Beardie Eye Infection

[avaw]

NOTE- I have been to a vet! The vet has been a reptile specialist for 40 years and has given me antibiotics but my beardies condition has declined a lot and the vet did not give me much information.

My bearded dragon has some kind of unspecified eye infection. On Friday his eye was completely fine, on Saturday it was very puffy and has increased significantly in size since I noticed it at around 7AM (it is currently 2PM Sunday). I went on a school camping trip and had my mum feed and take care of him while I was away, but the camp was in a very rural area and I am assuming that I could have brought something back and given it to him. He will not eat or move unless I pick him up. I have been instructed to give him injections every 48 hours and have another vet appointment on Friday but he is declining quickly and I am honestly really terrified, I have never dealt with anything like this before. The vet did not tell me anything and I just don't know what to do. Should I attempt to force feed him? Should I entirely deep clean his tank, or is that unnecessary stress? I may be slightly overreacting as the vet didn't seem too worried but honestly I just need to know if I should expect the worst and what I am meant to do to prevent him from declining further. The vet administered an anti-inflammation medication as well as an antibiotic while we were there but the swelling has not gone down at all so I am worried it is worse than the vet thought. I am only 15 and do not have an unlimited budget, and the initial vet visit was already about a 3rd of my savings, but I do have a seperate savings account for vet emergencies that I have been putting money into since I was 11 and I am wondering if I should take my beardie to a different vet to get a second opinion just in case. He is really not in good shape and won't even lift his head.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Do you have pictures of your dragon's eye? Are you in the US or Australia? I noticed you mentioned
that it was 2PM on sunday? Or did you mean saturday?
I realize that it is expensive to get them to a vet! Which antibiotic did the vet give for you, is it an eye
ointment or an oral medication?
For now, if you can get some raw unpasteurized honey, & thin it out with warm water sterile water to
make a sterile eye drop. Use that a few times daily to help with infection. You can also get some
chamomile tea bags & warm one up in some water & be sure it isn't too hot. Make a warm compress
for his eye & gently cover it with a cloth so that it holds in some heat. Maybe try for a 5 or so minute
treatment at night when he is going to sleep.
What type of substrate is in his tank, is it sand or other loose particulate or a solid substrate like carpet
or tiles, etc?
Is his beard dark right now?

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

 

[avaw]

Hello,

Do you have pictures of your dragon's eye? Are you in the US or Australia? I noticed you mentioned
that it was 2PM on sunday? Or did you mean saturday?
I realize that it is expensive to get them to a vet! Which antibiotic did the vet give for you, is it an eye
ointment or an oral medication?
For now, if you can get some raw unpasteurized honey, & thin it out with warm water sterile water to
make a sterile eye drop. Use that a few times daily to help with infection. You can also get some
chamomile tea bags & warm one up in some water & be sure it isn't too hot. Make a warm compress
for his eye & gently cover it with a cloth so that it holds in some heat. Maybe try for a 5 or so minute
treatment at night when he is going to sleep.
What type of substrate is in his tank, is it sand or other loose particulate or a solid substrate like carpet
or tiles, etc?
Is his beard dark right now?

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

Thank you very much for the response! Here is his eye. It doesn’t show in the photo but it is also leaking a yellow/orange fluid. I am in Australia. I am not entirely sure what medication I was given, its just a syringe filled with a few weeks worth that I have to inject every 48 hours in a cardboard box, but I am sure I can find out somehow. It’s currently almost 8PM and he is already asleep so I can’t tell you much about his beard colour, as well as the fact that he is a rankins dragon so his colour doesn’t change too much, but it doesn’t seem too different than usual. His substrate is a mix of solid substrates (granite tile, look-a-like granite and fake grass as well as a towel in his cave so he’s not sleeping on cold tile). I’m going to switch out the grass since I’m thinking it could harbour bacteria from the infection and make it harder to heal. He was also a bit more active since my original post, but still didn’t eat. Usually if he doesn’t eat he will accept food if I try and press it against his mouth, but this time he absolutely would not budge. If this continues for a few days should I attempt to force feed him and pry his mouth open?
The photos attached were taken just before the vet visit. The vet administered an anti-swelling medication but it is still just as swollen as it was in the photos below.

