Clouded Over Eye

[clairelou]

Hi, I'm just looking for some advice. I noticed this morning as I was cleaning out the cage my eldest guinea pig has a clouded over eye. It seems to have developed suddenly as she was okay a couple of days ago but I might have missed it. She doesn't seem to be in any pain and is managing to keep her eye fully open. She is still eating and drinking. I phoned the vet and can't get an appointment until Thursday afternoon, is it safe enough to leave until then?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, I'm just looking for some advice. I noticed this morning as I was cleaning out the cage my eldest guinea pig has a clouded over eye. It seems to have developed suddenly as she was okay a couple of days ago but I might have missed it. She doesn't seem to be in any pain and is managing to keep her eye fully open. She is still eating and drinking. I phoned the vet and can't get an appointment until Thursday afternoon, is it safe enough to leave until then?

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Hi! Please have that eye seen tonight or tomorrow by another vet. Have you got 24 hour vets in your city that only demand a fairly small surcharge during day time hours? You should find them by googling since most cities now have these services. Out-of-hours fees are unfortunately very steep everywhere.

Even a general vet can identify and treat an eye infection; please ask for a lubricant additionally to he medicating eye drops if your vet doesn't prescribe it. Unfortunately, eye injuries and infections can deteriorate very quickly, so it it important to have them seen very promptly. With the right treatment, they generally improve well.

I feel for you; my Nosgan cost me a fortune when his eye went really bad overnight on the eve of my busiest guinea pig rescue fundraising weekend with two large events to cover, so I had to have him seen first thing on a Saturday morning and then take him straight with me for getting about 10-12 lots of three different drops and gels into his eye. It was touch and go for a few weeks, but we have managed to save it, and he has even got some vision back although he has to stay on viscotears for the rest of his life. These things inevitably happen at the most inconvenient time. But if I hadn't Nosgan see straight away, he'd lost his eye after he's bashed in badly running into a grid in a panic.

Yours looks not as bad, so with prompt care, it should heal pretty much straight forward in a week or two.

 

[Claire W]

Hi, it very much looks like a hay poke injury to me in which case a course of eye drops will need to be given.

But only a vet can properly diagnose and prescribe said eye drops.

Please see a vet asap as eyes can deteriorate fast without any treatment

 

[clairelou]

I phoned pdsa and they've given me an appointment for 9.30am tomorrow morning. It's either that or a local vet will give me an out of hours appointment but will be expensive.

 

[Wiebke]

I phoned pdsa and they've given me an appointment for 9.30am tomorrow morning. It's either that or a local vet will give me an out of hours appointment but will be expensive.

That is OK - I wouldn't want to wait any longer but you won't be able to get an appointment now without at least £70-100 surcharge or more. Good that you have got that appointment!

Unfortunately, eye injuries and infections come on very quickly, so it is not like you have missed anything.

 

[clairelou]

Thanks for your replies, I just hope she's ok until the morning.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for your replies, I just hope she's ok until the morning.

The eye may look worse and need a stronger ointment and longer treatment, but it should keep until then.

If the infection is not too bad, then isathal eye drops (previously sold under the brand name fucithalmic) are likely to be given; if the infectio has gone further into the eye, chloramphenicol may be prescribed. As stated before, ask for an additional lubricant to keep the eye as comfy and moist as possible; it is not expensive.

 

[clairelou]

I'm just back from the vet with Smudge. She gave me fucithalmic eye drops. She also gave me a painkiller injection and ivermectin as she found two mites from a previous infestation. She advised me to buy xeno from my usual vet or online for the other 3 guinea pigs.

 

[Wiebke]

I'm just back from the vet with Smudge. She gave me fucithalmic eye drops. She also gave me a painkiller injection and ivermectin as she found two mites from a previous infestation. She advised me to buy xeno from my usual vet or online for the other 3 guinea pigs.

Glad that you have got the meds! Please apply the fucithalmic about 4 times in the first 2-3 days to get on top of the infection as quickly as possible, especially if you are at home. If the infection is not getting noticeably better after that time, please see a vet again. But you have hopefully caught it in time before it could get really bad.

Are those fur mites you are treating?

 

[clairelou]

I've got a follow up appointment for friday but to take her in sooner if she goes off her food. I did ask for an additional lubricant but she said the eye drops would lubricate the eye. I could rder something online but not sure what I'm looking for.

The guinea pigs had fur mites around about December time and they were all treated. It seemed to clear up and the fur grew back in on the worst affected guinea pig. She didn't seem too concerned this time as she said it was only 2 mites so not an infestation. I will obviously need to treat them all though.

 

[Wiebke]

I've got a follow up appointment for friday but to take her in sooner if she goes off her food. I did ask for an additional lubricant but she said the eye drops would lubricate the eye. I could rder something online but not sure what I'm looking for.

The guinea pigs had fur mites around about December time and they were all treated. It seemed to clear up and the fur grew back in on the worst affected guinea pig. She didn't seem too concerned this time as she said it was only 2 mites so not an infestation. I will obviously need to treat them all though.

It depends on the severity of the infection, which I cannot judge from a picture and how far it has come on overnight. Your vet seems obviously not very worried, so I would not worry too much either. It is obviously a pretty straight forward infection.

PS: You can get liquid gel visco tears online or in any pharmacy; its the same for humans and animals as it is basically additional tear fluid - with the gel, the eye is rehydrated over a longer period than with just drops.
Only give any visco tears at least half an hour after the regular drops in order to ensure that the fucithalmic can work fully on the eye.