Wonder if you may be able to offer any suggestions. My 3 year old Horsfield Barry has been suffering with puffy eyes since late April. Originally they were just puffy, he was obviously irritated as he would rub with front legs, but he continued to eat and I wiped them each day with cooled boiled water. After a week I took him to my reptile vet - ex vet from Twycross zoo who keeps tortoises himself. The vet gave him an antibiotic and steroid flush to both eyes ( they were slightly open at this point) checked his stool sample for worms/parasites, his sample was clean. The vet said he thought it was an irritation or allergy rather than infection, possibly something under lid etc ( all 3 lids down which were shut tight and unfortunately still are).
His eyes have continued to get worse - they were not runny just puffy and closing more and more. Barry started to eat less, I believe he could not see his food. His eyes got to the stage where he never attempted to open them, even though I continue to wipe with boiled warm water morning and night. I returned to the vet, Barry had lost a considerable amount of weight, he was only 100g currently 84g. The vet gave him an injection of antibiotic and anti inflammatory..and I brought him home. He continues to have his eyes shut and is hardly eating. His varied diet has gone out the window as the only thing I have been able to get him to eat on occasion is soaked dandelion pellets, pellets that I only gave him as a treat once a fortnight...and even then I have to hand feed him and at the most he eats 2.. and most days just smells them and leaves them. His weeds, flowers, romaine and kale that he loves he walks away from. I have him booked into vet again for this Monday. He had said if he does not eat he may need to insert a tube. It is more his closed eyes I am worried about, I see his eyes moving under his lids, they just do not open, which in turn I find when I put him outside he hardly moves ( he used to scoot all over the place) same when in inside habitat.
I spray his substrate everyday. I use 70/30 topsoil and play sand, same supply I have used for nearly 3 years. Temps have not changed 30/32 warm end 20 max the cool end. Always have fresh water available. When it has been really warm of late I have had the basking bulb off as temps have remained the same. I have a good quality uv strip, nothing re set up or feeding has changed. He is soaked evvery other day, except when really warm then everyday as he quite small. I read someone suggest cod liver oil as it could be a vitamin deficiency..I tried this, however he is not eating so I cannot get him to take it. Is there anything you could suggest I try while I wait to take him back to the vet?Hate seeing him so lethargic and looking and feeling so irritated, especially at this time of year?
had told the vet I have not seen him pass any unrates for months. He used to wee when he was walking round the garden or on topsoil, I have seen nothing, not even a wee( although wee could be hidden as I spray) Any suggestions may be gratefully received. I worry he may have gone blind, I even thought he could have been bit by ants, or stung as he had been in the garden a lot around the time this all started.
Many thanks
Kind regard
Jayne