veiled chameleon eye closed

Question
QUESTION: I have a female veiled chameleon with one eye closed. She has no other symptoms. She seems fine. We don't give her any vitamin supplements. Could that be a cause? We use one bulb for light. Is a Zoo Med 100w Powersun UV. It is about 12 in. fron sunning area and she has some shady areas.Please tell me what you think.

ANSWER: Hello Tracey,

Well, to the best of my knowledge right now, the Zoomed Powesun MVB 100 watt has not been causing any adverse eye problems though it has in the past.  I believe that they have fixed the problems now.  
Chameleon's are very prone to vitamin A deficiencies.  So, I recommend getting some vitamins as well as some straight calcium fo her in cases he does have some nutritional problems starting.  Is there any swelling?
Try getting Herptivite, & Repcal calcium with or without D3.

What type of substrate do you use for her?

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well, the bottom is just a paper towel, that we change often. We were not cleaning all of the leaves in the cage, only wiping them off. We also were not giving it vitamins for the first month or so. We have started vitamins, but now her other eye is closed, and she is not eating. We are very worried. We took her to the vet last week, and he gave us antibiotic cream for her eyes, but I don't know if the trip to the vet was too much for her, but she has gotten worse. What to do? I have since taken all of the leaves out of the cage, and cleaned them, but I guess it was too late. Is there anything else we can try?

ANSWER: Hello Tracey,

What are the temperatures in the tank, & what type of thermometer are you using?  A stick on type, a digital probe or a temp gun?  
At this point, let's go ahead & turn the Zoomed Powersun off to see if there will be any improvements.  There is always that chance that some of the bulbs are bad, it does happen.  In fact, it recently happened to a couple of the other mercury vapor lamps.  
So, turn the light off, & just replace it with a regular halogen bulb.  Just make sure the temperatures are 85-95 for basking.
What is the humidity in her tank?
Can you post a picture of her?
Continue with the cream though, as it could help.  We will see if turning the light off will help.  
Since she is not eating, you are going to need to make a nutritional slurry for her, or syringe feed baby food for her.  That will give her some nutrition to keep her from losing any weight.

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We have since changed the light to a reg. halogen bulb.We do spray the tank a couple of times per day, and she also has a drip system. We are not using a thermometer. We just have her lights on for 12 hours per day. What type of baby food or nutritional slurry do you mean. I really need to try that. I'm not what you mean by that. I will try to post a pic of her. When she was well, she was usually a calm light green color. Now, she has many dark stipes and spots. That seems to mean she is irritated. Thank you for your quick response! I will get a thermometer in there tomorrow.

Answer
Hello Tracy,

Ok, great.  The drip system should be fine.  You do need a thermometer so we can know exactly what the temperature is.
I am looking forward to seeing pictures of her, too.  
Oh a nutritional slurry just means one of two things, depending on how strong your stomach is!  LOL
You can either blend up some worms or crickets, etc, with some water, pedialyte & vitamins, calcium, & give several cc's per day to her.  Or, you can purchase chicken, turkey or beef baby food to give to her through a syringe or dropper.  Either way is fine.
Hm, I am afraid that it may have been the light, but, it is a little early to tell just yet.  Please let me know on a daily basis how she is reacting to the light being off & having the halogen on.  The temperatures are important, so, if she is too hot, she will be stressed.  If so, then you will need to get a lower wattage of halogen for her.

Talk to you soon.
Tracie