HELP!!! Ploughshare Tortoise Eye Problem

[Radiated]

One of the eyes of my ploughshare tortoise is swollen, and it cannot open it completely. Usually only one eye is open, the other one can open when soaked to sprayed. It does not look too normal. There are often also tears.

What can i do, should i use zoomeds turtle eye drop?


Please Help!!!


Thanks

 

[dmmj]

Do you know what is wrong? it sounds like it has an irritant in it. You could try flushing it with a saline solution.

 

[Radiated]

i have now idea, but can i use turtle eye drop by zoomed or Oliverfuk http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14378190951& thing?


Thanks

 

[JoesMum]

What kind of UV lighting are you using and what substrate do you have? Both can cause eye problems.

 

[Radiated]

I have a Zoomed Powersun MVB, and the substrate is bamboo leaves onto of eco-earth. Should i change to cypress mulch like the one I'm using for my radiated's?

 

[JoesMum]

I'd feel inclined to use newspaper for a few days which is completely unlikely to cause problems and see what happens. Also... how high is the MVB, is it possibly too bright or too low?

 

[Radiated]

It is 25cm above the carapace. News paper or normal A4 paper? Or is cypress mulch better?

 

[JoesMum]

If you are trying to remove a possible source of irritation, paper is better than another mulch. All you are trying to do is see whether or not there is improvement without your current substrate.

Newspaper is cheaper than A4 and absorbs water (wee) better, so I'd use that.

If there's no improvement in the next couple of days, I'd go to a vet.

 

[Radiated]

ok, i am going to use A4 paper because newspaper has ink on it.

 

[JoesMum]

Honestly, newspaper is fine. I have used it in Joe's enclosure... it's much more absorbent.

 

[Radiated]

just changes it to paper, its sleeping, night time in China.

---

How long until i can switch to cypress mulch?

 

[JoesMum]

See if his eyes settle first. Don't do anything more with substrate until he's healthy or he's seen a vet.

 

[Radiated]

A vet is hard...
There are no qualified vets here in China, well none that i trust with a ploughshare, so i will use some eye drop that i got from a astrochelys species breeder.
Does that sound ok?

 

[JoesMum]

It depends what's in the dropper. A mild antibiotic or saline hopefully!

 

[tortadise]

Ummm that seems pretty bad. I know you've been mentioning this for a whole with h/she's eye. Perhaps vitamin a deficiency. Flush with sterile saline defiantly few times a day and most definitely get a paper substrate until it clears up. Keep him dry but spray him down daily.

 

[N2TORTS]

If truly a viral infection exists, some vets ( ask yours) may prescribe *Terramycin* . Typically comes in a gel/cream form and is applied once a day after a good sterile cleanse of the infected eye. I have had great results when using this method.
***As always best to confirm with your professional health care provider/Vet. before using any medicines for your animals.

JD~

 

[JoesMum]

If truly a viral infection exists, some vets ( ask yours) may prescribe *Terramycin* . Typically comes in a gel/cream form and is applied once a day after a good sterile cleanse of the infected eye. I have had great results when using this method.
***As always best to confirm with your professional health care provider/Vet. before using any medicines for your animals.

JD~

The problem OP has is that he's in China and he says a vet he trusts is hard to find which means he's trying to source over the counter stuff.

 

[N2TORTS]

Ooops ... I missed that ! ..... You can still order it online~

 

[Blastoise]

Last month I had a situation where my female russian wouldn't open its left eye, it was very irritated. After trying a few things I took her to a vet who gave me this eye cream that cleared it up in a single day. I tried soaking first, and then the zoo med drops, but after 3 days of no improvement I took her to the vet. The prescription cream worked great, so I would reccomend a vet visit.