Just need some moral support. Op booked

[Gadzy]

Hello,

I will first start off saying that yes I do struggle with anxiety so I’m going to put that out there, but there is definitely some sort of issue going on with my Guniea pigs eye which the vets agree with and as stated off the back of a loss and into this I have spiralled. I need your support and what you would personally do. Feel free to delete my other threads, but I just need to write this so please bare with me because in all honesty I am scared.

She is currently on chlomphenicol ointment, remend and metacam. She has been on it for about 2 weeks now and still squints. I have yet again another follow up appointment Tuesday morning as they want me to do this for another week to see what the next plan of action is. Is there anything I can ask the vet we suggest we do? They have mentioned a referral to a vets with a slit lamp and another vet suggests there could be entropion. Even though her eye lid isn’t perfect they couldn’t see any eyelashes near the eye even though it’s slightly turned inwards. Or maybe a sedation of some sort so they can properly look into the eye for anything in there. Again showing so signs. The only sign is the squinting when resting. Doesn’t squint when out eating.

There is no cloudiness just a mark on her eye in the centre which the vet thinks is an abrasion, but the dye is showing no ulceration or anything. I am honestly scared because I think the vets are struggling to know what else to try and do. How do I know if she’s in pain? That’s the main thing I don’t want her to be in, she still squints after. If it’s something she can live with with no pain then that’s an option or would you go down the route of looking at all options? I know the other option would be to speak to where I got them from and they would take her back sadly, but again what would they do? They would probably leave her. I’d have to ask

I just need some support because in all honesty I am scared and I need to write this. If it was a massive issue she wouldn’t be eating right? But she is. Maybe I even stop all the eye stuff going in there and see, there could be some sort of discomfort with it all. I can’t keep going to the vets and they were very kind and saw her free of charge today but we are stumped

Thank you everyone

 

[Lorcan]

Honestly, take a deep breath. I get it, anxiety and fear and uncertainty about a piggy's health can almost hurt, but there's no sense in winding yourself up too. I've been there for those big anxiety spirals and they're exhausting enough as it is.

Eye problems - I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you can't do anything right now. Tomorrow, next vet trip, but whichever it is it isn't now. I'll refer back to the advice out of hours gave me when Bann had a bleeding eye at 11pm one night - if he was comfortable enough and the eye wasn't actively bleeding, then to clean it gently with saline and to see my own vet first thing. I take some hefty meds and was having a right panic about even managing to get out of the house, never mind to the vet. And she was right. It took multiple weeks worth of Isathal and he refused to let the vet put the dye in. His eye at first, and it was several more visits before they could actually look into it after the dye went in.

She's eating and she's drinking, which are the most important things here. She's not doing that if she's not comfortable doing it. Whatever it is that's wrong with her eye, whether it requires specialists vets or anything else, is not something impacting her everyday right now. Whatever treatment she ends up needing, worry about when it happens and not before. The added anxiety benefits neither of you, and from reading over the previous threads I don't see anything in there that would be worth getting so worried about just yet.

Bann never had an eye injury til he'd been with me two years, and then it felt like I was in and out of the vets every fortnight because he had another eye injury and it was always the same eye. It was like he waited for it to heal before doing it all over again. Only once was it an abscess behind the eye that burst and not him playing with the stalky hay again.

But again. I know how this sounds but this level of anxiety will leave you ill, and it won't help. Deep breaths, distractions, whatever works best for you, do it.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I know how debilitating anxiety can be and dealing with a health issue on the back of a loss makes things harder as you are also grieving, but lorcan is right - you are not doing yourself any favours in worrying like this or getting too far ahead. I get it, I know not worrying is so much easier said than done but you aren’t any use to her if you fall apart.

The fact she is eating (and presumably maintaining her weight each week) suggests she is ok. Squinting only sometimes suggests it’s not a major issue impacting her all the time, she isn’t losing quality of life through it. I too have read over your other threads and I also can’t see any major reasons to be overly concerned.

