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Hay poke

J

jac13

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi yeah so stressing a bit here tonight my girl just got her first ever haypoke we managed to get the hay out and washed with saline eye is bluey colour what else do I need to do obviously night time at the minute should I got in the morning and buy eye drops or what do you all do please
 

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Please have your piggy seen by a vet. Eye injuries are considered urgent. The blue means it is ulcerating. It is not something you can deal with yourself - it must be dealt with by a vet. The vet will check it under fluorescent light to confirm the extent of the injury and check that all the hay is definitely out. You will be prescribed an antibiotic eyedrop and painkillers by the vet

I hope your piggy is ok.
 
Thank you the ulceration has happened to fast as she was ok at lunchtime and didn't notice the hay to be fair it was a really big piece. Do you feel it calls for emergency vet or can wait until the morning thank you so much for your rapid reply
 
Best to always take both piggies to the vet.
That way they can support each other- it’s less stressful for them to go together
 
jac13 said:
Hi yeah so stressing a bit here tonight my girl just got her first ever haypoke we managed to get the hay out and washed with saline eye is bluey colour what else do I need to do obviously night time at the minute should I got in the morning and buy eye drops or what do you all do please
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Hi

Please ring your vet clinic first thing in the morning as the wound is already infected (ulcerating, the blue gunk is a sign of that) and should be ideally seen within a day of you noticing if there is no blood.

You will need antibiotic eye drops, which are precription-only in the UK. Thankfully, the eye is the one organ where treatment and medication is the same for guinea pigs as for other pets, so any decent vet who will see guinea pigs will do; speed comes over qualification. Your vet has a special dye, which will show the full extent of the injury under uv light. You cannot see it with your naked eye.

What you can order online tonight is carbomer-based eye gel; basic one will do. This is easier to apply and longer lasting in effect compared to normal plain eye drops (which will do if you cannot get any gel). The gel will rehydrate the eye, soothe and help to create an ideal healing environment for the antibiotic eye drops to get to work in and help to speed up the healing process. Apply 3 times daily but please wait at least half an hour after the antibiotic eye drops or gel to allow that to be fully absorbed; otherwise you just wash it out. The gel can also help with soothing the itchiness/dryness from the antibiotic drops/gel.

For drops, you pull down the lower eyelid and aim the drops into the gap. For gel, you have to try to keep the eyelids opened and prevent the gel from sticking to one of the lids; it needs to melt on the eye surface. Prepare for some spillage if you have never done it before and stuff your piggy with some favourite treats or food so they are a bit distracted.
You may want to bookmark the following links so you have them handy for another emergency.

First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide

Tips For Vet Visits

All the best!
 
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