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Eye bulge/infection/stitches

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kirlee
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Kirlee

Hi everyone,
I am new to the forum and I am hoping someone might have advice about my guinea pig.
Roma is 4.5 years old, female. About 3 weeks ago I noticed that her eye had almost completely pushed out of the eye socket, both upwards and outwards. It was indeed infected. I took her to the emergency vet, and they stitched her eye closed to allow for healing and gave her antibiotics. They attributed her eye infection to possibly cutting it on timothy hay or a defect of the eye.
A week later, after she finished the antibiotics and I went to have the stitched out, the eye had again ballooned outward. The vet did a glaucoma test which came back negative, and he stitched her eye closed again to "see if having it sewn shut will prevent irritation and allow further healing".

She seems to be perking up a bit, but I am obviously concerned that the vet is treating the symptom and not the problem. I am worried that there is a tumor pushing the eye out, or she has an infection that will spread to her body. I also am disturbed by the amount of pain she must feel-I can't imagine having my eye sewn shut and how uncomfortable the stitches must feel.
It doesn't look like the eye is healing any more with it sewn over than if it were open. The stitches are supposed to come out this week.

I don't know what the vet will say. I suppose he might want to take the eye out completely, but I have concerns about her quality of life. Am I wrong to consider euthanasia if I feel like it might be cruel to her to prolong her life if she will be miserable? I adore her, and I don't want to lose her, but I wonder if this will be a serious, reoccuring problem.
Has anyone ever dealt with something like this? Thank you all for reading.
 
A pig could live quite happily with one eye. I believe there are other options before pts. Have you considered getting another opinion, do you know of any cavy savy vets in your area?
 
Hi,
Thanks so much for the reply. I have not been able to locate any cavy specialists in the area- I actually had a hard time just finding an emergency vet that would even look at a guinea pig (which I found quite ridiculous). I am baffled as to what could be pushing the eye out. Even now, as I look at her, the only thing keeping that eye in is the fact that it is stitched over.

Thanks a bunch
 
My piggy, Claire, ruptured her eye and had it removed a few months ago. She recovered from the operation immediately, and was back to normal that same night. She's adapted to having just one eye and her quality of life hasn't been affected at all.

I really hope Roma will be ok.
x
 
Hi,
thanks so much for that news! I just made an appointment to have the stitches out, as they are looking rather irritated and I think she needs to be seen. Again, thanks a lot.
 
Hi, just came across this when looking for something else. One of my guineas had a similar thing about 3 months ago. I live in Berkshire and managed to find a guinea friendly vet, but also had another recommended by a local Guinea pig rescue. (Is there is one near you? they may be able to suggest another vet. This is very important)
My guinea was on antibiotics for about 4 weeks, and also in an anti-inflamatory for about a week. Her eye was not stitched but I used an artificial tear eye drop twice daily, you can get these from a chemist, but don't say it's for an animal as they're not licenced. During this time I also had to give a pro-biotic on food, a powder to protect digestive flora. I also spoke to a "Guinea pig specialist" vet who said that she had one guinea who had been on antibiotics for 6 months. This would be a real hassle, but means that you shouldn't worry about continuing the treatment. My guinea's eye was swollen for about 2 weeks and then went down quite suddenly. Hope this is what happens to yours.
If it comes to the worst, I was told that guineas can manage fine with only one eye, but again, please do try to find a "guinea friendlyvet".
Hope this is helpful.
 
Hi,

I recently had the same problem with one of our rescue piggies.
She was on Metacam, Baytril and Fucithalmic drops from the vet.
the swelling cleared up after about a week but the eye kept watering. Then suddenly over a matter of a couple of days the side of the face started to swell up to the size of a golf ball. After yet further treatment it was decided to have her PTS as it was considered that the abcess was attached to the bone and would have risen elsewhere in the body if again we had managed to get rid of the swelling.

If your vet can cure the swelling and you decide the eye should be removed or closed a guinea pig can survive happily with one. However, the pressure was too much for our piggy as she started to bleed behind the eye ball.

You will know in your heart what is best for your piggy.
Sending you best wishes
Claire
xx
 
My piggie had a badly ulcerated eye which was not stitched closed and she was on tiacil eye drops for two weeks, then fucithalmic drops for around 3 weeks and the eye healed itself. The vet wanted to reomve her eye as it was so bad but I refused and kept up treatment and after around 6 weeks the eye was back to normal. Hope you find a solution to Rom'as problem and she is better soon :)
 
Stitching the eye up is really not a great thing for your vet to have done. I understand the thinking of not getting anything in the eye, but there are usually more serious problems when you cover an infection than when you leave it open to the air.

Eye drops, antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory/pain reliever are the important things. Often a bulging eye suggests pus behind the eye, and it can also indicate dental issues (elongated roots/overgrown teeth). A full dental exam, and xray of the head, should allow a proper diagnosis and treatment. Removal of the eye is possible and a pig can live absolutely fine with an eye missing, but I would recommend finding a much more guinea pig experienced vet.

Good luck with Roma, keep us updated!
 
CCC4 said:
Stitching the eye up is really not a great thing for your vet to have done. I understand the thinking of not getting anything in the eye, but there are usually more serious problems when you cover an infection than when you leave it open to the air.

Eye drops, antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory/pain reliever are the important things. Often a bulging eye suggests pus behind the eye, and it can also indicate dental issues (elongated roots/overgrown teeth). A full dental exam, and xray of the head, should allow a proper diagnosis and treatment. Removal of the eye is possible and a pig can live absolutely fine with an eye missing, but I would recommend finding a much more guinea pig experienced vet.

