Eye lashes

[The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue]

I have had a guinea pig called tiny ivy she is lovely hand reared by a friend of mine. She is just 6 months old but was very sick as a baby and hand fed for 4 weeks she pulled through but is very little. She has a damaged eye lid and her lashes turn in a little. I am keeping a close eye on this , excuse the pun but just wondered if anyone else had sought treatment for this ? She eats and does all normal piggie things she is just very dainty 400g bless her and i would not want to risk a GA at the vets.

 

[Pebble]

It sounds like you are describing a recognised condition called entropion.

Ginger piggie was diagnosed with this when he was 4 months old..(by a sharp-eyed vet nurse) .and he had an op at 6 months to rectify it on one eye. It didn;t work because i think the op was done far too early.

He is now 3.5 years old and we have to deal with periodic eye problems ....the ingrowing eyelids scratch and dry out the eyeballs causing conjuncitivitis and dry eye. He gets periodic fucithalmic treatment and then he is back to normal. Recently he also scratched his right cornea pretty badly and now has a large "scab" which means he has lost some vision. Nevertheless, he is a happy piggie (especially now he has a wifey and can get his leg over)

you need an extremely experiencd vet to jude when (or if) and at what time a piggie should have an op to cure entropion....personally I would suggest an op is not done untill the pig is fully grown and learned to live with it (about a year). The find a good cavy svvy vet and see what they think.

HTH

x

 

[Abi_nurse]

It certainly sounds like entropian. Unfortunatly the only way of sorting it is through surgery. This condition is quite common in some breeds of dog and can be fixed very easily with a quick operation from an experienced vet to remove a small amount of the eye lid. Your piggies eye will constantly be sore if it isnt sorted. Some eye drops will help for now, but i would suggest once your piggie is a little older and stronger enough to get her sorted. I understand you being worried, but this an experience vet and nurse monitoring your piggie this operation will be relatively low risk as it isnt a very long procedure and isnt a big op (like a spay or abdominal op)

Good luck with it all. Love sent to your piggie from my herd.

xx.

 

[The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue]

Thanks for your replies. I agree with your suggestions i have had experience of this through my job. Was unsure what course of action was for ivy. It does not seem to bother her as much as me ! And i will take your advice and keep a watch on it. I have not noticed any discharge or watering. I will keep you posted. Thanks helen

 

[Glynis]

awwwwwww sorry to hear about little Ivy
Whee all hope that with TLC she'll be ok XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

So glad she has you as a mummy! x)