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davids eye again... reoccuring..

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Craig David

Craig David

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Hi guys

vet signed david off last week as his eye was fully open and had improved. (He gave him another injection to be on the safe side).

However, iv noticed today his eye is going smaller than the other eye again and looks quite watery... I dont know whether to take him vets again in the morning or keep my eye on it...

Does anyone know what could be causing this...
 
Unfortunately I've not kept up with the different threads on his condition....could you perhaps give a history of David's eye problems or bring his previous thread back up? Just to make sure anyone who replies knows the full story. :)
 
Laura-CCC4 said:
Unfortunately I've not kept up with the different threads on his condition....could you perhaps give a history of David's eye problems or bring his previous thread back up? Just to make sure anyone who replies knows the full story. :)
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hi laura yes no probs. sorry i probably should of found his old post before i posted this. I'm just getting used to using a forum

The second week i had him he developed a scabby nose and a half shut eye which was weeping, i took him to the vets and the vet said his eye looked a bit red and thought it was either hayfever or a possible infection. He gave him an injection and his eye started to look a lot better. I took him back last wednesday and the vet signed him off said he looked a lot better but he gave him another injection just to be on the safe side.

Just noticed today his eye looks a little shut again (not as bad as last time) but you can see the difference when you look at his other eye, i am hoping its not coming back whatever it was his eye looks a bit wattery also.....
 
Could be hayfever, right time of year for it, also possible if that's his only symptom. I know I suffer most with my eyes in the warmer weather, wraparound sunglasses every time I step out the door for me - not so easy for the pigs though!

I would wonder if he'd scratched his eye initially, hence the sunken/half shut eye and the weepiness, bearing in mind the scabby patch nearby which could easily have felt a bit itchy...see what I'm thinking? Has the scabby patch cleared up now? Also (sorry for yet another question) do you know what injection he was given?
 
Hi Laura the injection was terramycin la inj 100ml.. (thats what it says on the sheet) and dexafort....

the vet also gave him another terramycin injection last wednesday....from then his eye was quite open and normal like the other one.

the scab on the end of his nose has disappeared now. However the scab on his nose was on the bottom of his nose so was quite a bit away from his eye.His eye shut a little bit you can see a difference compared to his normal eye. I was going to bathe it in some salt water boiled and cooled, do you think its worth it? David also sneezes as well (not lots) but does sneeze compared to craig who doesnt sneeze at all.

I know their poop is softish too but i think I'm thinking to much into things as iv been experimenting with different veg recently I'm hoping the two arent linked.
 
Been to the vets... david not looking good.. his eye nearly completely closed today...

vet does not think its hayfever he thinks its an infection and iv forgotten the name he said because iv been blubbering but it began with a p something like propelli.

He has given me some drops and said hopefully we have caught it in time before it spreads... he said hes probably poked himself in the eye with some hay and thats probably started it off. He doesnt look himself today though and the drops are so hard to get in, iv just done about 3 drops and got about 1 in. gutted.. got to go work now as well.

ahh well got to be strong i suppose. if anyone can offer me any help id be grateful.
 
sorry to hear this i hope he starts feeling better soon :( there sure know how to keep us on our toes though hey
 
Ciloxan eye drops contain ciprofloxacin, not the usual antibiotic eye drops at all so in terms of efficacy, I've no idea if they'll do the job. Chloramphenicol (Optrex Infected Eyes) or fusidic acid (Fucithalmic) are the main eye drops to treat infections.

How long do you have to give the drops for? It's possible that the problem has returned because he was only given the two terramycin injections, it didn't actually eliminate the infection as effectively as a course of topical antibiotics.

I have no idea on the name of the infection either I'm afraid, only specific infections I've heard of affecting the eyes are conjunctivitis and chlamydia, the former being the most common by far.
 
Laura-CCC4 said:
Ciloxan eye drops contain ciprofloxacin, not the usual antibiotic eye drops at all so in terms of efficacy, I've no idea if they'll do the job. Chloramphenicol (Optrex Infected Eyes) or fusidic acid (Fucithalmic) are the main eye drops to treat infections.

How long do you have to give the drops for? It's possible that the problem has returned because he was only given the two terramycin injections, it didn't actually eliminate the infection as effectively as a course of topical antibiotics.