I’ve been dealing with a medical issue myself for the past five months - we’ve tried a wait and see approach; we have tried a medication which should have started to help within three days but I’ve now been on it for five weeks with seemingly little improvement and I will now be on it for another three months. This issue may right itself but if it doesn’t I won’t get to see a specialist until closer Christmas/the new year, I may even need surgery. The thought of things not improving on their own is hard, it feels like I’m never going to get my life back to normal but worrying about next week, next month etc is only stopping me from managing and enjoying today which then makes things even harder.
I have been keeping daily notes to monitor the symptoms. Day to day things don’t seem to have improved. It’s only when I look back over the notes that I can see that things are better than they were several weeks ago, it’s just that the improvements have been small and not necessarily consistent (sort of two steps forward, one step back) so it’s not noticeable day to day, and that actually this issue is probably righting itself it’s just taking a much longer time than anybody expected.

I'm not suggesting for one minute that you keep notes of how things are for her (in fact quite the opposite as I don’t think it would help you at all) but my point in telling you this is that animals and humans aren’t that different in that medications can just take longer to work, sometimes the improvements don’t seem noticeable but you have to stay the course and take each day as it is. Looking at the what ifs too far ahead is not helpful to anyone.
If she does need a different treatment then she will get that treatment, but for now you need to give her the medications she has been prescribed and give it the time your vet suggests.

Please do remember that we are all here to support you, we have all had poorly animals at one time or another and we do totally understand.

 

[Gadzy]

Thank you both for such lovely posts!

I didn’t use the ointment as much yesterday because I’m convinced it’s stinging her eyes too much. I’ve been at work so haven’t had a chance to mention it to the vet, I’m tempted to stop it or mention stopping it as I’m seeing them Tuesday anyway and maybe just use the remend and lubricant. I think the chloramphenicol is reacting maybe and to ask about trying something else. If they don’t have in stock what they want to try, I wonder if they can write it up for another vet practice that has it and collect from them?

I’ve also taken away the stalky incase and using orchard hay which they are loving so abit of a win win there.

Thanks again

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please don’t stop any medications unless and until you speak to the vet - they may have the opinion that stopping it may be more of a risk than continuing.

You either need to call the vet tonight and ask them whether to stop it; or you need continue with the medications exactly as prescribed until you see them on Tuesday.

Don’t worry about other medications and where you get it from at present. It’s not for you to get concerned about now - it is for them to work out what to do.

 

[Gadzy]

We are currently trying her on a different antibiotic, but they are leaning towards entropion after a good inspection, they arnt sure if the entropion is secondary to another eye issue so trying all we can there to see first. I am lubing the eye lids and pulling the eyelids apart gently and giving Metacam with Exocin eyedrops. I think if no better in a week or so will need a little op to correct eyelid. The squinting is definitely better, but that might be because I’m directing hairs etc away from the eyes and the metacam. I pulled her her eyelids apart gently for a few seconds but could still see her trying to squint so again unsure if it’s that.!

Is the op on eyelids really dangerous? I’ve read when they’re young it’s quite a straight forward fix.

The lower eyelid in these photos looks suspect? You can see very very slightly it doesn’t sit flat at the bottom in one area, it’s like quarter in or a little bit, not fully inwards

Thanks

 

[Gadzy]

I forgot to add that reading about entropion on the Guniea lynx site under eyes that someone managed to correct one of the eyes with two weeks of a steroid ophthalmic. Do you think that’s something I could suggest to my vet also? I’d rather try all I can before doing an op.

I’m not sure steroid ophthalmic drugs are safe for Guniea pigs are they?

 

[VickiA]

Sorry, I’ve no experience of either the surgery or correcting with steroid drops. I think this is something you need to discuss with your vets.

