open without being able to blink or close them to sleep.


Edit:
Here's an example of what her eyes were like when we got her yesterday before the soak and removal of the plugs (note: this isn't my gecko, just an example)

 

[BGalloway]

Ouch, poor girl. You're doing the right thing with her for sure, and keep up the good work. Hopefully the vet trip goes well.

 

[KrakenQueen]

Vet trip went smoothly. We ended up with a solution of betadine to give her diluted baths twice a day and ofloxacin for her eyes 4 times a day for the next week, and next monday we go back to the vet for a check and see.

At the moment she's in her betadine bath, after 15 minutes of that she'll get her eyeballs ofloxacinated and rest for the night.

Thank goodness I'm a "stay at home mom", my pets are my kids

 

[ILoveGeckos14]

That's great, im glad she's on her way to recovery! :main_thumbsup:

 

[StopperExotics]

Sounds like you're doing all of the things you can for her, and god love ya for taking her to the vet. It's the best step. She must have been in that state for... MONTHS if not a year or more, if they were that large. That's absolutely, completely HORRIFYING. I can't imagine it.

Good luck with her recovery! She's lucky to have you!

 

[marraeco8311]

Please let me know the results from the ofloxacin, mine is on eye drops but, different ones. I am being patient and doing it twice a day. VERY slow progress, let me know if your's works pretty quick please??

 

[KrakenQueen]

Please let me know the results from the ofloxacin, mine is on eye drops but, different ones. I am being patient and doing it twice a day. VERY slow progress, let me know if your's works pretty quick please??

Absolutely. I've written up a time sheet and I'll be keeping notes on her progress over the next week. So if I see quick improvement I'll be sure to let you know. Would you like me to note you?

Also, are you cleaning the eyes with water/saline solution before applying the drops? I try to clean her eyes before hand so that anything that may have dislodged can be removed before I put in the ofloxacin. You may also want to talk to the vet about the betadine as well. The betadine bath is also suppose to help with the eyes, we're suppose to drip some over her head and into the eyes. So that may change the outcome and speed at which her eyes heal versus the ofloxacin alone...

 

[bjleemkuil]

Vet trip went smoothly. We ended up with a solution of betadine to give her diluted baths twice a day and ofloxacin for her eyes 4 times a day for the next week, and next monday we go back to the vet for a check and see.

At the moment she's in her betadine bath, after 15 minutes of that she'll get her eyeballs ofloxacinated and rest for the night.

Thank goodness I'm a "stay at home mom", my pets are my kids

This is so great! I'm glad to hear she's on the path to recovery!

 

[KrakenQueen]

Let's just keep our fingers crossed

Her good eye was open this morning and working well, the eye with the abscess was sealed shut. She got her beta-bath and ofloxacin eyedrops.

I did notice this morning that I could see globs of gunk under the eyelids. Is there a safe way to go about getting this stuff out or should I get hold of the vet and see if she's got the "scoop" tools to do it?

 

[steve905]

I'd go back to the vet. They'll probably flush out under the eyelids to clear any additional debris. It's probably debris left from those plugs...Ugghhh hope she come thru for you!

 

[marraeco8311]

Yes, Please note me when you have some results, I will be following up on this forum as well. Thank you. I have been doing saline rinses prior. I was not sure how safe betadine would be for her, the vet had not mentioned it but, I didn't ask either so I may try it. The re-checks are expensive so, I like to try and do as much at home as possible as long as improvements are shown. I just hope her sight returns.

 

[KrakenQueen]

Yes, Please note me when you have some results, I will be following up on this forum as well. Thank you. I have been doing saline rinses prior. I was not sure how safe betadine would be for her, the vet had not mentioned it but, I didn't ask either so I may try it. The re-checks are expensive so, I like to try and do as much at home as possible as long as improvements are shown. I just hope her sight returns.

Sure thing.
And yes, rechecks are expensive. I had one of those moments yesterday where you go "GeeeeAAH" at the bill.

