Urgent Care :: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

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Post Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2016 6:50 am   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

Just fed Bob, he is eating fine, maybe a little slower than usual but he definitely still has an appetite. I am about to give him a soak and give him eye drops.

Whilst feeding I noticed the underside of his leg I can also see some whitish marks, it kind of looks like loose skin that hasn't shedded probably although I'm not too sure.

bob foot reverse.jpg
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Post Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2016 8:25 pm   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

Some of the marks do look like the soaks will help. It appears in some that his was overheated and burned even resulting in some of what you are seeing. Steve was right on shutting off the lights. I am very skeptical on this last photo and I think Steve would agree. The photo before the last one could be one of two issues. Yes it very well be a result of burning issues and I do not know how with what you informed so far, but just to eliminate other prospective possibilities on these new photos, Is this turtle wit other turtles?

I am trying to narrow down an aggressive injury related scenario to a possible arising internal infection from a burn or other source. The next thing you can do is wash your hands and if you know a nurse or medical person to get gloves from, please do. Put on some latex gloves if you can or if you do it with a clean finger, just make sure you wash your hands carefully after. Preferably use latex gloves though and still wash your hands after. But in the photo before this , take your finger and gently feel that area on his leg. Tell me if it feels like fluid is growing under it or not. Do not press on it though hard as you don't want to spread a possible infection. Just gently feeling it, will tell you.

If it is a burn related injury and or a cage mate scaring, you will not feel building fluid, If it is a infection building, you will. This last photo is puzzling me a bit though I have my thoughts on it, I would like to compare notes on my thought and visa versa with Steves thoughts. Keep up with the soaks and the drops and you will be going into the right direction for sure.
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 12:10 am   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

You can have a basking lamp, though any UVB I would shut off temporarily. The turtle does look dry, was he basking for a long period of time? What are you using to measure the basking temps?

As for the eyes issues, you can cod liver oil which will only help if there is a vitamin A deficiency. The Zoo Med drops can help if it's either a vit A deficiency or needs some cleaning. If Bob has a vet, he might prescribe an antibiotic ointment gel/cream.

Those marks on the skin do need further investigation though I'm not familiar with Mississippi Maps. Are they sensitive? Rough? Soft? Is he housed with Fred? Any harassment in the tank?
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 7:56 am   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

Hey guys, thanks for the replies!

So Bob and Fred have been together since they were babies, they do not fight each other ever, and I have never witnessed them apart from when I used to feed them in the tank together and they would fight for the food, now I take them out and feed them in a bucket seperately and have no problems.

The UVB has been off now for around 2 days, and I agree that I think maybe the UVB was far too powerful and Bob was basking for long amounts of time which is why his eyes seemed sealed shut without any swelling or colour change.

I inspected the white marks further, and gently pressing on the larger 'spot' on his back right foot, it doesn't seem like there is any fluid underneath, and just seems a bit 'tough' and maybe even a bit dry, it was hard to find out as he retracted his feet after a short while. I definitely didnt feel any fluid underneath though. I don't think they were too sensitive, as he allowed me to touch them for a bit before pulling his leg in his shell.

Bob is always quite 'skittish' he doesn't really like being handled all too much and will try and flap his arms and legs and he has always done that, and I read that Mississippi Map's have that character built into them.

I am thinking that the UVB lamp I was using was too powerful, and probably too close to the basking platform so this could be part of the problem that he seems a bit dry. Fred is a YBS and is already a bit bigger so maybe it hasn't been affecting him as much.

I will continue the soaks and eye drops, he does seem a little more energetic, but eyes are still shut sometimes when he is basking for a while. He is still eating normally, and swimming around more often now. Can you guys advise about getting a new UVB bulb? I noticed mine was the Repti Sun 10.0 and I had read that these are too powerful, maybe I should drop down and get the 5.0?
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 10:59 pm   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

Fighting can happen regardless if they were raised together (especially with males). The picture of the foot (top of this page) does look like a fresh injury.

How close is the UVB lamp?
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Post Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 12:00 pm   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

The UVB was the same distance as the basking lamp, around 9/10 inches above. I have since dropped the UVB to 5.0 and also 100w bulb to 60w bulb for the basking lamp.

Have been administering eye drops, he still seems to want to keep them shut but has been opening on occasion, the White mark hasn't gone yet and I have no idea what it could be. If he doesn't improve in 48 hours I will take him to a vet.
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Post Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 7:24 am   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

Have you tried leaving the UVB off? Are you using any carbon media in your filter?
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Post Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 7:51 am   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

I did leave the UVB off for 48 hours, would you recommend leaving it off for longer? I wasn't sure how long they could go without it?

I am using carbon media in my filter yes, although next time I clean it I will put some new bags in. Do you think I should switch out the old carbon media straight away?

Thanks
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Post Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 8:03 am   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

Was there any change with leaving it off? Having it off for a few days is fine. Replace the media when you're doing a big water change and/or filter cleaning.
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Post Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:17 am   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

I have noticed that they are both shedding a bit more at the moment, although I think this is a good thing as it looked like many schutes were dry and needed to come off before, Bob is still closing his eyes often, I have been using the eye drops twice a day and he does seem to be able to open them a little bit more but not a massive improvement.

I fed him today and he seems okay, I haven't seen any other signs of illness, the white mark i noticed on his foot, that seems to be dried skin and has now started to come away it looks like.

He just seems a little slower, and fatigued than normal, I guess that is the only thing I could say apart from his eyes not being open when basking..
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Post Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 11:02 am   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

Not being open is not uncommon. What kind of lighting (brands/wattages/distance) are you using? And just wondering, what kind of background does your tank have?
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Post Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 12:51 pm   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

steve wrote:Not being open is not uncommon. What kind of lighting (brands/wattages/distance) are you using? And just wondering, what kind of background does your tank have?


I have a 100w basking bulb around 12" above the basking area, a 5.0 uvb bulb at the same height, the background came with the tank which I have had for about 2 years and i believe its foam of some sort.
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Post Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 1:01 pm   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

He is still not opening his eyes that much, and I have been using the eye drops for a few days now, Also it looks like the white build up on his legs is actually excessive skin?! I have replaced the carbon in my filter in case the old bag was finished, and I have added a calcium bone into the water to try and see if that is a benefit.

I am administering partial water changes every few days, in case water quality is the reason for his eyes. If he still isn't sorted I will have to take to vets. He is still eating just fine and basking normailly. I am really confused as to what is up with him!
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Post Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 4:34 pm   Re: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

The white build up could just be calcium or hard water. Try moving the lamps further away.
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