 

[KarrieRee]

Thank you very much for the response! Here is his eye. It doesn’t show in the photo but it is also leaking a yellow/orange fluid. I am in Australia. I am not entirely sure what medication I was given, its just a syringe filled with a few weeks worth that I have to inject every 48 hours in a cardboard box, but I am sure I can find out somehow. It’s currently almost 8PM and he is already asleep so I can’t tell you much about his beard colour, as well as the fact that he is a rankins dragon so his colour doesn’t change too much, but it doesn’t seem too different than usual. His substrate is a mix of solid substrates (granite tile, look-a-like granite and fake grass as well as a towel in his cave so he’s not sleeping on cold tile). I’m going to switch out the grass since I’m thinking it could harbour bacteria from the infection and make it harder to heal. He was also a bit more active since my original post, but still didn’t eat. Usually if he doesn’t eat he will accept food if I try and press it against his mouth, but this time he absolutely would not budge. If this continues for a few days should I attempt to force feed him and pry his mouth open?
The photos attached were taken just before the vet visit. The vet administered an anti-swelling medication but it is still just as swollen as it was in the photos below.
View attachment 74823

We need to go over your UVB ---- what are you using ? coil or a long tube fixture? Any colored bulbs? Do you have a solid bright white basking bulb? What are your surface basking temps? How are you taking them? These questions are important --- incorrect lighting has a lot to do w/ eye issues -- I would change out the grass and use some paper towels for now till we can figure out what the cause could be --- lets get your lighting ruled out first --

 

[avaw]

We need to go over your UVB ---- what are you using ? coil or a long tube fixture? Any colored bulbs? Do you have a solid bright white basking bulb? What are your surface basking temps? How are you taking them? These questions are important --- incorrect lighting has a lot to do w/ eye issues -- I would change out the grass and use some paper towels for now till we can figure out what the cause could be --- lets get your lighting ruled out first --

Reptile One Tube UVB 10.0 Reptile 15W 18in | Petstock.com.au

<p>Reptile One UVB 10.0 Fluorescent Tubes are suitable for Reptiles & Amphibians.</p><p>They reproduce the UVA and UVB spectra found in sunlight, which assists in the natural production of Vitamin D3.</p><p>This in turn promotes feeding, breeding and healthy growth rates.</p><p>Designed for use...

www.petstock.com.au

thats the UVB bulb he has, replaced it in August. I use an infrared thermometer for spot temps, his basking spot is between 105-110F, i use a digital thermometer with probe for air temps. He had a red bulb at his previous house but has not had any coloured bulbs since Ive have him for 4 years. Im fairly confident it is not the lighting causing this, I had the vet look over my lighting set up when i first got him and nothing has changed since then. His eye still hasnt gone down this morning but he had an antibiotic injection. My mum did the injection and accidentally gave him much more than the dosage, but hopefully he will be ok as the vet said its not toxic and wont hurt him to have too much. I am still very very nervous about this though since he had about a weeks worth at once but he seems to be ok for now. I am thinking I will take him back to the vet sooner if he doesn't respond to the antibiotics.

 

[KarrieRee]

Reptile One Tube UVB 10.0 Reptile 15W 18in | Petstock.com.au

<p>Reptile One UVB 10.0 Fluorescent Tubes are suitable for Reptiles & Amphibians.</p><p>They reproduce the UVA and UVB spectra found in sunlight, which assists in the natural production of Vitamin D3.</p><p>This in turn promotes feeding, breeding and healthy growth rates.</p><p>Designed for use...

www.petstock.com.au

thats the UVB bulb he has, replaced it in August. I use an infrared thermometer for spot temps, his basking spot is between 105-110F, i use a digital thermometer with probe for air temps. He had a red bulb at his previous house but has not had any coloured bulbs since Ive have him for 4 years. Im fairly confident it is not the lighting causing this, I had the vet look over my lighting set up when i first got him and nothing has changed since then. His eye still hasnt gone down this morning but he had an antibiotic injection. My mum did the injection and accidentally gave him much more than the dosage, but hopefully he will be ok as the vet said its not toxic and wont hurt him to have too much. I am still very very nervous about this though since he had about a weeks worth at once but he seems to be ok for now. I am thinking I will take him back to the vet sooner if he doesn't respond to the antibiotics.

