Need some opinions on this

[xxkincadesvanityxx]

I made a thread of my first blue tongue skink Shorty.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=24358


We went to the vet November 12 about his right eye that appears to be bulging out. He's been taking his antibiotics everyday and his eye hasn't improved or worsened. However something VERY interesting happened two nights ago.
I had him out with me on the couch, I usually lay on my side and he snuggles next to my body and takes a nap. When I moved the blanket off his head, I saw that his eye looked COMPLETELY normal. Yeah! Normal! Just a few minutes ago it was bulging slightly. I couldn't believe it! I then started talking to him and gently pet his body saying that I couldn't believe his eye is normal (yeah, I talk to animals like they can understand me lol!). About 30 secs after I noticed his eye looked normal, it bulged out again. VERY weird. Luckily the vet called me yesterday, asking how Shorty was doing. I told him what happened that night with his eye. He
wasn't sure what to say at first, but he said that now he doubts that it's an abscess at all. He's thinking that it may be more of an abnormality in his skull that forces his eye lid to push his eye out slightly. Or it could still be some trauma to that eye that hasn't healed. But knowing that his eye looked completely normal, then all of a sudden, just bulged out again, he's thinking he might have been born with something like a lazy eye. (Doc didn't say this exact, but he does think it might be more of a cosmetic then actual health problem)

So just wondering on what your guys opinion about this?
I'm really dumbfounded. I have no idea what's going on, but a lazy eye could be a possibility, at least I think so. I mean, is something like that possible with skinks?

I was also slightly tempted to contact the past owners, they were nice and all, so I'm not sure if they would respond to my questions or not. Do you think this would be a waste of time?

Here's a pic of his eye.

[donkeybuff]

Did the previous owners buy Shorty as a baby? If so, they should be able to tell you if his eye has always been that way.

[xxkincadesvanityxx]

On the listing, it said that they got him when he was 2. If his eye was like this since the age of 2, do you think he was just born with it?

[donkeybuff]

How old is he now? If the previous owners didn't have him for very long, it may not have been there since birth.

[Lea]

He looks bright and healthy, but have you or the vet considered a cyst or empyema behind the eye itself? It may cause that intermittent bulging effect, especially given that hydration will dictate fluid shifts and perhaps alter the size, hence the change in bulge and appearance from one time to another.

[xxkincadesvanityxx]

He's 4 years old now, so they had him for 2 years.

Isn't an empyema the same thing as an abscess?

I don't think the vet and I considered those. (cyst or empyema)
But he will call me next tuesday to see how he's doing and I'll bring it up.
Would X-rays show if it's a cyst or empyema?

[Lea]

Empyemas are defined as a collection of pus or purulent fluid in a pre existing anatomical cavity, such as the eye socket, in this case, but an abscess would be a newly formed structure, usually created by healthy cells to protect against pus and bacteria etc entering neighbouring cells. He could have either one of these but there would also likely be a decline in health or some other physical sign of infection, too. Neither can be ruled out without a thorough examination of the eye and socket. The eye socket could maintain the empyema and keep it contained while he is on antibiotics and the decrease in pressure from the infection may have caused the eye to recede for that short period. It may also be that while he is on antibiotics the infection is controlled, but not eradicated and it may worsen after the course is finished.

Proptosis, or exophthalmos, eye bulging, can occur in one or both eyes. There are other reasons for eye bulging due to changes in intra ocular pressure, such as tumours, orbital or peri orbital cellulitis, endocrinological and electrolyte Imbalances, such as hyperthyroidism or Graves' disease. I would recommend some blood work, a detailed eye examination and possibly further antibiotics if an infection is suspected. I would be cautious to use antibiotic therapy as part of guess work, without the vet having properly investigated. Reasons behind eye bulging can be as simple as it being just what your lizard does naturally, or as serious as a tumour or chronic disease.

Remember, I'm not a vet, so please don't take my advice as gospel, I can only advise and encourage you to seek good veterinary assistance until you get to the bottom of this. I hope you find an answer soon.

[Lea]

Oh, yes, an X-ray may show a cyst or an empyema, but due to the surrounding bone of the skull, it may not be picked up easily and could be missed if your vet does not know what what to look for.

[Dakota]

Now THAT is what I call a good post!

[Susann]

Mel (Fatal_S) had a skink with similar eye-bulging, that turned out to be and infection/absess inside the mouth.

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=19210

[Toria Dawn]

Lea you are actually my idol that was amazing.

[Lea]

I'm a self confessed nerd. I guess it comes across sometimes when I post

[xxkincadesvanityxx]

Sorry for the super late reply, been busy here!

But man, I just read your post Lea and my brain is tired! So.. many big words... Haha!
Well I tried contacting the previous owners, no word yet, but it's only been 1 day. So not sure if I will get a reply back or not.
But he's looking great otherwise, he does real good with letting me open his mouth. Which the vet took a look at when we saw him, but his mouth looked very good. So I'm kinda at a loss and I feel that blood work would be the next step to find out if there's something wrong.
But if it comes clean, then it would mean he's just born that way??

[xxkincadesvanityxx]

So I got some word back from the past owners, they said that they never noticed his eye being different. So he probably had this going on for 2 years.
But here's some more pictures of him, his eye hasn't changed at all. It's not worse, nor better. But I will be talking to the vet about blood work, I'm waiting for him to call me back tonight.

Also just to add, I measured and weighed him last week. He's 22inches long and weigh 2.5lbs! I really thought my scale was wrong, but after weighing him multiple times, yeah, he's 2.5lbs! Quite a heavy skink!

[Lea]

Raised intravascular pressure, such as that caused by a carotid stenosis, or just increased pressure from excess subcutaneous fat around the neck, can also cause the eyes to bulge on one or both sides. It's definitely a consideration in a weighty skink and worth looking at your diet to ensure you aren't feeding too much fat.

[xxkincadesvanityxx]

Huh, never thought about the amount of food I give him. I feed him once a week with wellness beef & lam, turnip greans. One day I decided to let him try an egg for the first time, which he loved! He ate one raw egg with a night crawler.
So maybe I am feeding him too much?

[donkeybuff]

How much do you give at each feeding? http://bluetongueskinks.net/foodchart.html has the amount you should be feeding. Also, what is your ratio of meat:veggies?

[Dakota]

No not at all, the previous owner mosy likely did. He is a chunky monkey.

[donkeybuff]

Oops, I forgot that you just got him! He really doesn't look unhealthily obese, but he is chunky. Feeding more veggies and less meat will trim him down a little.

[Scincoides]

That would be chunky for a Gigas. I dont think its overweight at all for a Northern. If thats what people consider chunky then im never posting pictures of my Intermedia ever again