My bearded dragon eyes are swollen

[kallieamira]

Hi! So about friday my beardie was in her cave all day and had not come out once so I checked in on her and both her eyes were swollen like balloons. I had to drive about 3 hours away to the closest exotic vet and they weren't too sure what it was. They did a lot of bloodwork and said her white blood cell count was up. They gave me antibiotics and antinflamitory medicine. She doesn't want to move but only a little bit. She started black bearding today. I am just lost on what else it could be. She is 3 years old and she is from petco (yes I know this is a very bad place to get them from, but I was too excited to even think about it at the time and wasn't educated like I needed to be)

 

[kallieamira]

This is what her eyes looked when i got her out from her cave

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Do you have a copy of the blood test, or can you get a copy of it?
The eyes being swollen can indicate heart or renal issues. This was sudden?
Which antibiotic is being given? It is probably affecting her which is why her beard has
gotten a little darker. Can she open her eyes at all?

Tracie

 

[kallieamira]

Hello,

Do you have a copy of the blood test, or can you get a copy of it?
The eyes being swollen can indicate heart or renal issues. This was sudden?
Which antibiotic is being given? It is probably affecting her which is why her beard has
gotten a little darker. Can she open her eyes at all?

Tracie

No I don't have a copy as of right now, they are supposed to be sending me one. Yes this was very sudden. I gave her a vegetable plate on thursday and this was her eyes on friday. Her eyes are completely swollen shut. the antibiotics are trimethoprim/sulfa. The swelling has went down just the tiniest difference. Her poo was a white liquid yesterday.

 

[kallieamira]

No I don't have a copy as of right now, they are supposed to be sending me one. Yes this was very sudden. I gave her a vegetable plate on thursday and this was her eyes on friday. Her eyes are completely swollen shut. the antibiotics are trimethoprim/sulfa. The swelling has went down just the tiniest difference. Her poo was a white liquid yesterday.

They did check her kidneys and they said they looked great so they didn't think it had anything to do with them. They said it could be an infection (which is what they are treating it as) or a brain aneurysm. When they did the blood test and saw the white blood count was up, they leaned more towards an infection. I just don't understand how an infection could of made her eyes swell up so quickly

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I had thought about mentioning an aneurysm but didn't want to cause any alarms yet. It is odd that just
a regular infection would cause the eyes to swell up so quickly.
You mentioned that they have reduced some today?
Is there any type of toxin that she could have come into contact with?

Tracie

 

[kallieamira]

Hello,

I had thought about mentioning an aneurysm but didn't want to cause any alarms yet. It is odd that just
a regular infection would cause the eyes to swell up so quickly.
You mentioned that they have reduced some today?
Is there any type of toxin that she could have come into contact with?

Tracie

Yes, we had another appointment today and they have mostly ruled out an aneurysm so far. There is no toxins she could of come in contact with unless it was from the hornworms or super worms. They have reduced a little bit today and they did a flush on her eyes. They just told us to continue antibiotics and that it will take a while to work.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,
That is good news then, if they are essentially ruling out an aneurysm.
Did they have any other ideas as to what could be causing that?
Were they this swollen prior to her eating the hornworms & superworms?
Be sure to keep her hydrated while she is on the antibiotics, also.
One thing you could try for some relief of pain or swelling is chamomile
tea bags. Take one for each eye, moisten them in some warm water.
Get a washcloth to use as a warm compress & place one on each eye.
Leave them on for a few minutes, at bedtime, while you are holding him.
It has some healing properties & perhaps it might help with some of the
swelling. Be sure the tea bags aren't too hot.

Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[kallieamira]

Hello,
That is good news then, if they are essentially ruling out an aneurysm.
Did they have any other ideas as to what could be causing that?
Were they this swollen prior to her eating the hornworms & superworms?
Be sure to keep her hydrated while she is on the antibiotics, also.
One thing you could try for some relief of pain or swelling is chamomile
tea bags. Take one for each eye, moisten them in some warm water.
Get a washcloth to use as a warm compress & place one on each eye.
Leave them on for a few minutes, at bedtime, while you are holding him.
It has some healing properties & perhaps it might help with some of the
swelling. Be sure the tea bags aren't too hot.

Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

We have been doing soaks and compresses. Ever since they flushed out her eyes they have been bleeding more. She has started moving around more and her beard isn't as black anymore. Her eyes are still swollen but her left one has opened up more. They said it could be an underlying disease and when she had eggs it kicked in. They said she has a 50/50 chance at recovering from this. We are trying every we can and hoping for the best. We go back in two weeks to see where to go from there. No they were swollen on friday. I gave her worms on thursday then went to give her a salad on friday when I had found her with her eyes swollen.

 

[kallieamira]

We have been doing soaks and compresses. Ever since they flushed out her eyes they have been bleeding more. She has started moving around more and her beard isn't as black anymore. Her eyes are still swollen but her left one has opened up more. They said it could be an underlying disease and when she had eggs it kicked in. They said she has a 50/50 chance at recovering from this. We are trying every we can and hoping for the best. We go back in two weeks to see where to go from there. No they were swollen on friday. I gave her worms on thursday then went to give her a salad on friday when I had found her with her eyes swollen.

We have been giving her water by syringe which she takes just fine.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Her eyes have been bleeding, how badly? I am sorry she is going through all of this. Are the warm compresses helping any for her?
I'm glad to hear her beard isn't as black as it has been. Please keep her warm overnight, to help boost her system. Usually around 75--80F is a good temperature.
Keep us updated on her progress.

Tracie

 

[kallieamira]

Hello,

Her eyes have been bleeding, how badly? I am sorry she is going through all of this. Are the warm compresses helping any for her?
I'm glad to hear her beard isn't as black as it has been. Please keep her warm overnight, to help boost her system. Usually around 75--80F is a good temperature.
Keep us updated on her progress.

Tracie

The compresses did not help. Her eyes got way worse over the night on friday and we had to take her in for an emergency visit. We ended up getting more blood tests earlier this week and it was something genetic and since she had eggs her body was weak and it kicked in. This is what the vet told me. Sadly they said it had progressed too far to reverse and we had to put her to sleep. We are getting her cremated so she will still be home with us. I really appreciate your help and concern and this was not the update I expected to give.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh no! I am terribly sorry she took a turn for the worse, that was unexpected. Sometimes with egg
production, that can cause complications for them. Especially if they have some type of genetic issue
going on. I am so sorry for your loss, my sincere condolences for you & your family.

Tracie