Please change the UVB bulb out to a Reptisun 10.0 or a Arcadia 12% bulb these bulbs are the best on the market --- please take the probe and place it on the spot where he basks and get actual surface basking temps--what are you using for a basking bulb ? Any off white or yellowish bulbs any daytime bulbs like this Fluker's® Neodymium Daylight Bulb | reptile Heating & Lighting | PetSmart Tracie needs to advise on the overdose of the antibiotic ----- these daytime bulbs have a coating on them that cause eye issues --
@Drache613

 

[avaw]

Reptile One is the only reliable brand where I live, and I can’t order online as I live in rural Australia. His heat bulb is not coloured.

 

[KarrieRee]

Reptile One is the only reliable brand where I live, and I can’t order online as I live in rural Australia. His heat bulb is not coloured.

Can you get anything on line?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh My! That eye is extremely swollen. It has not gone down any?
I believe Amazon.com should have an option for International shipping, even to rural areas I
think.
The vet was sure it was not a growth? It is probably affecting his balance, too.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[KarrieRee]

Can you get anything on line?

Try this website for the UVB and make sure your using NO off white or yellowish basking bulbs -- these are good ones to look for Flukers--- Zoo Med Repti basking -- Exo Terra Intense --- Arcadia Halogen

Arcadia D3+ Reptile Lamp T5 12% UVB

Fluorescent lights that dose your reptile with UV light Energy-efficient and generates more like per Watt For desert reptile species

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 UVB

Compact fluorescent UVB tube light available in 3 sizes Prevents metabolic bone disease Emits desert strength 10% UVB and emits 30% UVA light

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

 

[avaw]

Hello,

Oh My! That eye is extremely swollen. It has not gone down any?
I believe Amazon.com should have an option for International shipping, even to rural areas I
think.
The vet was sure it was not a growth? It is probably affecting his balance, too.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

My mum thinks it has gone down a little but I dont think it has. The vet said it could be an abscess? It is definitely effecting his balance. He seems to be ok, and a bit more energetic, so I don't think I will take him to the vet sooner than his next booked appointment, but I will ask about growths when I next go on Friday. I will also look into a different brand of UVB soon but on top of vet bills I don't think I have room in my budget to buy a new one before February. A pet store near me has Exo Terra lights, is that a better option? aside from that and the one I have there are really no other options

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Please keep us updated on your dragon. I am concerned about that swelling, poor guy!

Tracie

 

[avaw]

He’s got his second injection tomorrow. I’m going to check with a vet and then start using terramycin ointment on his eye to try and help with the swelling of the vet says that’s ok.

 

[KarrieRee]

My mum thinks it has gone down a little but I dont think it has. The vet said it could be an abscess? It is definitely effecting his balance. He seems to be ok, and a bit more energetic, so I don't think I will take him to the vet sooner than his next booked appointment, but I will ask about growths when I next go on Friday. I will also look into a different brand of UVB soon but on top of vet bills I don't think I have room in my budget to buy a new one before February. A pet store near me has Exo Terra lights, is that a better option? aside from that and the one I have there are really no other options

Please get the UVB as soon as you can --- see if you can borrow some money from some one Feb is too far off--- he needs the better UVB -- if you have the fixture already use than just replace the bulb --- Exo Terra basking bulbs are good NOT the UVB - you want a Intense basking bulb- they are a solid bright white bulb - no bulbs w/ neoyidium

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Yes, it definitely could be an abscess. This can happen if the nasal or eye duct becomes infected.
Poor little one, I'm sure it's affecting his balance. I hope that he gets to feeling better & that you can
get that taken care of soon.

Tracie