How to Treat White Eye Disease in Red-Eared Sliders? A Detailed Guide to Treatment Methods
White eye disease in red-eared sliders is one of the most common illnesses affecting them. It presents as inflammation and congestion of the eyes, swollen eyes, and ulceration of the cornea and nasal mucosa due to inflammation. The eyeballs are covered by white secretions and cannot be opened. The turtle eats little and dies before long. Let's take a look below at how to treat white eye disease in red-eared sliders!
Symptoms of White Eye Disease in Red-Eared Sliders
White eye disease in red-eared sliders is usually caused by high stocking density and excessively alkaline water quality. The incidence rate is higher in young turtles, and the disease is mostly seen in spring, autumn and the early spring after overwintering. The sick turtle's eyes become inflamed and congested and the eyes swell; the cornea and nasal mucosa ulcerate due to eye inflammation; the outside of the eyeballs is covered by white secretions; and inflammation is present inside the eyes. The turtle often wipes its eyes with its front limbs, moves sluggishly and stops feeding. In severe cases, the sick turtle goes blind and eventually dies as its body gradually becomes emaciated. Some sick turtles have only one affected eye in the early stage of the disease; if no measures are taken, symptoms quickly appear in the other eye as well.
Prevention of White Eye Disease in Red-Eared Sliders
1. Strengthen management: when the weather is hot, change the water after feeding to prevent food from spoiling and contaminating the water quality. Apply bleaching powder or quicklime regularly and in appropriate amounts to improve water quality and disinfect the water body, creating a good environment suitable for healthy growth.
2. Pay attention to disinfection: the containers used to keep red-eared sliders must be disinfected. For example, a glass tank should be soaked in 10% salt water for 30 minutes, then rinsed with clean water before the turtles are kept in it.
3. Enhance physical condition: during the disease season for red-eared sliders, feed them animal liver and other concentrated feeds that turtles like to eat, to increase nutrition, strengthen resistance and reduce the occurrence of disease.
Treatment of White Eye Disease in Red-Eared Sliders
1. For turtles with mild symptoms whose eyes can still barely open, soak them in a nitrofurazone or nitrofurantoin solution. The solution concentration is 20 mg/L for hatchlings and 30 mg/L for young turtles through adults. Soak for 40 minutes, for 5 consecutive days.
2. For those with severe illness whose eyes cannot open, first clean out the white material and white necrotic epidermis inside the eye thoroughly; if there is bleeding, continue cleaning. Then soak the turtle in a solution containing vitamin B and oxytetracycline medicinal liquid, using 0.5 tablet of oxytetracycline and 2 tablets of vitamin B per 500 grams of water.