Not again.... :'( help!!

[EmJagsz]

Well this morning my cat got a hold of Leopold for the second time. I don't know how it happened, but somehow the cat managed to get INSIDE his tank, or at least get his paws inside close enough to scratch up my beardie I have washed the scratches with water and then put a generous amount of triple antibiotic on all the scratches I could see. That's what was first. Second, his eye is SO swollen. I'm not sure what to do with it, all I did was rinse it well with water and left it as is. Currently he is under his basking light, he doesn't move much but he's very obviously alive because his other eye is still open and I've picked him up a few times to make sure. I'm sure he's in tremendous amounts of shock right now.

My questions are, what can I do about his swollen eye? I won't be able to get him to a vet until next week at the earliest because the family and I are going to the cottage this weekend. I am taking him with me because that's what I initially planned and now I will have to to watch him and give him the care he needs. He will only have his basking light with him, so will he be okay for 2 days without his UVB? I know a healthy beardie can go up to a week without UVB, but given these circumstances, would it be okay?

I will also be feeding him baby food and giving him lots of warm baths.

Please...any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am so upset over this, I just need to know what I can do to help him feel better faster because I feel so helpless

 

[carmdac]

The first thing of advice is to get some sort of locking mechanism for his cage, 2nd is to shoot the cat. Don't know what to say as far as the eye thing, but good luck.

 

[ez2bbad64]

you are going to have to be carfull with that eye i knew a monitor lizard who got into it with a cat who managed to get the lid open. his eye was swollen.the cat had punctured the eye and he ended up losing his eye.it was not apperent that his eye was punctured! it happened on a saturday he saw the vet on a monday and had to have surgery to remove his eye also cats have very sharp bacteria covered claws and if its eye is scratched it could get a bad infection. in the meantime i would keep that eye clean and moist untill you can get him to a vet if its only a scratch chances are the vet will give you a antibiotic eye ointment for it. but it still needs to see a vet asap!

 

[EmJagsz]

bump I have given him 3 baths today and he hasn't pooped yet... I'm starting to get worried. He usually poops every day in his bath and he won't no matter how much I massage him.

Anyone else have any idea what i should do??? :'(

 

[ez2bbad64]

hes probbably sore and tramuatized. since you cant see a vet will he eat some unsweetened apple sauce?. is he eating? any drainage coming from his eye?

 

[Jake583]

Yea I think you might have to consider getting a lock for that cage, Can you post a pic of him and it will help me know what im dealing with

 

[EmJagsz]

I feel so sick having to post these pictures, but here they are....

I haven't tried feeding him yet as I was waiting for my sister to come home with the baby food. There isn't any drainage from his eye, it just looks sore and swollen.

He is barely keeping his right eye open, but that may be due to the scratch on the top of his head above his eye... My poor little guy

 

[Jake583]

OMG, there worse then I thought please try to see if he will eat! make sure he gets enough food and water, realy I think you shoudent try to get your answers off of this site Go to a vet right away!

 

[EmJagsz]

Yes I will try to take him to a vet ASAP when we get back from the cottage. Right now I am just trying to do what I can to help him in the meantime

I tried feeding him baby food a few minutes ago and he didn't seem to want any. I have given him several baths throughout the day to keep him well hydrated also to see if he will go to the bathroom, but he didn't go poop.. I also have applied triple antibiotic to his scratches multiple times throughout the day aswell.

Is there anything else I could do for him to help make him a little more comfortable? Thanks..

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Other than keeping that eye extremely clean & washed out, & putting some eye antibiotic in it there is not anything else you can do. You could try to get an herbal tea bag, warm it up in warm water & place it on the eye to help relieve the swelling. Did the cat get hold of any other part of him?
You are going to have to find a way to keep that cat away because his luck is going to run out if this continues. Please find some way to keep that cat away from him, even if you have to lock your cat in another room or something. That just is not fair to your little baby dragon. He is extremely traumatized & stressed right now.
Yes, he will be fine without UVB for a few days but he will need the proper heating while you are out of town. Are you taking a thermometer as well to make sure the temps are correct?

Tracie

 

[Callahan9119]

How does a cat get in there, makes no sense to me.

 

[Jake583]

well keep us updated! I am so sry about your beardie.

 

[DeweysMom]

I don't have a beardie yet so I can't offer any advice about how to handle this situation, but I do have a couple of things I wanted to say. One, you definitely either have to find a way to lock that door so there's absolutely no chance that the cat can get in there. Or, if you can somehow keep your cat out of the room that would work as well. Two, I personally would find a way to get this little guy to the vet now - or at least before you go away. Even if it's an emergency vet. I'm just so paranoid when it comes to this stuff. It's far better to be safe than sorry when your pet's health is at stake. If that scratch gets infected while you're away it'll be that much worst by the time you get to the vets. Sorry that this happened. I hope he heals up nicely and fast!

 

[EmJagsz]

Hi guys, first of all thanks for all your replies. We just got back from the cottage, and in the morning I will call the vet to make an appointment as it's already too late to do that now.

During the weekend I had him under his basking light, and yes, I brought the thermomter to keep an eye on the temps. He had his regular temps during the day but I kept him a little warmer during the night. The cat did not get any other part of him. I know I will have to cat-proof his tank, the reason he got into the tank in the first place was because I had cut part of the screen out under the UVB light because I read that screen filters UVB. I had no idea he would be able to squeeze under there...but I guess he was very determined :/

During the weekend I have been thoroughly giving him baths and cleaning his scratches carefully. I also have been applying triple antibiotic polysporin on them except for his eye, which I've only been washing with water. He hasn't eaten much, but that is understandable. I have fed him some baby food, and I got a bit of water into him too.

If there is anything I am missing, please let me know. I will do anything to help my little guy get through this as easily as possible.

 

[ChellyBeans]

He is going to lose his eye. Cats carry the worst bacteria on their nails and teeth. Since it's been sitting all weekend, you're lucky if the fellah makes it alive. Always bring your beardie to the vet at the first sight of trauma.