I have no idea on the name of the infection either I'm afraid, only specific infections I've heard of affecting the eyes are conjunctivitis and chlamydia, the former being the most common by far.
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Hi Laura i can remember I'm sure he called it pasterelli. He said i have to give the dose of 1 - 2 drops 4 times a day. its not conjunctivitis or chlamydia.

It looks like the drops are for humans as the leaflet in it looks like it refers to humans. I hope it clears it, he said they should run down his nose and clear his nose as well as his nose was running yesterday and he been sneezing a lot.
 
also he told me he should pick up in 2 -3 days but if not to take him back. he told me to finish the course of drops even if it clears.
 
Another few questions I'm afraid, just trying to get an idea of his condition. How did the vet diagnose this specific infection? In what way is he just not himself?

P.S. By pasterelli - do you mean pasteurella? It's an infection more well known in rabbits, but is sensitive to chloramphenicol so the chloramphenicol based eye drops should suffice!
 
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I'm assuming that David is eating and pooing properly at the moment?


It's not clear however from the information you have supplied whether when this started, it was regarded as a localised infection in the eye resulting from eg a hay poke/seed (which fucithalmic would hopefully clear up in a few days and would have been the first treatment of choice) or was/is now something more serious like a respiratory infection or abcess around the root of a tooth of which the eye is just one symptom (that would more likely be pasteurella but other bugs could be the cause) and for which a systemic (oral or injectable) antibiotic would be needed.


Pasteurella multicoida is normally associated with rabbit infections (Often called snuffles) and there is very often pus associated with the abcesses and wounds it causes, which you make no mention of so I'm assuming its more of a watery discharge?

Unless your vet is an extremely experienced guinea pig vet or has taken a swab and sent it off for culture, they are guessing as to what organism is causing the problem. So it could be a good guess by your vet.....(and..ciprofloxacin is indeed effective against pasteurella) but without culture results it is still a guess!


If there is no improvement in three days with the drops you have been given (or before if David gets worse/stops eating etc) then I would suggest an X ray to check no abcess at the tooth root and an eye/nasal swab for culture in order to determine the most effective antibiotic if it is indeed an infection.

As to treatment, the following would need to be considered - and if no cultures/X ays are done I would be inclined to use all three in an effort to get rid of the problem:
a) Appropriate oral/injectable anitbioitic for a respiratory or abcess infection depending upon culture results. Septrin paediatric oral suspension is a better option than baytril as causes less upset tummies
b) fucithalmic or chloramphenicol eye drops (in case it is just an eye infection resulting from eg hay poke)
c) metacam as an anti-inflammatory/pain killer would also be helpful.


HTH
x
 
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hi guys

pasterella thats the one. He is probably guessing but he said that its looking hard to shift as the terramycin injections didnt shift it and he said pasterella is generally very hard to shift. His eye has been like this now for 2 weeks however the injections made it appear better and sunday he came down with the same symptoms again. His eye looks a bit gooey (like a discharge) as well as watery. Its also very smaller compared to the other one.

I thought both their poo was soft as well as i have been feeding different veg. However, theres a softish poo and a harder poo as well so I'm wondering if the softer poo is davids. The poo has been softish now for about a week and a half. i was associating it with the different veg though, could there be a link..

He didnt look himself this morning his eye was more or less shut and he is normally very giddy but was just sat on my chest. he is in the run now though and seems to be normal, running around, been eating some pellets. he had some parsley this morning and some carrots.

iv had a look at the optrex infected eye drops do you think i should purchase just incase things dont seem to clear up at the weekend.
 
By all means get some eye drops for your first aid kit - but keep going with the ones you have.

You have a powerful antibioitc in the eye drops you have been given and, unless instructed by your vet, you shouldn;t stop using them (or indeed any antibiotic treatement) or change to something else until the course is completed which will be about 7-10 days - otherwise the infection could develop resistance to the antibiotic.

Only, and only, if the drops don;t start working in the next 2-3 days should you [*]go back to the vet[/*] and enquire about antibiotic sensitivity cultures being done. These however will take a week for the results so you should discuss with your vet the other options I have suggested to give to David in the interim and the vet should check whether any will interfere with the current treatment.

x
 
Pebble said:
By all means get some eye drops for your first aid kit - but keep going with the ones you have.

