Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Its been a few years since I have posted on King Snake, but I have some questions I hope someone can help me with! I have (4) Desert Iguanas.(2) I have had nearly 7 years. And the other (2) 5 years. I had two I lost in 2005 to fungal infection! I have not had much problems with the other (4) except for one he had a bacterial infection 3 years ago, but with medication he got better!
But now, they are having problems with an eye condition. In one of my DI's, and just yesterday I discovered another one appearing to have the same problem. He isn't even in the same cage! The appearance of the problem is their eye looks droopy, the membrane in the corner of the eye is enlarged pushing the eyeball over to one side! It's not kidney failure. She has had this for several months now. I took her to the vet back in July. She is suppose to have knowledge in taking care of exotics. She said she had conjuntivitis, pink eye in people. She gave me an ointment called BNPH Ophth. It has Neomycin, Polymyxin B sulfates, Bacitracin zinc and Hydrocortisone Ophthalmic. The funny part about it is that about the same time, I started having eye problems! Both my eyes itched and burned, and I felt like grit was in them. I have had pink eye before and I thought I had pink eye! I still have the problem, and plan to go see a Dr next week. The ointment I give her seems to help, but when I quit using it the problem comes back. Now one in the other cage appears to have it! They are completely isolated! I am wondering if I gave it to him! I have even put cod liver oil in the first ones eye, and put it in her food. I hear that is suppose to help eyes! She eats well, is gaining weight, and acts well and alert. She will rub her eye on things like it is bothering her.
I know pink eye is a virus, I don't think there is a cure for it. You just have to let it got through its course. I don't use any UVA or UVB lights, just regular incandescent lights. However I take them outside almost every day and let them get an hour or so of real sunlight. I feed them Romaine lettuce, carrots, field greens, some fruits, and meal worms. Most of the time they only eat romaine and meal worms. I live in Florida, and wonder if the high humidity is not good for them! Most of the time they are in my house where the humidity is lower! I have posted a photo of her left eye with no eye problem, and right eye with eye problem! Has anyone had a problem like this? Or heard of a problem like this? Is it life threatening? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

-----
Our Desert Iguanas

If it is "pink eye" or bacterial conjunctivitis, than it can be passed back and forth between animals and people. Viruses are usually species specific unless they mutate. Again, if you have a proper diagnosis from the vet of conjunctivitis, then treat the animal with the ointment, disinfect the cage and it's furnishing, and be very fastidious about hand-washing. If you get pink eye, then be extra careful about hand-washing before you handle the lizard or its food.

So you are telling me there is bacterial conjunctivitis? Not always a virus. My Dr from work told me Pink eye is viral, and has to run it's course! I have some Baytril the vet gave me because I was concerned about a bacterial infection, but when she said it appeared to her she was getting better on second visit, I forgot about the Baytril. I hesitate giving the Baytril, because it kills their natural bacteria fauna but now you tell me pink eye can also be bacterial. It is in the fridge still good. I will start giving it to her! Would you suggest this? Thanks for an answer!
-----
Our Desert Iguanas

Yes, pink eye can be caused by bacteria or by a virus. If it is a bacterial conjunctivitis, treating it with Baytril would be a bit harsh. Usually there are gentamycin (or another antiobiotic) eye drops available that do the job nicely. If it is viral, then it has to run its course.

I would suggest disinfecting the cage and a vet visit.

I took my Diggy to the best vet in central Florida, suppose to be anyway! He said the eye has had trama, and perscribed ciprofloxacin, and flurriprofen drops. Two in the eye twice a day for 10 days! Has anyone else had experience with these meds with their iggys?
-----
Our Desert Iguanas

I have used ciprofloxacin with a chameleon and it worked very well.

Which vet did you see? Dr. Orlando Diaz at Lake Howell is pretty darn good.

I did see Dr. Orlando Diaz at Lake Howell clinic. I started her on the meds Saturday! How long did it take before you saw results with your guy? Thanks for your input!
Bill
-----
Our Desert Iguanas

>>I did see Dr. Orlando Diaz at Lake Howell clinic. I started her on the meds Saturday! How long did it take before you saw results with your guy? Thanks for your input!
>>Bill
>>-----
>> Our Desert Iguanas

It's hard to say with this cham because it's been an ongoing thing. He was given to me by a friend who couldn't really care for him and was overwhelmed. So this cham came with eye meds. At first he had issues from the compact UV. So a combo of removing the light, using the drops, lots of misting, and moving him outside cleared it up within a few days. That doesn't really work for your guys who need less humidity and are already outside,

Now he has a new issue. He was shedding his head and has an irritated eye. He probably rubbed it on something, but we're back to increased misting and eye drops again. Grrr... This is why I never wanted a chameleon!!!

What did his eye problem look like? Droopy eye, swollen, or? My DI don't seem to even be affected by the problem. She is eating, being her own normal self. It's just her eye that looks bad, droopy and swollen. She don't like it when I put the stuff in her eye! Just like a kid! Thanks for your replys!
-----
Our Desert Iguanas

Chameleon eye anatomy is quite different from iguanids. They have that moving turret with the eyeball down inside the turret.

When I got the cham he had been to Geneva Oaks and Dr. Diaz. Geneva Oaks gave him the eye drops and I'm not sure what the original diagnosis was. My friend wouldn't get rid of the compact bulb they were using and the cham ended with MBD and irritated eyes. Dr. Diaz treated him for the MBD. Basically he just closed his eyes and hid from the light.

His current eye issue is just one eye closed and the line where the eyelids meet looks a bit irritated. While I was misting him today I noticed the skin around that eye is beginning to shed, so it may just be a shedding issue.