Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click for ZooMed
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You

My female Teo has problem with her eyes... (very long post, sorry!)

Gunilla May 02, 2004 12:03 PM

Hi,
My female Teo has had her problems.

The truth is that I don’t know what’s wrong with her. Lets start from the beginning. When I got Teo 3 years ago she was about 2 months old. She ate fine for a week, then stopped. I took her to the local vet but they couldn’t find anything wrong with her. The problem is that we don’t have any good herp-vets in my area and this vet didn’t even think about parasites… My poor Teo was loaded with parasites and it took several months before I found that out. She was in a *very* bad shape and I took her to a good herp-vet (2,5-hour drive away). Teo had three different types of parasites (coccidia, bloodworm (?) and pinworms. She had SO much and was in a very bad shape. She was very lethargic and in pain, her mouth was yellow, her balance was bad and she couldn’t catch her crickets – she missed them with about 1 inch every time. At that time we didn’t have any good treatment for coccidia in Sweden so she was treated with Bactrim for 8 months – it didn’t help at all.

My poor Teo was weak and didn’t move at all. I did several more exams of her and they couldn’t find anything wrong with her except the coccidia of course. I became desperate and tried to get hold of Albon (I had heard that it was a good treatment for coccidia). We didn’t have Albon here in Sweden at the time and I looked for it at the Internet. I was quite desperate – I really wanted to help my poor girl. Finally a woman called Eva responded to my cry for help and she sent me a bottle of Albon (not quite legal to send drugs like that from USA to Sweden – but who cares in a situation like that!

I treated my poor girl with Albon – and the coccidia went away (so did the yellow in her mouth)! I was so happy! But… her problems with measuring distances remained. She still can’t catch her crickets or worms by herself. She miss them so I have to hand-feed her everything (which is sometimes tricky since she eats well and opens her mouth and tries to catch the food – she has bitten me more than once since she miss her REAL food..! She also has problems climbing and when she walks – she walks slowly.

She still doesn’t move much and I have had her examined several times more – and the vets still can’t find anything wrong with her. So now I just leave her and accept that she isn’t like other dragons. She doesn’t seem to be in pain at all and she enjoys being around me (and she just LOVES her boyfriend Cicero!). She has developed a “language” that I understand, so she tells me when she wants to poop (she hates doing that in the cage – it has to be on the floor..!) she also tells me when she is thirsty and/or hungry. She is a very smart dragon!

Now to her current problem…
I have noticed something wrong with her eyes. The lens is “too big”. I don’t know how to describe this in English – but the lenses of her eyes are “sticking out”. This is especially visible if you look at Teo’s face from the front or back. I haven’t seen this at any other dragon at all. Maybe this is the reason that she can’t measure distances? It seems likely…

Has anyone heard of this or seen something similar? What can cause this and is there any treatment? I want to help my special girl Teo. I have contacted my herp-vet by letter to see what she has to say about this (my vet is 2½ hour drive away so I thought I sent her a letter with pictures first).

Look at the pictures below and let me know what you think… Thanks!

Sorry for the long post…! Please help me if you can, Teo is very special to me!

/Gunilla


-----

Replies (15)

eternal May 02, 2004 01:40 PM

gunilla,

Im sorry to see Teo like that, she is soo awsome!
I think it's vet time..... I have never seen the lenses bulge like that. Good luck

Gunilla May 02, 2004 02:06 PM

I think it is vet time too... the only thing is - does the vet know how to treat this? And can they at a bearded dragon..? The vets here in Sweden doesn't know that much about reptiles... I have written a letter to my vet so hopefully I get a reply this week.

I want to help my sweet Teo...

/Gunilla

-----

beardiedragon May 02, 2004 02:11 PM

I feel for you and Teo. She seems like such a sweetie. I would contact an eye Dr. and see what they say. Here in Miami, we actually have a vet ophthalmologist that works on k-9 cataracts and such. Keep us posted please.

good luck
-----
Bennett


Home Of The Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com

Gunilla May 02, 2004 03:15 PM

Thanks for your reply. The problem here in Sweden is that we basically only have 3 good reptile vets. I just *hope* one of them can help my Teo. She has gone through so much, my poor girl. She is really a special dragon - and I do anything to help her. Teo and I have a very special bond.