You have a powerful antibioitc in the eye drops you have been given and, unless instructed by your vet, you shouldn;t stop using them (or indeed any antibiotic treatement) or change to something else until the course is completed which will be about 7-10 days - otherwise the infection could develop resistance to the antibiotic.

Only, and only, if the drops don;t start working in the next 2-3 days should you [*]go back to the vet[/*] and enquire about antibiotic sensitivity cultures being done. These however will take a week for the results so you should discuss with your vet the other options I have suggested to give to David in the interim and the vet should check whether any will interfere with the current treatment.

x
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thanks for this info. I will keep on with the drops and monitor him for the next few days. If i have to go back to the vets i will take your info, thanks for your help, its a godsend having people around that can offer advice x

i will keep posting on this topic of his progress. if things havent picked up by friday hes going back to the vets as it will be shut over the weekend.and I'm not waiting until monday if things arent picking up.
 
Craig David said:
thanks for this info. I will keep on with the drops and monitor him for the next few days. If i have to go back to the vets i will take your info, thanks for your help, its a godsend having people around that can offer advice x

i will keep posting on this topic of his progress. if things havent picked up by friday hes going back to the vets as it will be shut over the weekend.and I'm not waiting until monday if things arent picking up.
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That's good thinking re the weekend....I will PM you my phone number if you want a conflab on friday before booking a vet appt

Feel free to print out my post and take it to the vet if necessary - I am a qualified microbiologist and PhD in microbiology/immunology who has kept guinea pigs for many years

x
 
Pebble said:
That's good thinking re the weekend....I will PM you my phone number if you want a conflab on friday before booking a vet appt

Feel free to print out my post and take it to the vet if necessary - I am a qualified microbiologist and PhD in microbiology/immunology who has kept guinea pigs for many years

x
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aaw thats brilliant what great support. just had a look at davids eye it looks pretty much the same as yesterday (I'm counting it as day one), he has just ate lots of parsley his favourite food and was being quite cheeky chasing my hand around the cage when i was cleaning the poop out 8) i hope this cheekiness continues.
 
It's good news he is active - let's see how he is tomoz

x
 
day 3 (morning)

davids eye looks a tiny bit better in the sense it is a little bit more open. Just gave him his breakfast he was wheeking and hes ate plenty parsley, carrot and cucumber. When i say a tiny bit better, it is only a tiny bit more open. but its still an improvement isnt it.

I am now unsure what to do about the vets. The reason being my vet isnt open tomorrow or sunday and monday i wouldnt b able to take him as i am at work then as soon as i finish work i play in an orchestra until 11pm so it would have to be tuesday. Tuesday seems a long way off if his eye isnt looking up.

I also feel that when he had the terramycin injections his eye improved within the next day. However with these drops i havent noticed much of an improvement, although there is a very slight difference today.

confused :{
 
My honest opinion - go back to the vet today. It's unlikely anything terrible will happen in the next four days, but it sounds to me like you need the reassurance of having someone look at his eye and reconsider the medication. Just say that you don't feel these drops are working particularly well, there is no particular improvement, and you're wondering if there are any alternatives. Better than worrying all weekend, and hopefully the vet may be willing to try an alternative medication. :)
 
Laura-CCC4 said:
My honest opinion - go back to the vet today. It's unlikely anything terrible will happen in the next four days, but it sounds to me like you need the reassurance of having someone look at his eye and reconsider the medication. Just say that you don't feel these drops are working particularly well, there is no particular improvement, and you're wondering if there are any alternatives. Better than worrying all weekend, and hopefully the vet may be willing to try an alternative medication. :)
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hi laura

hes booked in for 5.40pm ill update when iv been :)) fingers crossed
 
Been to the vets, it was a different vet but he said it looks to him like its healing and to finish the course of eye drops.

Its put my mind at rest and I'm really glad i went. and thankfully he didnt charge me as iv spent a fortune lol.

come on david heallllllllllllllllllllll healllllllllllllllllllll :{
 
I'm glad you're feeling more at ease - and glad the vet didn't charge either!
 
ye i thought the vet might charge I'm quite pleased he didnt and I'm sooo glad i went. i need stop worrying and develop some confidence with them. crossing my fingers for little david xxxxxxxxxxx
 
ye i thought the vet might charge I'm quite pleased he didnt and I'm sooo glad i went. i need stop worrying and develop some confidence with them. crossing my fingers for little david xxxxxxxxxxx
 
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