Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I had a little leo hatch somewhat prematurely and with the "cord" that attaches the yolk sack twisted around it's belly. I took him to the vet when I couldn't remove it and he just snipped it off. A few days later, I noticed that the baby couldn't see. I called the vet and he said it was probably something congenital, but I could pick up some antibiotic ointment if I wanted to, just in case there was some kind of infection. I tried the eye medicine, but it stressed him out so terribly that I stopped. It didn't look at all infected and the vet didn't think it was infected either. I've been handfeeding him a special formula and over the past 7 weeks, he has done fantastic. He has been shedding regularly, eating his formula like a pig, growing and gaining weight. I noticed that he could see a bit - really bright light seemed to upset him badly - but he has no functional vision whatsoever.

Two nights ago, he shed again and I checked him out the next morning to make sure he got everything off ok. He did, but I noticed that his left eye has a bad problem. It looks like a "BB" bullet is under his skin and eyelid. It's not red or weepy and doesn't appear swollen except for that huge lump. I've been putting the ointment on it since it appeared and from the way he acts, the eye appears to be painful. I tried to take a picture, but he's too tiny and my photography skills aren't good enough to get a good picture.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be wrong with him or what I could do to help him? Two weeks ago, I lost my beloved bearded dragon to a horrible case of vet malpractice (a certified reptile vet killed my precious Tazzie doing an enema for constipation and then compounded the problem by handing me an unconscious beardie and insisting that he was just suffering a "stress reaction"... it's a long story...) Because of what happened, I'm really, really scared to take another pet to a vet but I'm even more scared of losing another pet. If anyone has anything I could try before taking him to a vet I would be eternally grateful. The eye ointment I'm using is BNP Triple Antibiotic Opth Ointment - 2 to 3 times a day.

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any help.

Lisa

I love you Tazzie!

well kinda hard to tell from the desription. is it around his eye or on the eyeball itself. An infection in leos sometimes don't pop like a pimple they form kinda like a clot and don't go awat easy. If it is a rupture or something a baby leo would be very haed to fix a condition in. Sounds as if he may have had qiute a few birth defects some seen and some maybe hidden. My self I would probally let it go and see what happens I don't believe unless it isa an infection that their is much a vet can do. If there umbilical cords are short or still there a bit keep them on a damp paper towel for a few days and it usually falls off. Wish you luck sounds as if you are doing you best though.
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Even if your on the right track you will get run over if you just sit there
22 leos,1.1 redtail boas,1.1 rainbow boas,1.1 cornsnakes, 1.0 tokay gecko,1.0 veiled cham, 5 dogs and a cat. Oh, can't forget Tater my parrolet.

Thanks for the advice. The lump appears to be inside the eye, eye socket or possibly even the skull. The best way I can describe it is - if you look at a leo straight on - "nose to nose" - you see their "snout" (for lack of a better word) and their eyes with a small bulge on top of their head where their eyes are. Well... this little guy looks completely normal except the bulge on the left eye is huge. The right eye, eye socket and head shape are normal, but the left is much larger. I hope that makes sense - it's very hard to describe.

Thanks again for your advice!

Lisa

I love you Tazzie!!

mmm, so basically the eye is swollen in the socket causing a bump on top of the eye. Sounds bad I would say either a tumor,infection or rupture of some kind. Sorry I don't have anymore info I can give birth defects are a hard thing to deal with. Could be maybe the skull is not formed real good allowing the eye to bulge out more there. Not to be an ass or anything I know how hard it can be but, maybe euthanization would be a better choice for it if it will never lead a meaningfull life. Just a sugestion please try everything you can.
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Even if your on the right track you will get run over if you just sit there
22 leos,1.1 redtail boas,1.1 rainbow boas,1.1 cornsnakes, 1.0 tokay gecko,1.0 veiled cham, 5 dogs and a cat. Oh, can't forget Tater my parrolet.

Might as well see what happens. Might just be a special needs gecko.

Gee. It could be alot of things you know? I saw someone's gecko on here that didn't have a bump, but a big dent in the side of it's head, just a birth defect. Was he born with this or did it just appear? Like I said, it could be alot of things. If you can find a real qualified vet (another herp one.) it might be a good idea to get it checked since you're last one(who killed you're dragon.. I'm so sorry!) ,sounds not to be so "qualified". See what he/she says. Keep caring for the little guy and do what you can. I would see what the vet says and if they can't completely give you a description, just(like I said), let it go and do what you can. Hope this helps.

-Britney