Steve: I may pick up a syringe from the CVS or Walmart on my own. I've flushed eyes before, I just heard that some vets have a scoop like device that they can use too. And yep, it's just left over goop, but thankfully it seems to be working its way out with all the eye care she's been getting today. Thank goodness!

 

[KrakenQueen]

I managed to remove another glob out of her eye today, this was one I've been trying to wrangle out since yesterday.

Not much to say other that I can still see her pupils and there's no build up that I've noticed. The lesion is healing (possibly the betadine doing that, whoot!) and looking much better.

When I have more news, I'll bring it up :3

 

[KrakenQueen]

After getting a pretty large glob from her eye this evening, I can say that her eye is looking pretty good! The other eye is still shutting, but I'll just need to keep on it.

So far so good!

edit:

I've started training her to follow her own food. Her previous owner had spent so much time puree'ing her food and hand feeding her that I think she may have lost that drive to get her own. So, I took initiative (and curiosity) and went to work with two waxworms and a pair of tongs. The sound of me dragging the waxworms along the astro turf really snapped her attention. She followed it around, tasted, followed, nudged, and after about 5-10 minutes she finally took a bite on her own, but promptly spat it back out. SO, I popped it open to let her smell and taste the goodies inside, and she followed it around again, this time she took a bite and ate it. Second time around, I popped the waxworm open a bit, held the tongs to the turf, wiggled it around and after a few minutes of following it around I stopped, she nabbed, and down it went! I am so pleased, I just hope we can continue this and eventually get her back to eating on her own without my help. Of course, this will be much better when her eyes heal up.

 

[KrakenQueen]

I woke up and gave Edna her bath, but after it was done I noticed that her right foot was just slightly swollen. I'll be keeping an eye on it, I have a feeling it may be from her humid hide as she tends to sleep in there for long periods of time. If it continues to swell over the next two days, well, we have our appointment on Monday afternoon. It doesn't look horrific, just slightly swollen up.

Should I remove her humid hide for the next two days?

Edit:
Turns out it seems as if she's having a problem shedding the skin on her foot. I'll give her 10 minute baths every 30 minutes or so, and inbetween I'll spray T-Rex Bio Mist on the leg to see if it helps.

This afternoon I'll go to ******** and try to find:
Liquid Vitamin by Flukers
Repta-Aid
Calcimize

Have any of you used these, and do you have any heads or tails of how well they work?

 

[BGalloway]

Glad to hear Edna's doing better. I've never used any of those products, just regular powdered supplements. The hunting for herself is a good sign. Are you just soaking her or trying to rub off the shed with q-tips and tweezers? Do you have any updated pictures of her eyes looking better?

As for the humid hide, maybe you could move it to the other side of the tank? It might discourage her from sleeping in it for long periods if its at a different temperature, but that's just a guess. You seem to be doing really well with her.

 

[KrakenQueen]

Hey BGalloway:

I'll move her hide to the other side of the tank, thanks for the note on that. I did have it below the light. I've also gently rubbed off skin flakes, not full shed, a little disconcerting..

Tomorrow is her second vet visit. I'm a bit concerned since when we took her in, they weighed her at 61 grams. I weighed her today and she's at 54 grams. She stopped going after the food and she's become a bit more lethargic. Her eyes are looking great but still have the retained lens, which I am hoping I can remove myself at some point or get the vet to do it tomorrow if at all possible. The sore is cleared up though, so that's fantastic.

I've been feeding her the reptaid in order to give her calories. It's a messy soup but it's worth a try, I'm just worried since that's a LOT of weight for such a small creature to lose in a matter of one week. The other concern is that she hasn't excreted since tuesday, however she did "pee" on me in disagreement when I went to look at her calcium sacs. After a few strokes on her cheek she finally opened her mouth for me to look, and unfortunately they look rather empty.

One thing to the next. We'll see how the vet trip ends up tomorrow.

I knew what I was getting into, so I shouldn't feel that this is completely unexpected.

 

[Khrysty]

Leopard geckos don't store calcium in their mouths like crested geckos do. There's some debate over whether they store excess in pockets behind their forearms, but that's unproven.