# Leopard Gecko Strange Looking Vent HELP



## Landongolds12 (Sep 20, 2017)

I've had my male Leo for about 3 years now. In the past year he began having eye problems on and off, but has always been a good eater. In the recent month or so, his eyes have become covered in a mucus like substance so he can't see. He can't see his food either so that's why I assumed he wasn't eating. (I've been giving him eye drops and his eyes look slightly better) But on further examination I noticed a swelling at the base of his tail on one of he sides past the vent. It is about the size of a small jellybean and a purplish color. His vent looks strange and painful. There's nothing hanging out per se, but it looks as if there is something in there. I have seen pinkish stool only in the past day or so and I'm getting really worried. Taking him to the vet isn't really a financial option for me. I know they would charge an unholy amount for something like this. Could someone at least tell me what's wrong? I've fed him calcium and d3 dusted mealworms mostly, perhaps the mealworms clogged up in there and he's having trouble pushing it out? He seems like he's in a lot of pain, and I want to get him eating again.


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## Azastral (Jun 6, 2015)

Might not be a financial option for you, but its the only option for the lizard.

I would also suggest going over yout viv setup and feeding/supplement routine, as well as looking at how often or when the viv was given a proper clean out.

If hes got some sort of eye infection then it could be something in the viv thats causig it, it could also be connected to how hes fed/kept (which can take months and months before visible signs start showing)

Add to that what could be infection or blockage or some sort of growth.... the ONLY way to find out whats going and and try fixing it is going to mean seeing a proper reptile vet and being prepared to sort out his enclosure and address any other husbandry issues that there might be.


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## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

If he's in pain it's your duty as an owner to take him to the vet, whether you can afford it or not. Don't let him suffer unnecessarily.

If you're struggling financially he may be better off being given to someone who can afford the vet or to a rescue.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Yep, vet is the only option. & I doubt if gut impaction from mealworms is involved- that's been proven a myth, as all insectivorous reptiles are known to have stomach acids strong enough to break down the chitin in the mealworm's skin.


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

Have to agree with the others the vet is your only option. As said if you cannot afford it then he needs to go somewhere where they can afford to help him. Are there any rescues near you that could take him?


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## Landongolds12 (Sep 20, 2017)

He's in a ten gallon tank on paper towels. There's an under tank heater that's been keeping the warm side at around 88ish. There's a moist hide that he spends most of his time in as well. I've got that filled with moist coconut fiber. In the past I've fed him mealworms dusted with calcium and d3 but no other vitamins. I'm thinking that could have been the problem and I've purchased a multivitamin but he doesn't want to eat anything anyway. I'm willing to take him to vet if it's really the only option but I was wondering if anyone here had a similar problem and what the results were.


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## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

Things you can do while getting a vet appointment -

Up the temperature closer to 95f, 88f is too low and likely won't be helping his immune system fight whatever infections he has.

Keep the enclosure clean

Keep both the eyes and vent area clean with cool boiled water or perhaps some saline solution.

He really needs to see the vet sooner rather than later, you don't want any infections getting worse or spreading and if he's had the eye issues for a while it's likely that his vision is permanently damaged. He'll at least need antibiotics.


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## Landongolds12 (Sep 20, 2017)

Thank you so much for your help. Do you think that he has a parasite of some sort that is causing an infection? I've been giving him warm baths and washing his eyes in saline solution regularly for the past week or so


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## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

I don't think a parasite will have caused the issues but it could exacerbate them. Parasites usually only cause problems once the immune system has already been compromised. Often these things are husbandry or bacterial based but a vet should be able to give you a better idea of cause.


