Urgent Care :: eyes swollen shut

[becky]

Hi, My turtles name is Elliott. His eyes are swollen shut and he keeps 'pawing' at them with his front feet. He's running into the sides of the tank because he can't see where he is going and he won't eat. What should i do? I called the local VET and they don't know anything about turtles.

[missibsu]

There is an ointment that a vet can prescribe to put on them, and there are turtle eye drops..zoomed brand I believe. I'd start with the eye drops and see how that works first, and if it doesn't improve, then move on to the vet.

Are there any other symptoms to go with the eyes? Anything that might lead you to believe that there is more than just an eye infection? Sometimes the eye infection can be a side effect of something more serious...any open mouth breathing, lathargy, excessive basking?

[becky]

no, he wants to move around and swim but can't because he can't see where he is, he'll swim a few minutes and get up in the corner of the watter and sit. We cleaned his tank out a few minutes ago so he's enjoying the clean water right now. I also got him a new dr turtle because his was almost gone and right now he's sitting on top of it.. I can't get him to eat, but i think that's just because he's stressed about not being able to see.

[steve]

Here are some links to help you find the appropriate vet:
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=370

Could you also answer some of these questions?
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2142

I would also try those eye drops ASAP. if Dr. Turtle is a little white block that is shaped turtle, then remove it. It doesn't do much as is potentially harmful.

[missibsu]

Seeing as how you cleaned the water, that reminded me. Do try to keep the water as clean as possible. That may mean doing more frequent cleanings than you are used to.

[becky]

How big is your turtle? 2 maybe 3 inches
How long have you had it? 9 months

What is the water temperature? no clue. the gage is broken, my hubby broke it yesterday
Are you using a water heater? no
How much water is in there? about 1/2 a tank
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? yes

What is the basking temperature? ??
Is there a basking light? yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? yes,
What kind is it or what is it made out of? I can't remember, one of the rocks was i think slate, that may be the wrong term, my hubby purchased all this and he's not available to answer
Is there a UVB light?

What have you been trying to feed it? Krillm that's all i have ever been able to get him to eat-occassionall he will take a couple bites of cabbage
When was the last time your turtle ate? EARLY yesterday morning (4 am)

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 10 gal
Is the tank near a window? no
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? yes

Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms?

[becky]

kust curious... why doesn't the dr turtle need to be in the tank? That's what they told us to get at the pet store when we purchased him.

[missibsu]

The dr. turtle tablets are not a form of calcium that your turtle can use, and they also contain sulfa which your turtle can become immune to with prolonged use.

It is important to know that your water and basking temps are correct. Water at about 78 (although80-82 is good when there is an illness, to help boost the immune system) Baskint temp needs to be 10 degrees higher.

It is important to have UVB for your turt as well. Lack of UVB will lead to a decline in health with a number of protential problems.

[becky]

ok, thank you. See, i guess this is our fault in not knowing evrything we should, the pet stores don't always tell you what you need to know -obviously in my situation they didn't! we will for sure go and get these items tomorrow. thank you so much missi!

[becky]

YAY!! ok, his eyes just opened up. i scared him i think and they flew open! they look almost dehydrated. I guess the frops will help tomorrow. now, how in the heck do you get the drops in?!

[becky]

oh, sorry, only one eye but he ate 2 small peices of krill so i reckon thats good

[missibsu]

Pet stores are notorious for not giving out all of the information, or giving out false information. If it wasn't for this site, I fear to say that my two turts probably wouldn't be alive.

Smelly things are ok for now, since he isn't keeping his eyes open to see the food, but in the future you'll want a more varied diet. Check the nutrition section, there is a list of what to feed.

As for the drops, I believe they come with a dropper. Other than that, I am just as clueless as to how to get them in. Good Luck!

[becky]

thank you! ill do that. Ü