Yet another post .. Crusty eyes?

[BlueyBabe]

Blotch, tommorow I will get my mom to call the vet an make an appontment for him. Tommorow is when the vet is open .. I think.

Hopefully the vet can get me and Hershal in soon as possible. I am going to ask my mom right now if she will call tommorow ...

Thanks for the help .. I shall keep you updated!

Emma

[BlueyBabe]

Blotch, I see no search box .. all I see in "Fun Facts, Caresheet, Forums, Blueycam, The skink store, Photo Album, Skink Links, and Site Map". That is all I see. Were is the search box located?

Emma

[jasjmm27]

Blotch, I see no search box .. all I see in "Fun Facts, Caresheet, Forums, Blueycam, The skink store, Photo Album, Skink Links, and Site Map". That is all I see. Were is the search box located?

Emma

You see the big oval with the Skink drawing in it and "Bluetongueskinks.net - Forums & Classifieds"? Look to the right of that, Search is there.

[BlueyBabe]

Thanks. I see it now.

[BlueyBabe]

Geoff, I saw that you posted on the forum that I looked up that Hershal will need Chloromycetin eye drops. I will tell my mom now.

She siad she will make an appontment tommorw of Hershal!

Thanks for all the help!!

Emma

[jasjmm27]

Excellent! Hope that will help the vet get "on track" to help Hershal more effectively and faster! Good luck with that and keep us updated!

[Geoff Gates]

Geoff, I saw that you posted on the forum that I looked up that Hershal will need Chloromycetin eye drops. I will tell my mom now.

She siad she will make an appontment tommorw of Hershal!

Thanks for all the help!!

Emma

Emma,

That is just one ointment that can be used.

For some relief before seeing the vet you can gently bathe the eyes with a very dilute salt & tepid water solution.

[BlueyBabe]

Geoff, thanks for clearing that up. My mom is going to call the vet in an hour when thy open, and make an appontment for him.
I think my $45 should cover his appontment. What do you think?

Emma

[Marie]

You know, I'm beginning to think that a lot of eye problems can be cleared up by keeping the eyes moist. Popsicle had chronic eye problems that would go away when treated with antibiotic eye ointment. When the ointment treatment stopped, the crusted eyes returned. That suggests eye infection, right? Not really. Over time, I observed that Popsicle's eyes started to improve after she shed, and then they would crust up days later. I started spraying Popsicle's eyes with plain saline used for contacts. That led to a dramatic reduction in the eye crust. I then exchanged a few PMs with Tattoo, who recommended the sterile, dry eye ointment. I bought a generic tube of that at Target for about $5. Since I started using the dry eye ointment, Popsicle's eyes have looked completely normal at all times!!

With that said, eye problems should be taken seriously. A vet visit is a good idea. But remember, the vet does not see reptiles all that often, and he/she has probably never treated a blue tongued skink. He'll probably look at the eye, say it's an infection, and prescribe antibiotics. I'd use the antibiotics, but if the crust returns after treatment, try the sterile eye ointment. Also, try to get the antibiotics in ointment form as opposed to drop form. In humans, I think it's only about ~5% of the antibiotic that is absorbed in drop form. It's a higher % with ointment.

[BlueyBabe]

Thanks so much Marie! That helped me out ALOT.

We have an vet appontment next week sometime. Your are totally correct, that vet doctor does not see alot of reptiles, therefore never seen an BTS.

If the stuff he gives up doesn't work, then I will use that ontment (sp) you said you used for your skinks.

I will keep you updated!

Emma

[Geoff Gates]

Eye problems with captive blueys is environmental.

Either there is something in the tank causing the problem or the tank is not being cleaned often enough.

[BlueyBabe]

Geoff, when I bought Hershal he had the mouth rot and this eye thing.
At the pet store he was housed in an 15 gallon square.

[Geoff Gates]

Geoff, when I bought Hershal he had the mouth rot and this eye thing.
At the pet store he was housed in an 15 gallon square.

Yes, it's quite possible that he had the problem(s) at the pet store.

If that is the case, once he is fixed up it should not be an issue again.

Good luck,

[Marie]

Eye problems with captive blueys is environmental.

Either there is something in the tank causing the problem or the tank is not being cleaned often enough.

I agree with this to a certain extent. I think many eye infections are caused by dirty enclosures, and I believe that certain substrates can cause damage to the eye. However, I believe that even after the source of the eye problem is eliminated, the eye problem can persist. To this day, I do not know for certain why Popsicle's eyes are dry. I have a theory that when she was younger and sick, she rubbed her eyes to the extent that she damaged them. Perhaps she damaged the mechanism by which her eyes are kept moist. Given that all four skinks are housed in identical conditions and only one has an eye problem, it seems that the current environmental factors are not contributing to the chronic ailment.

[Geoff Gates]

Eye problems with captive blueys is environmental.

Either there is something in the tank causing the problem or the tank is not being cleaned often enough.

I agree with this to a certain extent. I think many eye infections are caused by dirty enclosures, and I believe that certain substrates can cause damage to the eye. However, I believe that even after the source of the eye problem is eliminated, the eye problem can persist. To this day, I do not know for certain why Popsicle's eyes are dry. I have a theory that when she was younger and sick, she rubbed her eyes to the extent that she damaged them. Perhaps she damaged the mechanism by which her eyes are kept moist. Given that all four skinks are housed in identical conditions and only one has an eye problem, it seems that the current environmental factors are not contributing to the chronic ailment.

Popsicle might have a predisposition to the eye ailment that your other blueys do not. I agree that your bluey might have permanent damage to the eye which is a completely different matter to conjuctivitis. (the symptoms Emma described are classic conjuctivits).

if your bluey still has a dry eye problem and you have exhausted all other avenues try Golden eye ointment from the chemist.

[Marie]

I understand that her skink's eye problem sounds like an eye infection. I just wanted to point out that there are other, often overlooked, causes of eye problems. I think people are quick to assume an eye problem is conjunctivitis, when many of the cases might NOT be conjunctivitis. As I mentioned, she should use the antibiotic prescribed by the vet, however, if the problem returns, don't keep using antibiotics. I can foresee the eye ointment not working and then the vet prescribes oral antibiotics (pet peeve alert). I have said this before, but I think prescribing oral antibiotics for a presumed eye infection is the worst thing a vet can do.

As for my Popsicle, her eye problem is completely non-existent with the dry-eye ointment from the local convenience store. Dry eye ointment wouldn't heal bacterial conjunctivitis. Do you remember the sweet little bluey Angel? She had severe eye problems that she could not conquer. Her owners were very experienced with blue tongues and provided her with the best care. Despite an amazingly clean and simple enclosure and numerous antibiotic treatments from the vet, her eye problem persisted. Angel's problem obviously wasn't simple conjunctivitis and antibiotics did not help her.

I guess my major point is that we shouldn't be so closed-minded about eye problems. Eye ailments aren't always conjunctivitis, and we shouldn't always treat them like they are.

[BlueyBabe]

Right! Thanks Geoff!

[Blotch]

Marie - you basically said what I said earlier - just with more words!

As geoff said - it does sound like conjunctivitis, but I personally wouldn't be taking any chances. I'd be going to a vet that can actually see the eyes, and examine the skink for a proper diagnosis. Eye infections can travel and cause more problems.

Blueybabe just needs to get to the vet and be done with it. Only then will the problem start to be rectified. (that is if the vet is a reptile vet)