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Guinea Pig Closing One Eye

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Jerrybelly

Jerrybelly

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I've just noticed that Jerry seems to be closing, either completely or mostly, his left eye. I've had a very good look and I can't see any signs of a URI, or any ulceration which might indicate a hay poke. It's not weeping and is exactly the same colour as his other eye. He doesn't seem to be rubbing at it, and I don't think it's bothering him.

I've booked him to see the vet, but I just wondered if anyone had come across this before?
 
I've only had this happen with an injury. I'd be interested to know what the vet says.
 
It could be something stuck under his lid. Sometimes an eye poke or scratch only shows up with the special fluid at the vets, especially if hasn't ulcerated and is covered by a film of fluid. Please have him checked by a vet!
 
Elwickcavies said:
I've only had this happen with an injury. I'd be interested to know what the vet says.
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In all my years of having piggies I've (luckily) avoided any eye injuries, so I don't know a great deal about them - other than what I've read. They boy's hay is currently very soft, so I think a 'poke' may be unlikely, but that certainly doesn't rule out something being stuck under the lid, as Wiebke has said. It would certainly be interesting to see what the vet says.
 
Jerrybelly said:
In all my years of having piggies I've (luckily) avoided any eye injuries, so I don't know a great deal about them - other than what I've read. They boy's hay is currently very soft, so I think a 'poke' may be unlikely, but that certainly doesn't rule out something being stuck under the lid, as Wiebke has said. It would certainly be interesting to see what the vet says.
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I had very soft and finally chopped medow hay and shereen got a piece stuck in her eye. Any hay can cause an injury. I hope you can get a vet appointment soon and Jerry is okay.
 
My Dizzy ended up once with a 4 cm long blade of grass completely worked under her lid; it was a pain for the vet to get it out while I was trying to hold her! The sharp rim had cut into the cornea and caused an ulcer.
 
maisie did this when she had a piece of hay stuck in her eye. i couldn't see it but when the vet checked, the hay suddenly came up from round her eyeball! she had it thoroughly checked and eye drops for a while, and then checked again for any damage/ulcers etc.
 
I have found a hay seed that had worked it's way into the very corner under the eyelid before so wasn't visible on the surface. Best to get it checked by the vet, I'm sure they will find whatever it is :)
 
Poppy'sMum said:
I have found a hay seed that had worked it's way into the very corner under the eyelid before so wasn't visible on the surface. Best to get it checked by the vet, I'm sure they will find whatever it is :)
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they'll beable to put that dye in her eye aswell to check for any damage :)
 
It sounds to me like something may be caught in there too.
 
One of my girls had a soft grass seed head in her eye. It was concealed under her eyelid. The vet didn't find it until the second visit,when her eye just wasn't improving with drops. It was about 1cm long but had worked its way behind the eyeball mostly.
Good luck &healing vibes for piggy :) from the girls &I. Xx
 
One of my girls had a hay poke and her eye went white and she had it closed. We took her to the vet who put a green dye in her eye to determine where the ulceration was and gave us eye drops (Tiacil) .. the scarring will always be there but luckily her eye is back to normal now. This was before Christmas.

Good luck at the vets x
 
It's a small ulcer on the cornea - barely visible with the dye and not visible at all without it.. The vet thinks that he may have caught it on something, rather than had a hay poke as it's very shallow. Eye drops twice a day for the next 7 days. Back for a check-up next Friday.
 
After 2 lots of antibiotic eye drops, there is still no improvement. Vet is stumped as the ulcer really isn't that bad, and should have healed by now. He's going back tomorrow to see a vet who specialises in eyes. There is no sign of deterioration, and it doesn't seem to be bothering him, other than the fact that he's keeping it partly-closed, but there's been no improvement either :(
 
Lots of healing vibes to Jerry x
 
Poor boy! I hope that the specialist can help!
 
Jerrybelly, has your vet considered the possibility of a tooth root abcess or a growth behind the eye?
 
helen105281 said:
Jerrybelly, has your vet considered the possibility of a tooth root abcess or a growth behind the eye?
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She hadn't mentioned a growth behind the eye to me, but she did have a very thorough look at his teeth (as much as you can with a lively, awake guinea pig!) on both trips. I'm leaving to see the eye specialist soon, so will update on my return. Healing vibes please!
 
Good news! The ulcer seems to have completely healed! :) It took two lots of antibiotics and 2 weeks, but we got there. He's still keeping his eye partly shut, but the vet thinks this is residual inflammation that will go down on its own. I'm going to continue with some soothing eye gel for the next 2 weeks.

The less good news is that the vet discovered that he has cataracts forming on both eyes. He's still seeing through both eyes at the moment, but there are signs of age-related deterioration.
 
I think there's finally some improvement :) He gets a lot of relief from the soothing eye gel, so hopefully that and the Metacam are doing the trick!
 
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