Specialist An Increasing Eye Problem

[Katybburn82]

My boar Sammy has a cut on his eye. He was a rescue when he was a baby and it was believed he was bitten before rescue. The cut is just above his eye and as a baby it got infected. Before we took him and his bro on this was treated with antibiotics and there was just a tiny scratch left. This was in November.
Unfortunately every time it's nearly healed, he scratches it or his bro nibbles it and each time he takes a bit more skin off. It's now really bad, he's had oral medicine, two different drops and a gel (Maxitrol) but we're running out of ideas. The vet is also at a bit of a loss. The next stage is is to biopsy the area in case something else is going on but we've put this off as we were sure that it just needed to heal without scratching.
Had anyone ideas??
We have even attempted to separate them but even though they could see each other (used C&C cages) they squeaked the place down so only lasted an evening.
Only other thing I can think of is mittens but not sure this will work.
Off to the vet again tomorrow but his last suggestion was a bit extreme so I would like to go with some suggestions. I should also mention he seems fine in himself.

Kath

 

[Wiebke]

Poor boy! That looks really sore!

I am tagging our big guns for you!

@Pebble @Elwickcavies @furryfriends Excellent Adventure Sanctuary

 

[Pebble]

Do you know exactly what the oral medicine and two types of drops were please?

The repeated scratching of the area causing open wounds (self-mutilation) would suggest there is some type of repeated discomfort and irritation (Possibly from a chronic and persistent infection given past history) that is potentially now residing below the skin level in the dermis.......(or could be infected hair follicles/whiskers....or could be something in the very corner inside the eye in the conjunctiva)

The vets suggestion of a biopsy is a sensible way forwards given several different treatments have not completely cured the problem. A biopsy would find out if there is a residual infection deeper beneath the skin causing the irritation.

However - I completely appreciate and understand you wish to explore other avenues before agreeing to a biopsy - so the best "non-surgical" and "least invasive" option I can suggest (without knowing what other medications he has already received) is to discuss the following possibility with your vet:
Bathe the wound twice daily in dilute F10 disinfectant (dilute F10SC 1/250 in warm boiled water). This is antifungal and anti-bacterial and will stop the wound becoming infected and hopefully act on any bugs that are already present. Afterwards apply a small quantity of flamazine cream (available on prescription from vets). This is a silver salts cream that is mainly antibacterial which I have found to be very effective and fast-acting (almost magically so!) when clearing up/healing the repeated open wounds on the two self-mutilating mite girls who have developed a neurologcial hypersensitivity.

Here's a before and after post which hopefully should allow you to link to the whole thread = there's a lot of suggestions for other possible treatment of "persistently irritating wounds" so maybe you might like to print out the post and take it with you to discuss with the vet.

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/2-more-dying-piggies.122408/page-8#post-1685028


Other things to suggest are methods to reduce self-mutilation - e.g. ensure claws are cut short (young piggies claws are needle sharp and very damaging) , taping hind feet, trying to construct some type of protective hood (using tubigrip?).

Just to clarify - I am not saying Sammy has mites like my two girls - the information to take away from their thread is the various methods and treatments we adopted to reduce the skin irritation/self-mutilation and treat the open wounds. Whether Sammy has an underlying fungal, bacterial or mites infection - the principles of dealing with self-mutilation would be the same. However I do think you are now running out of options and if the F10/flamazine doesn;t work you may have to think about a biopsy.

HTH
x

 

[Elwickcavies]

Pebble has covered it I think, but have you tried a collar (cone)? It may be hard to keep it on, but might be worth a try if you want to see if it can heal up with no scratching.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I recently took someone to my vet with a guinea pig who had a number of open wounds over his back. This had been ongoing for over six months and every time it started to heal it was scratched and reopened. Simon cleaned it and started the piggy on the antibiotic Zithromax. There was a sign of improvement within two days and within a week it was healed!

 

[Katybburn82]

Thanks guys, here's an update.
The antibiotics he was on when we adopted him was banana septon (think that's what it says)
He's been on Loxicom oral suspension, then fucithalmic vet eye drops, maxitrol drops then maxitrol ointment.
The vet wanted to continue with the maxitrol ointment for another two weeks, I pointed out that it seemed to irritate him more so we'd stopped using it, I showed him this thread and we're trying the Fc10 and flamazine for two weeks.
He still keeps scratching. I've cut his nails but might try mits, if they'll stay on, what do you think?
He's an updated photo.

 

[Wiebke]

@Pebble : Sorry, but it is an ongoing case.

 

[Pebble]

Maxitrol contains and anti-bacterial antibiotic (PolymyxinB) an anti-fungal antibiotic ((neomycin) and a steroid (dextramethasone) so i can understand why your vet wished to continue. given his photo.

However - if it wasn;t working ....then it wasn;t working! i.e. the two antibiotics are not effective against whatever potentail infection (be it bacterial or fungal) that he may have,

You have now opted for flamzine (which whilst it is anti-bacterail it is NOT an antibiotic to which resistance can be developed - it is more like a disinfectant) and the F10 which is both antibacterial and antifungal (but again NOT an antibioitic but a disinfectant with completely different mechanism of action to abx so resistance cannot be generated)

See how he goes over the next week. If there is serious deterioiration before then, go back to the vets pronto.

In cases like this it can take several weeks to see an imp[rovement so whatever you do don;t stop the treatment without vets say-so.
x

 

[Katybburn82]

Hi guys, we were back at the vets last night, routine see how it was going. The vet admitted he would gladly eat humble pie and said he would consider this option sooner in other cases.
This sounds quite arrogant of me but it was all well humoured.

As you can see from the pic compared to the earlier one it is loads better. The bit immediately around the eye had pretty much healed leaving a sore, somewhat smaller towards his nose.

We're not or the woods completely, or was partly healed twice before but things are looking better so thanks for the advice.

 

[Wiebke]

It looks a lot better, so well done!

 

[Katybburn82]

It's started to get worse again and I've also found tiny scabs on his neck last night.

 

[7squeakers.]

Oh, blast! Just when it seemed like it was going to heal up. It looks like the Zithromax would be a good idea to try. Better luck next time!

 

[Claire W]

I had a piggy who had her eye removed. Due to an infection in the socket, we had to leave it open to heal from the inside out.

All was well for a couple of months but then Eliza started scratching the area and ended up with a sore open wound that would not heal.

On top of antibiotics, the last resort for her was using a cone and Kruuse Manuka G which is a sterile honey wound dressing that was prescribed by my vet.

Eliza hated the cone but this and the honey dressing helped the wound to heal.

Sadly Eliza died from old age before the wound completely healed but it may be worth mentioning to your vet.

My vet made Eliza's cone by cutting an x ray sheet to the correct size and putting masking tape around the inside edge to prevent her neck from becoming sore.