Urgent Care :: My turtle's eyes have closed. Please help!

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Post Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 2:31 am   My turtle's eyes have closed. Please help!

Hi.
One of my turtles, Zeus, has puffed up/closed eyes! He was normal last night and I found him like this! I've put him in warm water,but he keeps squirming around. No breathing problems as of now. I've kept him in the sunlight now.
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Nachi113
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 8, 2018
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 6:58 am   Re: My turtle's eyes have closed. Please help!

Eye problems can be an indication of several problems. Don't assume it's an vitamin A deficiency first. Only a blood test can tell that for sure ! Too much vitamin A can also cause eye problems. Like over supplementing. Eye lids are very thin and sensitive they show a problem quickly.

Many time's its a sign of debris , poor humidity hydration or early signs of an infection. Start small and evaluate the water first . Happened so fast did you do a water change ? Do you use a water conditioner ? Are they maybe expired (old) , check date on them . The eyes will show if a diet is lacking. Getting a well varied balance nutritious mix ? Any supplements being used and if so how often ? Shell looks ok but Zeus's body a little on the puffy side a little heavy looking , did he just eat before the photo ? Your brand of conditioner being used , most say safe for reptiles but not all are adequate for turtles. Read there "MSDS" for more info on them or use search box on this forum to read up about them.

I do not see any lesions , secretions or pus. Unless you cleaned them up before photo. Check water first , winter time is here some cities change from chloramines to chlorine in cold months , check your annual water quality report.

Home remedy for closed eyes may be small amounts of cod-liver oil and dry dock a few hours daily. Observe to see if turtle will open eyes when dry docked. It's best in serious cases if other symptoms are there to seek qualified herp vet help. Blood test is "only " way to tell a vitamin A deficiency. You can not tell by looking if one needs to add or subtract vitamin A supplement from your turtles diet ! This can cause an onset of other serious medical conditions. A turtle that cant see won't eat so it's important to treat as soon as possible. Continue the warm water baths but only in treated water not tap water. Observe well for any other signs. Best to you and Zeus.


PS: look at top header on this page for "Health" and look under physical conditions for more info. Also open links "additional articles" for even more help.

PS: PS: Is Zeus still in the confined space with the other two male's Ezio and Oogway ? Separation a must with an eye problem very contagious ! Separation should be permanent for three males will stop the aggression / fighting / septicemia / infections and those leg injury's they experience in a short time since the three males are sexual mature. Must offer more attention to the needs and requirements of three living animals that are captive under your care.
litefoot
 
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Location: New Orleans
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Post Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:49 am   Re: My turtle's eyes have closed. Please help!

Zeus is seperates from Oogway and Ezio. He had no secretions of any kind. Didn't use a water conditioner. I clean his tub every day. I will try the cod liver oil. Do I drop them into his eyes while dry docking?
Nachi113
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 8, 2018
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:11 am   Re: My turtle's eyes have closed. Please help!

Water conditioner should be used unless you are using well water / RO water / distilled .... In the US water quality reports are a must by law for the public , what does yours say is being used. Eyes lids are thin and sensitive to the chemicals in water supplies. Or what part of the world you live in ? Carbon may be used in proper amounts instead of conditioner , must be changed every 4-6 weeks to work ( it gets saturated with the chemicals and toxins in the water supply then will release them back in tank , so change it regularly ). Also needs a filter with a good flow (GPH) to work efficiently.

Yes , when you dry dock him.

Never seen a photo of the setups. How much water you are talking about in each for the daily cleanings ? If you water supply company "only uses chlorine " then you let amount needed for a water change just sit out for 24 hours in an "open" container and the "chlorine" will evaporate out. But some use chloramines and that's will not work for it ! So drops or carbon needed. Check what your water company uses and when ! Use a open container like a tote with a large surface area and if it's "chlorine" being used will evaporate faster than a container with a small neck like a gallon jug in 24 hours . Unless you live in places like Denmark , Singapore , Latvia where they have the safest and cleanest tap water around the world along with a few others then you and or I would be good.
litefoot
 
Posts: 1647
Joined: Nov 7, 2016
Location: New Orleans
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 1:05 pm   Re: My turtle's eyes have closed. Please help!

My mom (a doctor) took matters into her own hands and dropped two drops of warm water into each eye. She used a piece of cotton to soak up the water and squeezed it. Then she applied 2 drops of Iopaint to Zeus' eyes (one drop per eye). This is Zeus after. Thanks a ton for the info! Hope this helps someone!
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Nachi113
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 8, 2018
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 1:28 pm   Re: My turtle's eyes have closed. Please help!

Help's you and Zeus when Mom is a doctor. Not familiar with lopaint. Ask Mom if it's in the carotenoid family ? I know of lycopene but never heard of lopaint. Being a very old timer prevention is key to most all turtle problems.


Give Mom an extra hug for Zeus ! :D The eye lids look much better and the eye's are clear !

I would still check into your water supply on the chlorine and or chloramine ? It does hurt and or burn the eyes / lids on turtles. Especially since you stated " didn't use water conditioner" , watch that. Even being an aquatic turtle in water a lot if water is off may of gotten dehydrated by not drinking and the eye lids being so thin were the first sign of that. For my 55 years with turtles I always keep a notebook on what I do. Still to this day I do that , make a check list and use it to help steps when doing maintenance. Note any changes you make to keep track of results good or bad. Don't get to a point it's so routine you forget something. Start using drops or let water set out as suggested. Control your maintenance more will help prevent this from happening again. A cure is great and only the first step. Understanding and finding what caused the problem is the other step so to prevent it from happening again. Enjoy your turtles ! They are great pets ! By the way Piggley say's Hi !
litefoot
 
Posts: 1647
Joined: Nov 7, 2016
Location: New Orleans
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 1:05 pm   Re: My turtle's eyes have closed. Please help!

Update: His eyes open for about 2-3 hours and they close again. I've been continuing the Iopaint/Warm water treatment. But now when I keep him in warm water, he is no longer opening his eyes. However, he opens them when I'm putting some Iopaint into his eyes.
Nachi113
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 8, 2018
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 2:44 pm   Re: My turtle's eyes have closed. Please help!

I have tried to find information on lopaint but did not. Is that the correct spelling you used ? My question to mom ( a doctor) was unanswered and you have not answered about it's environment or a photo of it. Aquatic turtles environment directly related to it's health like the tank setup the water any filtration any basking area ? Did you check into the water supply any , it's online if in the US. This is an aquatic turtle and its environment is directly related to it's health. Even it's diet can effect the eyes. Not all human drugs (lopaint) may work safely or at all. Just the rubbing alone may of helped for a short time but not a cure. Finding the cause first is to know how to treat and with what. That's why human and animal doctors do test , to help find correct course for treatment. Experimenting with drugs is not for a living animal in your care so a Herp Vet that can run proper test like blood work used for qualified and relevant veterinarian care. Problem now getting worst. Some may lose eye sight in the end without proper treatment. Been four days and to me time for a Herp Vet. Yes you can question a vet on types of treatments but please listen and do what one that treats aquatic turtles offer for help. I can not or will not come between you and your mom. You must do your part for living animals captive in your care. Best to Zeus.
litefoot
 
Posts: 1647
Joined: Nov 7, 2016
Location: New Orleans
Gender: Male


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