 

[Gadzy]

Thanks, will do. Also quick question. I want to flush the eye with saline solution (mixing my own from instruction on here) how soon after using saline can I use the drops or can I do it soon after? I don’t want to dilute anything

 

[Piggies&buns]

I wouldn’t use saline given she has lubrication and medicated eye drops

 

[Gadzy]

I wouldn’t use saline given she has lubrication and medicated eye drops

Thank you, I won’t bother then … some good and some not so good news. Those marks that we thought were abrasion marks seem to be healing and disappearing with the new exocin drops, but she is still squinting. Going to do the full course. Half an hour after I have been using this thick lubricating gel round the eyelids and gently pulling them apart which helps her massively. I go back to the vets on Thursday and also going to get them to listen to her lungs, I feel there maybe a slight clicking noise, but in all honesty I don’t know myself. She hasn’t lost any weight, if anything put some on and eating and drinking still.

If I can keep her comfortable the way I’m doing things we can access if she does need a little op on her eyelid to correct it, but they think the entropion could be secondary to whatever else is going on. I.e infection of some sort. They have mentioned it potentially being keratoconjungtivitus or chlamydia caviea which is what this antibiotic drop targets more. They spoke to a exotic specialist for me and said to try this first

 

[Gadzy]

I have been thinking if these drops don’t cure it, I may have to contact the local Guniea pig rescue and state everything going on and see if they will sadly take them both from me as they have bonded. I have tried all I can and it’s causing me stress. I wasn’t expecting this so soon already. It’s not fair. The home can decide to make the decisions, I will obviously state the issue in the rehoming form and see. It’s a shame, I did everything right this time and even bought them a new cage. I am beyond distraught and upset, but it’s an option I may have to take. I will see what happens at the vets Thursday and ask them what they think, but I don’t want to be doing operations already having only had her 2-3 weeks. It’s sad, but they might be able to handle it all better. Time will tell. The other is fine so if they went as a pair it would be better for them both

 

[Wiebke]

I have been thinking if these drops don’t cure it, I may have to contact the local Guniea pig rescue and state everything going on and see if they will sadly take them both from me as they have bonded. I have tried all I can and it’s causing me stress. I wasn’t expecting this so soon already. It’s not fair. The home can decide to make the decisions, I will obviously state the issue in the rehoming form and see. It’s a shame, I did everything right this time and even bought them a new cage. I am beyond distraught and upset, but it’s an option I may have to take. I will see what happens at the vets Thursday and ask them what they think, but I don’t want to be doing operations already having only had her 2-3 weeks. It’s sad, but they might be able to handle it all better. Time will tell. The other is fine so if they went as a pair it would be better for them both

Hi

HUGS

Please see what the vet says before you take any permanent steps you may regret. Sadly, for some anxiety sufferers with more complex issues pets can open a whole new Pandora's box of obsessive fretting rather than easing it.

Is there anywhere where you can get more support for your anxiety? Because it is your out-of-control anxiety that is the problem, not the eye, which is treatable and is actually being treated appropriately in order of priority. The medication you have got from your vet is perfectly OK and appropriate. It doesn't need any more adding to it.

 

[Gadzy]

Hi Wiebke,

Yes, I’m going to have a good chat with her on Thursday and see what she honestly thinks. I’m just over tired at the moment and disappointed and upset about the scenario. I’m not going to make any rash decisions and sleep on it for a fair few days.

It made me anxious at first, but I’ve sort of come to accept what’s going on and what potentially needs doing if her eye doesn’t get better. I do suffer with anxiety and I’m normally okay and can manage, but I genuinely think this straight off my loss of deciding to put coco to sleep has made me feel different, it’s a totally different feeling it’s strange. I need a good nights sleep and go from there! I think it’s the fact that she’s probably going to need an operation on her eyelids because these medications don’t seem to be doing anything really, it’s more the operation side of things

I was so happy at first seeing them in there and playing with them and this has just upset me and the fact it’s similar to coco as to not knowing what the issue is really

 

[Wiebke]

Hi Wiebke,

Yes, I’m going to have a good chat with her on Thursday and see what she honestly thinks. I’m just over tired at the moment and disappointed and upset about the scenario. I’m not going to make any rash decisions and sleep on it for a fair few days.