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## Landongolds12 (Sep 20, 2017)

Okay, I scheduled an appointment for him tomorrow afternoon. I can let you know how it turns out. Thanks again for your help everyone


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## Landongolds12 (Sep 20, 2017)

For anyone interested, I took my leo to the vet. After looking him over and determining that he had stuck shed in his eyes and an infection of some sort down low, they took him into the back for further examination. 
So I was told that they removed the shed from his eyes and that he had clogged up glands of some sort near his vent. (something to do with the hemipenes?) They pulled a yellowish waxy like substance out of there. They said there was quite a lot and they didn't even get all of it, but once the inflammation dies down, the rest should come out on its own. 
They prescribed an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory/pain med, telling me to give them to him for the next 10 days and it should help the infection and inflammation to die down. They also gave me a sort of probiotic to help him start eating again or something but that's about all the information about that that I received. 
It's been three days so far and I've been able to give him both antibiotic and anti-inflammatory meds each day without too much problem. The spot that was swollen is still swollen and it is a bright red color (probably irritation from the procedure. I haven't noticed much change at all except he won't open his eyes at all.
He used to open his eyes so you could at least see the mucus-like stuff in there but now he just won't open either of them. The vet did say that they saw two healthy eyes in there when they were cleaning them out, so I'm hoping that when the swelling in his eyelids dies down he'll be able to see again and start eating.
I've still been giving him warm baths, and he's pooped a dark blackish green sorta crusty poo along with a slimy urate twice in the past two days. I don't know what the dark part is because he hasn't been eating, but I'm hoping that that's a good sign. I sure hope that I'm doing the right things, geez that vet visit was expensive.


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

> They pulled a yellowish waxy like substance out of there.


This could have been a sperm plug. He may have not been able to get rid of it so it has built up. This could have caused the infection itself. Hopefully he will feel better in another few days.



> I've still been giving him warm baths


I am not sure this wont be stressing him out leos are not particularly known to like bathing. It won't serve any purpose even if dehydrated unless he physically drinks the water. His pooping whilst in there could have been a coincidence.



> geez that vet visit was expensive


They can be expensive but it is our duty to make sure our animals get the treatment they need. Well done for taking him.


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## Snowydinosaur (Aug 31, 2017)

Glad to hear your little guy was able to see the vet. Hopefully you will see an improvement soon. Don't be afraid to call the vet for some more advice.

I would also suggest a lizard bank... Make that money only for your pet in the instance that you have to suddenly take them to the vet. Just putting by a little every week or month for them will soon add up so it doesn't seem so daunting if/when the time comes.


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## Landongolds12 (Sep 20, 2017)

Debbie1962 said:


> This could have been a sperm plug. He may have not been able to get rid of it so it has built up. This could have caused the infection itself. Hopefully he will feel better in another few days.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Well, I'm hoping that he will continue to get better over the next week or so. I have seen a bit of the swelling go down, and he has passed some of the yellowish substance on his own so I'm praying that it'll be downhill from here. My main issue will be getting him to eat again. He hasn't been opening his eyes at all recently and that concerns me a little.
As for the baths, those are mostly to help soak the hard poos that he has stuck to his vent and i've been cleaning it up with cotton swabs.
Thanks for your concern and advice!


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## Landongolds12 (Sep 20, 2017)

Snowydinosaur said:


> Glad to hear your little guy was able to see the vet. Hopefully you will see an improvement soon. Don't be afraid to call the vet for some more advice.
> 
> I would also suggest a lizard bank... Make that money only for your pet in the instance that you have to suddenly take them to the vet. Just putting by a little every week or month for them will soon add up so it doesn't seem so daunting if/when the time comes.


Thanks for the suggestion, that's a great idea!


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## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

Landongolds12 said:


> Well, I'm hoping that he will continue to get better over the next week or so. I have seen a bit of the swelling go down, and he has passed some of the yellowish substance on his own so I'm praying that it'll be downhill from here. My main issue will be getting him to eat again. He hasn't been opening his eyes at all recently and that concerns me a little.
> As for the baths, those are mostly to help soak the hard poos that he has stuck to his vent and i've been cleaning it up with cotton swabs.
> Thanks for your concern and advice!


His eyes are probably very sore from having the shed removed, no doubt it'll take a while for them to heal. Without his eyes, and while on meds, he's going to find it difficult to eat. You can try rubbing live food against his mouth to try and get a reaction, or syringing something like critical care to get something in him. I would steer away from any kind of force feeding at the moment though unless he starts losing weight/condition. If he does start loosing weight, you may want to look at blending some bugs up, or using grub pie or Arcadia's insectigold


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