Wet, teary eyes

[peasinapod]

Hey everyone, I need your help because I am internally freaking out a bit.

Yesterday when I went to move my hermann's tortoise, Peter, into the coldframe for the night, I noticed something unusual. His eyes were all watery, almost overflowing. I tried the search function but most of the cases seem to be about low humidity/dehydration, which shouldn't be a problem here.

He lives outside 24/7 and has water always available. When I see the occasional urate it is always liquidy.


Maybe something poked him. But both eyes? I am worried, because although he's still eating a bit he has slowed down considerably and is preparing for brumation.

Any help or insight is greatly apreciated!

 

[ascott]

What is your weather like during the day and then approaching night? The outside environment can cause some eye tearing....

 

[peasinapod]

What is your weather like during the day and then approaching night? The outside environment can cause some eye tearing....

It depends at the moment. Mostly slightly sunny but lately a bit rainy as well. His coldframe. The temps outside are ~60-65 °F at least, unless it is raining. But it is much warmer in the coldframe or even in the sun. He stays mostly inside the cold frame.

 

[peasinapod]

I just came back from university and checked on Peter again. Everything seems normal. No weepy eyes or anything. He was active and ate quite a lot.

I guess it was just me being a worrywart. Still, I'll check over the next few days whether it reappears or not. If it does, I will take him to the vet, just to make sure. I'm not taking any chances this close to brumation.

 

[peasinapod]

Time for an update with a bit of unpleasant news. Today I checked on Peter again and while his eyes weren't abnormally wet, the nictitating membrane, aka. his third eyelid, on one of his eyes didn't retract fully. I checked on him again an hour later, and still the same. It isn't very extreme, but there's still a noticeable difference to the other eye.

Furthermore, yesterday I already had the impression that the third eyelid on that eye looked a tiny, tiny bit bigger than the other one, but I just put it down to me being paranoid.

So I called my vet and got an appointment for tomorrow morning. I hope that it ends up being just a small irritation due to dust or something like that...

At least I have got lots of good vets around me. 2 reptile vets within 20 min driving distance as well as the veterinary clinic of the University of Zürich, which has a reptile department, within 30 min driving distance. Let's hope I won't be needing them.

 

[Tyanna]

Does he have a spot to bask that's at least 90-95 degrees? What is the humidity? 65 should only be the lowest you let night time temps get. Otherwise 70-75 should be a cool side, and then 90-95 degrees on the warmer end.

 

[peasinapod]

Does he have a spot to bask that's at least 90-95 degrees? What is the humidity? 65 should only be the lowest you let night time temps get. Otherwise 70-75 should be a cool side, and then 90-95 degrees on the warmer end.

He has a basking spot which reaches those temperatures. The coldframe heats up with the smallest bit if sun as well. The last few nights temps didn't drop below 60. As for the other temperatures, I have no influence on them. But he has plenty of different temperature areas he can seek out.

Humidity varies, but as it is outside it doesn't drop massively low. Today it was at about 80% outside. The coldframe works just like a closed chamber humidity wise.

 

[Tyanna]

Maybe it is lack of Vitamin A. What is your diet like? Try soaking him in half water, half baby carrot food for 20 minutes 2-3 days and check on his improvement. Mine had an eye problem and I had to switch out the wattage of my bulbs and soak him in this mix and he was just fine afterwards.

 

[peasinapod]

Maybe it is lack of Vitamin A. What is your diet like? Try soaking him in half water, half baby carrot food for 20 minutes 2-3 days and check on his improvement. Mine had an eye problem and I had to switch out the wattage of my bulbs and soak him in this mix and he was just fine afterwards.

I don't think it is a lack of vitamin A, as he is fed a variety of weeds as well as the occasional piece of carrot as a treat. At least I hope it isn't. :/
I have no UV bulb as he lives outside full-time.
I'll see what the vet says, and if it really is a lack of vitamin A I will try the soaks ( after coordinating it with the vet treatment)

 

[peasinapod]

I am back from the vet with news: Peter has got a slight eye infection, which means I get to drip stuff into his eyes 4-6 times a day. He is gonna hate me. In 6 days I'll have another check-up with him.

Both eyes were a bit swollen and the vet noticed a slightly milky discharge.

The vet checked him over and other than the eyes he's healthy, he even put on a bit of weight!

 

[peasinapod]

His meds:


His eye:

 

[lynnedit]

So glad you took him to the vet! That medication looks similar to the Terramycin that we use here in the US, with a little extra!

 

[peasinapod]

So glad you took him to the vet! That medication looks similar to the Terramycin that we use here in the US, with a little extra!

I think Terramycin isn't allowed to be used on animals here. Let's hope this one works

 

[peasinapod]

Woohoo! Peter has a clean bill of health. I can let him brumate just as planned.

 

[ascott]

I am back from the vet with news: Peter has got a slight eye infection, which means I get to drip stuff into his eyes 4-6 times a day. He is gonna hate me. In 6 days I'll have another check-up with him.

Both eyes were a bit swollen and the vet noticed a slightly milky discharge.

The vet checked him over and other than the eyes he's healthy, he even put on a bit of weight!

If this tort has an eye infection, I would not allow the tort to brumate.....have you figured the cause of the eye infection?

 

[peasinapod]

If this tort has an eye infection, I would not allow the tort to brumate.....have you figured the cause of the eye infection?

According to the vet it has cleared up and he should be ok to brumate, I asked specifically. I was told by the vet that the cause could be a whole plethora of things, including irritation or a bacterial cause. Because it cleared up so well with the antibiotics it most probably was a slight bacterial infection.

I changed the leaves and such in his sleeping hut, just to be sure as well.