reaccuring eye problems and abscesses

[lizarddude]

Hey guys. My brother has a leopard gecko. She is a bell enigma morph and has the neurological walking around in circles and stargazing problem. every year or two she will get eye infections in one, or both eyes and will get an abscess on her face. we have taken her to the vet a couple times and we are recommened soaking her in case it is stuck shed, and gives us a cream for the abscess. im thinking it might be stuck shed, but i am not too sure this time. is there a reason this keeps happening? also what can i do to make her better? thanks

 

[Ozy]

Take her to the vet like always is what I would do. Please read this and fill it out IN DETAIL for us please. http://geckoforums.net/forum130/thread70912.html

 

[lizarddude]

oh im sorry
About your leo:
- female
- around 3 or 4. i dont have a scale
- about 3 or four years
- bought from a breeder

A) Health/History
- we dont handle her that much anymore. maybe once a week or so.
- For the past few days she has been walking around with her eyes closed.
- she has had these problems before.
B) Fecals
- Her poops look normal
- she went around 2 or 3 days ago.
C) Problem
- She keeps both eyes closed, they are slightly bigger than nomal and has an abscess under her eye.

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Her tank is 10 gallons
- she is kept in a glass tank
- her substrate is paper towel
- she has a hot hide and a humid hide
B) Heating
- she has a ceramic heat emitter and a heat pad.
- 85-90 degrees
- left on for her to choose.
- digital thermometer
- no lights
no cage mates.

Describe Diet:
A) mealworms dusted with calcium every couple days. fed every night

B) Supplements (describe how often)
- use calcium as the only supplement. dusted onto the mealworms

 

[katie_]

No vitamins?

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Katie's question sounds reasonable. Also is the calcium you're using D3 free or does it have D3? Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can lead to shedding and eye problems. You should probably pick up some calcium with D3 and vitamins and read up on how often to supplement with these. You could also pick up some repashy all in one vitamins and start using those every feed. Worth a shot to see if it clears up your problem for $20 or less.

Also - how are you measuring your temperatures? Floor or air probe? If the air temp is kept 85-90 degrees it may be too warm. Geckos should have a cool side that's about 75-80 so they can self-regulate their body temperature.

 

[Ozy]

I would suggest Repashy Calcium Plus. You just dust every insect with it and you don't need additional supplements. I also gut load the insects with Repashy Bug Burger. Sounds like a vitamin deficiency. Your leo also needs a hide on the cool side. Are you gut loading the mealworms with anything? I bet that's what's up with her recurring eye problems. Vitamin deficiency.

EDIT - I would start supplementing every feeding with Repashy Calcium Plus and also leave a little dish of it in her tank, she will lick it up. Gut load her mealworms with Repashy Bug Burger. I would still take her to the vet to clear up THIS round of eye trouble and keep up with the vitamins. This should prevent further eye issues.

 

[SORROW89]

YEa, i's probably Vitamin A deficiency. I read eye problems and shedding over and over in different forums. The thing is Vitamin A can be overdosed so you should only dust 2 times a week, not at every feeding.

 

[SORROW89]

YEa, i's probably Vitamin A deficiency. I read eye problems and shedding over and over in different forums. The thing is Vitamin A can be overdosed so you should only dust 2 times a week, not at every feeding.

Vitamin A deficiency in Insectivorous Geckos | Gecko Time

 

[Ozy]

You are SUPPOSED to dust every feeding with Repashy Calcium Plus. That is how it was designed to be used. I have dusted all of my leo's feeders with it since I brought her home and she is healthy, strong, never has problems shedding or anything. With OTHER multivitamins, yea, only dust once or twice a week. Repashy Calcium Plus is made to be used every feeding though.

 

[SORROW89]

You are SUPPOSED to dust every feeding with Repashy Calcium Plus. That is how it was designed to be used. I have dusted all of my leo's feeders with it since I brought her home and she is healthy, strong, never has problems shedding or anything. With OTHER multivitamins, yea, only dust once or twice a week. Repashy Calcium Plus is made to be used every feeding though.

What I don't understand is Calcium plus has more vit A than what I use. I use Reptivite and it has 99,910 IU/lb and it says dust 2-3 times a week.
Calcium Plus has more at Vitamin A min. 200,000 IU/lb and it says dust at every feed. :main_huh:

 

[Ozy]

Oh yea.. That's because Reptivite has a different form of Vitamin A in it than Calcium Plus.. I THINK. Don't quote me on that. LOL!

 

[Embrace Calamity]

What I don't understand is Calcium plus has more vit A than what I use. I use Reptivite and it has 99,910 IU/lb and it says dust 2-3 times a week.
Calcium Plus has more at Vitamin A min. 200,000 IU/lb and it says dust at every feed. :main_huh:

I know of several people, including myself, who use Repashy at every feeding with no issues. I understand that there can be an overdose, but is it stated that Reptivite specifically will cause an overdose if fed daily? Of course, Ozy could be right. It could be a different kind, or the absorption could be affected by other things in the two different brands.

~Maggot

 

[lizarddude]

i use both calcium with and without d3. are you saying to add vitamin A supplements?

 

[Lindz0518]

A multivitamin will have vitamin a in it, use it a couple times a week or if you want get Repashy Calcium Plus and you can dust every feeding with it

 

[Embrace Calamity]

i use both calcium with and without d3. are you saying to add vitamin A supplements?

Given that it seems to be the consensus that the issue is a vitamin A deficiency, it'd probably be a good idea. I like Repashy Calcium Plus because you can use that every feeding without worrying about anything.

~Maggot

 

[lizarddude]

ok so i should dust with multi vitamin from now on. is there anything else that may be causing the eye and abscess problems?

 

[Embrace Calamity]

ok so i should dust with multi vitamin from now on. is there anything else that may be causing the eye and abscess problems?

You have to be careful with it though. Can't do it too much - unless you're using Repashy Calcium Plus. I can't personally give you other ideas, but if you want others, I'd try a vet (maybe a different one from the one you've seen). I believe I've heard of enigmas having problems with shedding too as a part of their syndrome, though I can't personally attest to that. Also, providing another hide on the cool side would be a good idea so that she can better regulate her body temperature.

~Maggot

 

[lizarddude]

i will try to get some of the repashy kind, and add a cool hide. right now she isnt eating because she cant see. should i start doing the baby food/cat food on her lip thing to see if she will lick some off?

 

[Embrace Calamity]

i will try to get some of the repashy kind, and add a cool hide. right now she isnt eating because she cant see. should i start doing the baby food/cat food on her lip thing to see if she will lick some off?

I've been told that there are preservatives in baby food that are dangerous for geckos, but that's just what I was told. I honestly can't help you with that one. The most important thing is to get her some supplements. Have you tried putting a cricket or whatever to her mouth? Does she show no interest at all?

~Maggot

 

[lizarddude]

i have not really tried as i do not want to stress her out more than i do. we have eye drops we got from the vet last time when she had this we are using. we have to hold her steady and then drop the drops in just right so they dont slide off