One Eye Puffed Shut, wet looking, HELP

[AGTrauger]

When I woke this morning and checked on my beardie Moko, an approx. 12" female, one of her eyes was puffed almost completely shut and the eye that could be seen looked wet. I keep her on nonadhesive shelf liner and have had her since last July, purchased from a breeder), under a Mega-Ray 100 watt bulb that's 12" or 13" above her basking spot. She was fine the night before and this is the 1st ever health issue I've seen with her. I'm really worried about it. I've seen her rubbing her head on her basking spot (a fake stone bridge sold in the reptile section of Petsmart) and kicking off shed skin pieces with her hind leg because she just shed. She has done this everytime during/immediately after shedding. Will this heal by itself or is there something I can do to help, short of taking her to a vet. I will go to the vet if I have to of course but would like to do whatever I can myself first. I'm worried and won't be able to check on her again until after work when I get home at 4pm

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[zebraflavencs]

First thought.. how old is the Mega ?
Second... she might have gotten some skin in her eye, and needs to have it irrigated out...
Janie

 

[AGTrauger]

Thanks for the quick response I've had the Mega since late October 2009 and haven't seen her closing her eyes any more than usual, which isn't often. Would eye drops help get whatever might be in there out and if so what kind should it be? Thanks again!

 

[zebraflavencs]

Saline solution... NOT for contacts, or warm water dribbled over the eye area, in the bath... That should dislodge whatever is bothering her.
Janie

 

[AGTrauger]

Thanks I feel much better, I'll try not to worry until I get home I will pick some up on my way home and see if that helps. Hopefully it'll have cleared itself out already. Will post an update

 

[AGTrauger]

Got home and her eye was even more puffy! But worse that that I think she threw up her food. There was a normal shaped, green poo as always happens after eating alot of greens. But about her body length away from that was a pile of whole superworm pieces covered in clear liquid as well as some red liquid I have no idea what it is :!: :shock: I did still put some eye drops on her eye which seemed to hurt her for a second but it already seems less red but still very puffy. Do I need to take her to the vet ASAP? Darn it why couldn't this have at least happened after I got my tax refund, if it had to at all! Any ideas? Was it just a bad worm or is it more serious?

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Hello... the runny poo could very well be parasites, which could cause some blood in the stool. You might want to get a stool sample into your vet and have a fecal done as soon as possible.
As for her eyes... how long has she been having problems with them? Was she closing her eyes quite a bit while under the megaray?
There have actually been some issues with megarays purchased from mid Oct to just recently, putting out high levels of uv. It could be the bulb causing the eye problems. I would suggest turning off the megaray and contacting ReptileUV.
Here is a thread concerning the Megaray and who to contact viewtopic.php?f=45&t=121986

 

[AGTrauger]

I noticed her with 1 or both eyes closed at times but thought it was just normal during basking? I hope I didn't effect her permanent eye damage because of it Thanks for the info on the Megaray I will contact them and see if they think that is the cause. Meanwhile i have turned off the lamp and replaced it with just a regular 100 watt bulb as a temporary replacement...I know it gives her the correct basking temp as I used it while my Megaray was backordered in Sept/Oct. The eye looks about the same, maybe a smidge less red and she hasn't pooped or thrown up again. This morning I will look at the list of reputable reptile vets in my area in case I need to take her, or at least a fecal sample, in to be checked out. I can't really afford a vet visit but I'd rather get her healthy and starve myself for a week or two :|

 

[AGTrauger]

John @ ReptileUV thinks the bulb is responsible and has already shipped (or will today) a replacement for free. Hopefully my sweet Moko will be back to normal within a few days to a week 8)

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

I am glad you turned the light off and contacted John. He has been great through this entire Megaray ordeal.
Have you been soaking Moko? You might want to give her some extra water orally with a syringe since she has had diarrhea and also throwing up. The last thing your poor little beardie needs right now is to be dehydrated on top of everything else. Her eyes should start to recover soon.
Please keep us updated on her condition.

 

[AGTrauger]

Now I'm worried again, I think she died last night!!! She was slowly dragging herself around yesterday late night. It looked promising when I got home at 4pm since her eye was about half as puffy as it had been and she was laying and doing her usual "pushups" under her basking lamp (bright white 100w normal bulb). Then around 7pm she kind of 1/2 fell off 1/2 stepped off her basking spot (only 2" high) and then started dragging herself around a few hours later. She wouldn't eat the veggies I offered her when she ALWAYS eats them when I hand feed her. At around 7:30 pm she crawled to her usual sleeping spot (the light was going off at 8:30 on a timer usually) so I figured she wanted to sleep and turned off her light. Before going to sleep around 2am I checked on her, she wasn't moving, appeared to not be breathing, and 1 of her front hands was clenched into a fist, just as she had been around 11pm...she didn't move at all even 1/20 of an inch...even when I touched her. Then I checked her again this morning and she was still in the same position, still not moving at all when I gently tried to lift her up to see if there was any reaction...there wasn't. Will do a final check when I get home today.

She's only 12" and approx 6.5 months old so I don't think she's in brumation? Is it possible she's still alive and just brumating or not moving trying to heal herself? I'm afraid not. Can one bad superworm kill an otherwise healthy dragon in 2 days or was there something unseen already at work? Because she was fine & pooping normally up until her eye puffed up, leading me to start this thread.

I'm still holding out hope that by this afternoon she'll have moved during the day and is recovering, but I'm afraid it's R.I.P. Sweet baby Moko, Thursday, January 28, 2010 :evil: I think I killed my baby by not taking her to a vet ASAP upon noticing her eye

 

[beardieluv]

Oh no. Is Moko okay? Please let us know so if she is still alive we can help

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Oh dear! Please tell me that Moko is okay?

 

[AGTrauger]

Unfortunately Moko passed on Thu I have been shopping around and will be getting not 1 but 2 babies next week Once they come I'll make a new thread to introduce them.

 

[beardieluv]

Oh man :/ i wonder what happened... well congrats on the new babies.