Baby guinea pig crusty eyes

[Zyxw]

Hello. I got a new baby guinea pig yesterday a long with an older one. She’s 6 weeks old. I noticed some crust in her eyes at the store but the lady assured me that it’s just because she’s a baby and that a lot of times they come with crust in their eyes because where they get them from keeps them on wood. And it should clear up in a few days, as she just came Tuesday. I haven’t looked at her this morning, but I’m not sure if I was suckered into buying a sick pig or if it’s actually from that. She seems to be sleeping a bit but she’s also just hiding because she’s scared so I’m not sure if she’s lethargic or not. (I now know not to buy from a pet store. I was doing heavy research last night xD)
Edit: the eyes weren’t watery or cloudy just a little crust was on the edges.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello. I got a new baby guinea pig yesterday a long with an older one. She’s 6 weeks old. I noticed some crust in her eyes at the store but the lady assured me that it’s just because she’s a baby and that a lot of times they come with crust in their eyes because where they get them from keeps them on wood. And it should clear up in a few days, as she just came Tuesday. I haven’t looked at her this morning, but I’m not sure if I was suckered into buying a sick pig or if it’s actually from that. She seems to be sleeping a bit but she’s also just hiding because she’s scared so I’m not sure if she’s lethargic or not. (I now know not to buy from a pet store. I was doing heavy research last night xD)
Edit: the eyes weren’t watery or cloudy just a little crust was on the edges.

Hi! Please have your baby vet checked for bacterial respiratory infection (URI) as soon as you can. URI can kill or permanently damage if left untreated. You can reclaim the vet cost from the shop as you have been deliberately sold damaged ware; it comes under the heading of customer protection.
Please read this guide here: What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)

Please DO NOT take the baby back to a place where it will most likely not be treated and simply be sold on to the next unsuspecting customer or where you are asked to sell your new piggy back and buy it back again if it survives minimal treatment - you will relinquish any customer rights you have and won't have any say in what happens or how your piggy is being treated.

This guide is part of our new owners's collection in which we specifically address all the most often encountered problems in new guinea pigs to help you to as good a start as we can.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Since we have got members and enquiries from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to your details so we can always tailor any advice to what is relevant and available where you are straight away. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to account details and then down to location. This makes it appear with every post you make and saves everybody time. Thank you!

 

[Zyxw]

Hi! Please have your baby vet checked for bacterial respiratory infection (URI) as soon as you can. URI can kill or permanently damage if left untreated. You can reclaim the vet cost from the shop as you have been deliberately sold damaged ware; it comes under the heading of customer protection.
Please read this guide here: What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)

Please DO NOT take the baby back to a place where it will most likely not be treated and simply be sold on to the next unsuspecting customer or where you are asked to sell your new piggy back and buy it back again if it survives minimal treatment - you will relinquish any customer rights you have and won't have any say in what happens or how your piggy is being treated.

This guide is part of our new owners's collection in which we specifically address all the most often encountered problems in new guinea pigs to help you to as good a start as we can.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Since we have got members and enquiries from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to your details so we can always tailor any advice to what is relevant and available where you are straight away. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to account details and then down to location. This makes it appear with every post you make and saves everybody time. Thank you!

Ok I am going to check her today to see if there’s more crust, as well as check the other pig. If there’s still crust I will make an appointment at the vet for a checkup for both of them. I’ve updated my location if that helps

 

[Wiebke]

Ok I am going to check her today to see if there’s more crust, as well as check the other pig. If there’s still crust I will make an appointment at the vet for a checkup for both of them. I’ve updated my location if that helps

Thank you! That helps. The vets listed are all exotics vets (which is what guinea pigs are classed as); not at all cheap - especially in New York - but you may need them at some point!
Please start saving up right from the start as part of their daily maintenance so you can always see a vet as in an emergency.

Here is US-based information on URI: Guinea Lynx :: URI

Please make sure that your vet is not injecting or prescribing any penicillin or steroids; both can be fatal for rodents.
If you can, copy and print out the lists and take them with you when seeing a not piggy savvy vet.
Guinea Lynx :: Dangerous Medications
Safe medications: Guinea Lynx :: Medications
The Problems With Steroids And Why They Shouldn't Be Used.

The most likely antibiotic is baytril, which is still the only officially licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs although a few more can be safely used and are phased in. Baytril can be harsh on the guts and it is also the most horrible tasting thing (please don't try it yourself; it is harmful to humans!).
Administering Medications And Syringe Feed

Please contact us asap if it causes loss of appetite so we can talk your through support syringe feeding. If you can, please get some probiotics from a pet shop and give a pinch 1 hour before you give the antibiotic to help bolster the guts.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

 

[Zyxw]

Thank you! That helps. The vets listed are all exotics vets (which is what guinea pigs are classed as); not at all cheap - especially in New York - but you may need them at some point!
Please start saving up right from the start as part of their daily maintenance so you can always see a vet as in an emergency.

Here is US-based information on URI: Guinea Lynx :: URI

Please make sure that your vet is not injecting or prescribing any penicillin or steroids; both can be fatal for rodents.
If you can, copy and print out the lists and take them with you when seeing a not piggy savvy vet.
Guinea Lynx :: Dangerous Medications
Safe medications: Guinea Lynx :: Medications
The Problems With Steroids And Why They Shouldn't Be Used.

The most likely antibiotic is baytril, which is still the only officially licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs although a few more can be safely used and are phased in. Baytril can be harsh on the guts and it is also the most horrible tasting thing (please don't try it yourself; it is harmful to humans!).
Administering Medications And Syringe Feed

Please contact us asap if it causes loss of appetite so we can talk your through support syringe feeding. If you can, please get some probiotics from a pet shop and give a pinch 1 hour before you give the antibiotic to help bolster the guts.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

she doesn’t appear to have any more crust today. She won’t let me pick her up to get a really close look though. She is sneezing but mostly when she’s laying under the hay rack which she is doing a lot of the time. If there’s crust and she’s sneezing a lot when she’s not laying under the hay rack tomorrow I will call the vet. It’s just difficult to tell because she’s laying under there for at least 30 minutes at a time eating and stirring up the hay.

 

[EJMA82]

Eye crusts with sneezing points to a uri. Please see a vet as soon as you can.

 

[Wiebke]

she doesn’t appear to have any more crust today. She won’t let me pick her up to get a really close look though. She is sneezing but mostly when she’s laying under the hay rack which she is doing a lot of the time. If there’s crust and she’s sneezing a lot when she’s not laying under the hay rack tomorrow I will call the vet. It’s just difficult to tell because she’s laying under there for at least 30 minutes at a time eating and stirring up the hay.

Please do not wait too long! Un- or undertreated URI is one of he big piggy killers. See a vet while you can still reclaim the fee from the shop.

 

[Zyxw]

Please do not wait too long! Un- or undertreated URI is one of he big piggy killers. See a vet while you can still reclaim the fee from the shop.

I have to wait until tomorrow to call the vet. Theyre closed today. I’ll take both of them.

 

[Zyxw]

Please do not wait too long! Un- or undertreated URI is one of he big piggy killers. See a vet while you can still reclaim the fee from the shop.

Sorry to take so long to update but I am proud to say they are both just fine. Didn’t even need to take them to the vet it was all clear the next day. And they’ve been doing great since (the eyes and the pigs). I guess the lady was actually right, but I probably won’t ever take that risk again. I definitely lucked out.