What is k-9 cataracts?

I will hear what my vet says about this and then I take action from that. I will keep you posted.

/Gunilla

>>I feel for you and Teo. She seems like such a sweetie. I would contact an eye Dr. and see what they say. Here in Miami, we actually have a vet ophthalmologist that works on k-9 cataracts and such. Keep us posted please.
>>
>>good luck
>>-----
>>Bennett
>>
>>
>>Home Of The Florida Orange
>> www.beardiedragon.com

-----

LindsayMarie May 02, 2004 03:30 PM

I am very sorry to hear about Teo She is a such a cutie. Anyways I think what beardiedragon meant by k-9 cataracts is canine (dog) cataracts. Cataracts is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. However I have never heard of it causing the eye to "bulge out". But you never know? I have never seen a dragon with its eyes exposed so much like Teos! Is she able to close her eye lids over them? I am sorry I can not be of more help. I just wanted to send my thoughts and prayers over to you and maybe someone else can be of more help. Take care, Lindsay

Gunilla May 02, 2004 03:58 PM

Thank you Lindsay! The problem feels less when people care!
Oh yes, Teo can close her eyes just fine. And the lens is perfectly clear - just "too big".

I don't know exactly how long she has had this. I noticed it some weeks ago. Maybe she had had this for a long time and that is why she can't measure distances? I don't know... My poor girl has gone through SO much in her life. I just want her to be healthy. I have to say that it doesn't look like she is suffering at all. And I am happy for that - that is my main concern... I have to give her special treatment, but I don't mind that at all - as long as she isn't in pain.

And thanks for explaining the "k-9 cataracts" for me - now I know what it is.

Take care,
Gunilla

>>I am very sorry to hear about Teo She is a such a cutie. Anyways I think what beardiedragon meant by k-9 cataracts is canine (dog) cataracts. Cataracts is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. However I have never heard of it causing the eye to "bulge out". But you never know? I have never seen a dragon with its eyes exposed so much like Teos! Is she able to close her eye lids over them? I am sorry I can not be of more help. I just wanted to send my thoughts and prayers over to you and maybe someone else can be of more help. Take care, Lindsay

-----

beardiedragon May 02, 2004 03:53 PM

>>What is k-9 cataracts?

K-9 = canine = dog (I use the term K-9 instead of dog since wolves also fall into the K-9 classification)

even if she doesn't have scales, I still love this one

cataracts is a degeneration of the eye and is something people get as well. You could contact your regular eye Dr. and ask his opinion.
-----
Bennett


Home Of The Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com

Gunilla May 02, 2004 04:00 PM

And that is one beautiful dog!

/Gunilla
-----

beardiedragon May 02, 2004 04:10 PM

thanks

this is my male

Image
-----
Bennett


Home Of The Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com

LindsayMarie May 02, 2004 04:15 PM

They are absolutely beautiful! You must be proud

beardiedragon May 02, 2004 04:35 PM

sometimes I introduce my family as my pack

by the way, what do you call a group of BD's????
-----
Bennett


Home Of The Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com

PHEve May 02, 2004 05:09 PM

Sure are something to behold !
-----
___

Eve

sila May 02, 2004 03:28 PM

take the pics and ask them what they think. I dont have any good rep. vets nearby or I would help you if I could..Sila

Gunilla May 02, 2004 04:19 PM

Thanks Sila, I will do that if my vet can't help me. We have 3 good herp-vets in Sweden. Hopefully one of them can help and tell me what to do!

>>take the pics and ask them what they think. I dont have any good rep. vets nearby or I would help you if I could..Sila
-----

PHEve May 02, 2004 05:06 PM

Shes certainly does seem like your lil sweety.
I have bonded with a certain couple lizards, that had special problems too !

One of those Vets should know something, how to help her. Or figure whats up with the lens.

Please, let us know how ya make out with her!

-----
___

Eve

Site Tools