Leo Eye Irritation

[invadertoast]

Well, I was just in the process of cleaning out one of my leo's cages and noticed he hadn't eaten all of his mealies (he's a PIG) and one of his eyes looked a little funny, like his eye lid is a little swollen. He has been kept on play sand for the past year and I had decided to change back to paper towel after deciding I can't take the sand on my floor anymore. Could it just be sand in his eye? What can I do for him?

Here' a pic of the irritated one. He keeps it open and the eye looks clear and normal and not discolored, I just didn't want to try again with the flash to get an open eye pic.

And here's is other, healthy looking eye.

[JLC]

Cute face!

Does he get crickets, too? I know they will nibble on eyelids if given the opportunity. (At least, that's what I've heard...haven't experienced it first-hand.) Sorry I can't be more help. :-/

[invadertoast]

Never eaten a cricket in his life... I really think it's sand... but I don't know if I can put something on it or just let it be. It doesn't look like it bothers him too much, but it definately looks swollen to me.

[Jeff]

Sand is probably the cause. It got inside and scratched the lense and now it's infected. Get to the vet and have him give you some terramycin. You just put this Ointment on at night before you do to bed. Put it directly on the eye ball. In a few weeks it should clear up. While you're treating your gecko, take all sand out of it's cage. And IMO, you shouldn't put it back in.

[invadertoast]

Thanks Jeff, and don't worry, if you read above I was in the process of changing back to paper towels when I found this. Sand is a pain in the butt. The eye itself looks clear and normal, could it still be infected? Or did I maybe catch it early? I'll give the vet a call.

[Jeff]

what's infected is the eye lids most likely. You ever had a rash on your face (IE poison ivy) and your eye has blown up? It's not the eye that's usally the problem, just the lid around it. I'd still take her to the vet and get the terramycin. My uromastyx had this same problem. Terramycin fixed it right up


his swollen eye.

[invadertoast]

I have had poison ivy on my face but managed to not get it in my eye, lol. Thanks alot! I'll keep you guys updated!

[invadertoast]

Well I took Harley to the vet today... he was not a happy camper, he hated every second of it and had his mouth open the whole time, lol, I've never seen him be aggressive! Anyway the vet said it was only minor irritation and gave me an ointment (not terramycin... I can't pronounce it) to put on it for the next two weeks. He's looking better already after only one dose. Anyway, now it's my turn to go to the people vet (ahhhhhhhhh I hate the doctor!)

[JLC]

Awwww...I'm very glad it was something minor. Can't blame him one bit for not liking the experience. I always get cranky when I have to go to the doctor, too.

"People vet".....hehehehe...