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Baby's eye very red and sore,help!

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vasilka

vasilka

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Wonder if anyone can help. 2 days ago I had a litter and all babies were completely fine until yesterday.
When I woke up one baby's eye was all closed up and bit yucky. I think she must poked it with the hay.
Washed it with boiled salty water and gave her optrex eye drops. Still very weepy and the most of times closed.
After washing it with the salty water, gets bit better, but a few hours later, same thing again.
Can I use anything else? many thanks
 
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Sorry to hear this little one has a sore eye. I agree that treating for infection is a good first step - are you using Optrex Infected Eyes? You'll need to apply the drops 2-3 times daily, aim for a minimum of 5 days band/or continue until the eye has been clear for two days.

Aside from the obvious first consideration of infection, is there any chance it could be a case of entropion, where the eyelashes are turning inwards and irritating the eye? This can set in when the guineas are still very very young.
 
Have you checked whether something is still wedged under a lid?

One of my guinea pigs had once a blade of grass and once a soft bit of hay completely wedged in - the hay was a good 1 1/2 in long and couldn't be seen!
 
Thanks Laura,
We kept carrying with the salty water and we think that it might be where the eyelashes are turning (what you just said) as I were looking yesterday and lots of eyelashes stuck inside her eye. Looking very strange. The eye seems better now, it's been open for over nite and this morning, but the colour of her eye is bit strange almost like purple. Not sure if this willl just get better. Hope she won't stay blind.
It this is the eyelash problem, will it just take it few day and then it gets better?
I am bit happier as the eye is much better and no more crusty or yellowy.
many thanks for your help!
 
Hi again

Just looked at her eye again. When I lift up the top lid there is hair growing from the top of the eye ball (where it joins the eylid). So it looks like entropion like you said. I personaly can't see how this can correct itself as the hair is growing and joined there.

So what do I do now? Is my piggy in pain or is it just inconvienient for her and can she live with it. Or will she have to go to a vet, and can the vet do anything if I do take her? Operation? (sure it just needs cutting out?)

many thanks for any help
 
I have no personal experience of piggies with this but I believe the eyelash will need removing - not just cutting (as it could grow back) but carefully plucking out. A vet should be able to do this, a GA should not be necessary although a local anaesthetic or anaesthetic eye drops could be offered.

In the meantime, continue with some form of eye drops (ideally an ointment) 3x daily to help lubricate the eye and limit the irritation caused by the eyelash.
 
Hi there,
Many thanks again for all your super fast reply. We are applying drops at the moment, his eye is nicely open, colour is bit strange. Read here that it might correct it in a few weeks. Here is another link to read it about it:
http://www.guinealynx.info/eyes.html#entropion

Might just give a ring to Vet tomorrow and see what they have to say.
 
Hey everyone,
I have almost the same problem. My baby guinea pig is almost 1 month old now. I noticed yesterday that he has a sore under 1 of his eye. I don't want to visit a vet because its $100 for a regular checkup and right now I am a bit broke. But will go if its really bad. So I wanted to know if its really bad or I can do something at home to make it better for him . Here is the pic.

IMAG0092.jpg
 
one of my babies had a sore eye similar to yours at 4 days old. I took him to the vets and he diagnosed conjunctivitis. We were given drops for a week and it cleared up straight away.

I would have it checked by a vet if i were you....could be something stuck in the eye (have had grass seeds stuck in another pig's eye before)
 
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