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How do you flush a guinea pigs tear duct?

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involves a tube maybe the same size as a human hair, delivered into the tear duct.
 
All I cfsan do is give you the benefit of my own experience - and I'm sorry Liqourice is having these problems.

Firstly - Tear duct blockage IS a recognised cause of eye issues in guinea pigs.

Secondly - There is a test the vet can do to determine if the tear ducts are actually blocked - it involves putting fluorescene dye in the eye and monitoring it's appearance down the nostrils and in the throat


Thirdly , If (and only if) the tear duct blockage has been actually diagnosed (rather than theoretically proposed) as the cause of the eye problems then I think your vet is either a bit optimistic or knows something my own very experienced exotics vets don;t about clearing a tear duct blockage in guinea pigs.

When Bandit had eye issues, we discussed the fact it may be a blocked tear duct as the dye test showed it may be likely - I was told there is no catheter of sufficently small diameter to flush a piggies tear duct. if your vet knows different i would be very grateful for their recommendation.

I would suggest that firstly you try antibiotics (gentamycin or/followed by chloramphenicol eye drops) together with anti-inflammatory (occufen) eye drops ( sometimes an eye infection can;t clear without reducing the inflammation first - this is quite well-documented)

If this has already been tried and your vets are adamant about an op to flush the tear ducts (which would be done under GA?) - can I suggest you ask them for details of the catheter diameter/specification and/or method statement. I am happy to cross-check it with my vets before you give permission to proceed in order that you may have peace of mind.

Hope this helps
x
 
You're thinking what i'm thinking along the tear duct lines.. the area around it is indeed inflamed which I think if we can get the inflammation down, we might just be able to get the tear duct draining properly.
He's comparing her to cases of Rabbit's with similar eye complaints, this worries me as the two species couldn't be more different.
She does seem to be a lot better today, has been on Baytril about 12 days now, and I'm thinking that maybe the original issue never really went away, and it went chronic.. This is the first time the vet offered antibiotics internally.. the drops Tiacil (the first 2 treatments) just irritated her eye further after just 5 days the current drops have quite the opposite effect, she's doing well on them.
I shall write down your suggestions Pebble, for the vet, i'm tempted to seek a second opinion with a more Cavy friendly vet, i'm worried they'll just cause her too much distress (I suspect this is the case from wed, she was very subdued on thurs)..
He's thinking a tooth root has overgrown, but she currently is suffering no pain or discomfort and having had toothache myself, would have thought that sort of pain would stop her eating and she'd be dropping weight?
 
Bandit also had the tooth root investigation....it was negative. Baytril will reduce (but not necessarily cure) an eye infection owing to it's location.

Before you are persuaded down the route of further expensive tests and a GA - get an anti-inflammatory eye drop (plus an antibioitic) - and better still - if they have an ointment - it works better than liquid and is less painful. Having had several guineas with various eye problems over the years - I always now ask for ointment instead of drops (if suitably available)

What are the current drops? We did tiacil - it was very uncomfortable for both Ginger and Bandit. The best thing I got for this condition was Maxitrol eye OINTMENT. Accept no alternative....but be warned it contains a steroid to reduce the inflammation. You do really need to rule out infection with bugs first before it is prescribed (including mycoplasma and chalmydia) as steroids are immunosuppressive and can cause ore harm than good. Then, only once you have tried this, should you then proceed to invasive surgery/GA unless it is clear/diagnosed an infection is present.

Whereabouts are you - ref finding you a second opinion from a cavy savvy vet?

Hugs this is not a nice situation to be in.

Hope this helps

x
 
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Fucithalmic is ace - it's an ointment containing (a single) antibioitic and is good (and most often prescribed) for piggie eye problems.

however - sometimes it doesn;t work because the bug causing the infection is resistant.

Given your current situation I reccommend you should try something on the eye ointmnet front before you proceed to invasive surgeryb - unless it is necessary because the codition is now critical.

*** come back this weekend about vets in your area afer I've done some research

x
 
I think another week of treatment might be what she needs to turn that corner, I'm very reluctant to let a vet start treating an animal they don't deal with very often (they admitted it's rare they see a cavy).. at this point, Liquorice's comfort is more important to me, and controlling the issue until finding the right course of action is the course i'm taking.. if she starts feeling pain i'll get her metacam (something they said I could get for her) until i find the right fairly local vet who knows enough to treat her..
She's been one of those piggy's who's seen the inside of a veterinary centre too often (juvenile abscess of the throat, abscesses on her bum and now eye issues).. she just fluffs up and becomes depressed at the very sight of the pet carrier these days........
I only seem to get cavy savy vets in Essex and London on my search engine, and i'm not prepared to put her through that sort of long distance stress, only to be poked and prodded by strangers (she's got a nervous disposition)..
 
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