Good luck with Roma, keep us updated!
Click to expand...

I agree with CCC4, stitching up the eye isn't going to solve the problem, to be honest I'm shocked that this was done. More than likely this is an abcess behind the eye, please try to find another vet or get your vet to speak to Vedra at the Cambridge Cavy Trust. Sorry I don't know where you live but if you are near enough to get to Cambridge I'm sure Vedra would look at your piggie for you.

I hope you manage to get this sorted and Roma is soon on the road to recovery.
 
guinea pig eye removal

I'm not sure what to do. i think my guinea has something seriously wrong with her eye. i think it's called Enucleation or Osseous Metaplasia, i'm pretty sure she'll have to get her eye removed. does anyone know how much it could cost? or any cavy vets in or near riverside ca. *.s.a.?
 
Enucleation is the word used to describe removing the eye surgically, so it sounds like she has osseous metaplasia, which is an abnormal growth in the eye/around the eye. Price will depend on your vets/area etc. I didnt get where you are, is it the USA?
Bless her, i hope you get it all sorted soon.
x.
 
She will not lose quality of life if she loses an eye. Pigs don't rely on their eyesight to the same degree that we do, and even if they did, she still will have vision in her remaining eye. I had several animals (not piggies, I'm thinking of dogs and mice) who went blind in later adulthood and adjusted just fine to it, so I wouldn't consider euthanasia based simply on quality of life.

Like you, I would be concerned that the vet is not addressing the root of the issue... my main query would be an abscess or tumour behind the eye. Another poster recently had a piggie whose eye was surgically removed due to a large abscess in behind it... last I read from her, her pig was home on antibiotics and pain relief and making a good recovery. HTH a bit- good luck to you and Roma!
 
Help!:'(

My guinea pig is 4 and a half now, her eye is bulging out and she cant blink, her eye looks like its drying up and its kind of cloudy, this started happening about a few days ago but before that it was just sticking out a bit and we took her to the vets for that and they just said it might just come out so much that it could pop out but back then she was able to blink and it was fine.

she still walks normally, eats normally and it doesn't look like she's bothered about it, ALSO her breathing sounds slightly snuffled, kind of like she having a hard time breathing:'(

please reply!:D
 
The issues with her breathing means she needs prompt vet attention either tonight or tomorrow depending upon how serious it is- it may or may not be related to the eye which also needs to be looked at by a cavy savvy vet tomorrow. It could be an infection is spreading through her system and she needs urgent treatment with antibiotics.

whereabouts do you live so we can recommend someone you can go to see?

x
 
Urgent veterinary attention is needed here. I had a piggie with bulging eye and compromised breathing and his was caused by an abscess behind the eye that had also spread into the nasal cavity.

I recently cared for a guinea pig who also had a retrobulbar abscess and her eye was in danger of being damaged irreparably and it was only saved due to the swift attention of my vet who added lubrication and stitched the eye closed. She was then treated with strong antibiotics.

You can't afford to wait with something like this and you need to find a cavy savvy vet very quickly. You may need to travel to get to a vet who can help you.
 
Very few cavy savvy vets in that area


From looking on North East Guinea Pig Rescue website I think your best bet may be Judith Broome (rabbit guru) at Newcastle Frirst Vets Forest Hall surgery

http://www.firstvets.co.uk/staffs/10-firstvets-forest-hall

81 Station Road
Forest Hall
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE12 8AQ
Phone : 0191 266 6286
Fax : 0191 270 1544

Will post back if I find any more.

x
 
Okay so my piggy is now going to have an operation on monday to get her i removed, also the first vet i took her to said there wasnt much he could do but take her eye out or put her down, the second vet i took her to (just to get a second opinion) said there was no need to put her down and now hes going to remove the eye... But basically her eye now is a dark red colour and sticking out more?

She is on antibiotics, twice a day, morning and night, and i just read that if your guinea pigs side effects were not eating, Diarrhea or lethargy, they could be intolerant to it and that if they stay on the drug while being intolerant it could be fatal... This worried me because she has been acting kind of sleepy and she didnt eat her food STRAIGHT AWAY (she still ate it though) but she usually takes it out of my hands?

Help me!
 
Most piggies will be woozy for up to 24hours after a General Anaesthetic.

As long as she is eating that's fine - and if she isn;t then you should be syringe feeding her either mushed pellets with ground up Vit C and probioitics or Oxbow Critical Care/Supreme Recovery Plus. 20ml every 3hours to give a total of 120ml per 24hours.

I've seen your other thread about finding a vet in Cramlington/Newcastle and have been searching but no luck yet.

Given the fact the second opinion vet was prepared to remove her eye and has done so, I think you should stick with them this next week unless she goes rapidly downhill and they can;t help any further.

Eye removal is not a big thing as long as post-op care is given properly - I've had pigs have this operation and they have recovered and are still living healthy and happy lives 4 years later.

HTH
x
 
just to let you all know haven't seen my piggy yet, shes still at the vet and my mam hasn't picked her up yet, and just to let you all know the vet was on the phone saying shes fine, he took her eye out and she didn't wake up as quickly as usual, but that's probably just cause shes old now, but the main thing is... it was a tumor behind her eye and it may just grow again, but aside from all that he said was fine:):):):):):)
 
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