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Chronic Dry Eye?

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pelicano

pelicano

Adult Guinea Pig
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Amber has been backwards and forward to the vets for a few weeks now with one of her eyes. It started as a slightly inflamed looking conjunctiva, and wanting to close her eye more than usual. The eye wasn't weepy though.

She was prescribed Isathal drops, which helped a little, but didn't fully resolve it. Then she was presribed Maxitrol, which made everything a hundred times worse after about three days. Basically, the eye became really inflamed and full of gunk. It was obviously infected at this point. I changed back to Isathal and then Ruby caught the infection too!

So, they both had a course of Baytril and Isathal drops, and Ruby's was resolved quickly. Amber finishes her Baytril and Isathal drops tomorrow, and I'm really wondering where to go from here. Her eye looks normal at the moment, but I have a nagging feeling that it isn't entirely normal.

I think there is a long term chronic issue here, perhaps dry eye. The vet said her tear ducts didn't appear to work adequately and, at one stage, she was given Lubrithal drops as well as the Isathal to try out. They didn't appear to help, but this was at the point of when her eye was very infected.

I have a feeling Lubrithal isn't prescription-only, but I may be wrong. I'm wondering about maybe getting more of that to try (can only be used for four weeks after opening, and it is around four weeks now.

Thanks for any ideas.
 
Lubrithal is just a lubricant and I can't remember if it is or isn't a prescription drug. Your vet could do a Sheamer tear test to check for tear production to confirm or not if is a dry eye syndrome. The problem if it is, is that you will need to lubricant the eye very regularly for the rest of your piggies life I'm afraid. Dry eye isn't a common type problem in Guinea pigs so it would be unusual but not impossible. Eyes are complicated things and sometimes if your vet isn't confident it can sometimes be worth talking to an opthalmic specialist if things don't resolve. They often have a huge host of knowledge to apply and can sometimes help better.

Hope you get on top of it all.
x
 
PS. To add. Dry eye usually results in the patient constantly having corneal ulcers from the eye drying out which doesn't sound like your little one. But worth trying to diagnose either way.
 
Thanks for the reply. I've ordered some more Lubrithal to give it a proper trial before I go back to the vets.
 
Just a thought, did the vet check Amber's teeth? i'm wondering if maybe an abscess is brewing & possibly pushing the eye forwards, which could be squashing the tear ducts so making them less effective?
Does it look like any of the lashes around her eye are growing inwards (entropion) this could be causing some irritation- even if its just one rogue eyelash/hair.

Did the vet have a good look at the eye, using painkilling eye drops? one of my girls had an irritated eye, she kept it mostly closed& it was red/bloodshot looking - i took her to the vets they had a look at it prescribed eyedrops. it didnt improve over the weekend so i took her back, the vet examined her eye again & just as i was about to come away i spotted the very tip of offending barbed grass seed head wrapped round her eyeball, between the vet & i we got it out. the seed was very well hidden although quite big. maybe if its a small foreign object it could be hiding & lodged under the eyelid?

Hope the eye lubrication drops help. :)

is she bedded on sawdust or wood shavings?

healing vibes for Amber. get well soon little furball

love the girls & i. xx
 
Thanks for the reply. Yes, her eye has been examined really well, and there's definitely nothing in there. It's really so much better now anyway, just not quite 100%.

Tooth-wise, the vet hasn't managed to look at those yet (I must remember next time to wash her mouth out before she goes), so that will be the next step if it doesn't get better, I think.

No dusty bedding. The only dust would be from the hay.
 
Is there any way you could get her to Northampton for Simon Maddock to check her teeth? I can't remember what vet you use, so forgive me if your own vet is more than capable of checking them.
 
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