Jen87
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi everyone,
Looking for some advice or shared experiences regarding my 5-year-old female guinea pig, Izzie.
Background & Current Symptoms:
* Age & Weight: 5 years, 2 months old. Weight is stable at 1036g, appetite and appears happy. No obvious signs of pain whilst on medication (0.32 arthrocam)
* Eye Condition: Clear, progressive protrusion of her left eye over the past few weeks. The eye itself looks healthy, cornea is moist, clear, no swelling/discharge, and dye tests for corneal ulcers have been negative.
* Suspected Cause: Vet suspects an upward-growing molar root or retrobulbar issue pushing the orbit forward.
The Dilemma is we have an appointment booked for October 6th for standard skull X-rays under light sedation. However, our vet mentioned that:
* X-rays might not give a 100% definitive answer.
* The "gold standard" diagnostic is a CT scan, but referral to an exotic specialist for a CT scan will likely exceed £1,000, which is simply not financially viable for us (even with our insurance covering 50% of dental).
* If it requires a complex surgical molar extraction, that would also require a specialist procedure beyond our budget.
We want to keep Izzie comfortable and avoid putting her through endless, stressful procedures. If the X-ray shows a simple, standard molar issue that our regular vet can treat with routine burring within budget, we will move forward with that. However, if it reveals a complex retrobulbar mass or requires specialist surgery beyond our means, we are prepared to make the compassionate decision for peaceful euthanasia before her quality of life drops.
I just feel so guilty, that we may have hit a wall and can't pursue it any further. She's senior, but not old as such. Her companion is 7, which adds more guilt as we don't intend on continuing the cycle :-(
Looking for some advice or shared experiences regarding my 5-year-old female guinea pig, Izzie.
Background & Current Symptoms:
* Age & Weight: 5 years, 2 months old. Weight is stable at 1036g, appetite and appears happy. No obvious signs of pain whilst on medication (0.32 arthrocam)
* Eye Condition: Clear, progressive protrusion of her left eye over the past few weeks. The eye itself looks healthy, cornea is moist, clear, no swelling/discharge, and dye tests for corneal ulcers have been negative.
* Suspected Cause: Vet suspects an upward-growing molar root or retrobulbar issue pushing the orbit forward.
The Dilemma is we have an appointment booked for October 6th for standard skull X-rays under light sedation. However, our vet mentioned that:
* X-rays might not give a 100% definitive answer.
* The "gold standard" diagnostic is a CT scan, but referral to an exotic specialist for a CT scan will likely exceed £1,000, which is simply not financially viable for us (even with our insurance covering 50% of dental).
* If it requires a complex surgical molar extraction, that would also require a specialist procedure beyond our budget.
We want to keep Izzie comfortable and avoid putting her through endless, stressful procedures. If the X-ray shows a simple, standard molar issue that our regular vet can treat with routine burring within budget, we will move forward with that. However, if it reveals a complex retrobulbar mass or requires specialist surgery beyond our means, we are prepared to make the compassionate decision for peaceful euthanasia before her quality of life drops.
I just feel so guilty, that we may have hit a wall and can't pursue it any further. She's senior, but not old as such. Her companion is 7, which adds more guilt as we don't intend on continuing the cycle :-(