It made me anxious at first, but I’ve sort of come to accept what’s going on and what potentially needs doing if her eye doesn’t get better. I do suffer with anxiety and I’m normally okay and can manage, but I genuinely think this straight off my loss of deciding to put coco to sleep has made me feel different, it’s a totally different feeling it’s strange. I need a good nights sleep and go from there! I think it’s the fact that she’s probably going to need an operation on her eyelids because these medications don’t seem to be doing anything really, it’s more the operation side of things

I was so happy at first seeing them in there and playing with them and this has just upset me and the fact it’s similar to coco as to not knowing what the issue is really

Try to take a deep breath and don't be tempted to throw the kitchen sink at her. It's not needed. The eye is not looking badly irritated or majorly painful. I've seen frankly far worse.

Correcting the eyelid - if that becomes really necessary - is a very minor, non-invasive small procedure with a very high recovery rate.

Please concentrate on sending her green, soothing vibes instead of wrapping her into your own fears. It will incidentally also help to settle you down a bit more when you have to concentrate on something away from the all too well trodden paths in your brain.

 

[Gadzy]

Thank you for your kind words it means a lot. The thing is all night in there she is squinting badly and almost closing it. You can only really see it if I took a video, so the eye is worse than the pictures are giving out … It’s mind boggling I have no idea what is going on. Popped in there just now cause I heard a bang and she’s just there squinting her left eye then almost closing it then squinting it, Other eye fully
Open, I am so sad with all this just went out and deal with it in the morning I need to sleep. Thanks so much again, this forum has been great with so much support and help

 

[Gadzy]

- YouTube

This is literally her most the time in her cage

 

[CTWC]

Morning I sadly have no words of wisdom but my heart does go out to you

 

[Wiebke]

Yes, there is some irritation and pain in the eye. The antibiotic is going to prevent any infection and the lubricant is there to help with comfort but more crucially to prevent the cornea from scarring badly.

However, if it needs addressing, then it is a comparatively easy and quick procedure stitch the very tip of the lid a little bit more open so the tiny lashes won't scratch the cornea anymore.

The little spot of infection in her eye seems to be pretty much gone?

What I would strongly recommend is to please - do NOT hover over her. You obviously have the kind of mind that is wired to overlook all the good things and just home in on the bad and blow them up out of proportion. The more you watch and fixate on it, the worse it gets for you.
Once you have given the antibiotic, please leave the room for half an hour to allow the antibiotic to be fully absorbed. That is absolutely necessary but it looks a lot worse to you when you sit by and watch the process.

After half an hour, you can give either the lubricant or some plain tear drops or gel to ease the itchiness that comes with any of the licenced antibiotics (they dry out the eye a bit as they are absorbed) but that eases once the antibiotic if totally absorbed and working away. The hydration from eye drops/gel help to soothe the eye and help with the healing process inside the eye once the antibiotic has got there.
Do this before the antibiotic has had time to be fully absorbed and you simply wash the antibiotic out without it being able to its job.

That is all there is to the medication process. You get the same with your human meds if you ever had an eye infection or penetration.

I hope that this helps to settle down your mind a little more and also to help yourself from upsetting yourself any more than absolutely necessary?

 

[Gadzy]

Yes, there is some irritation and pain in the eye. The antibiotic is going to prevent any infection and the lubricant is there to help with comfort but more crucially to prevent the cornea from scarring badly.

However, if it needs addressing, then it is a comparatively easy and quick procedure to loosen the tip of the lid and stitch a bit more open so the tiny lashes won't scratch the cornea anymore.

The little spot of infection in her eye seems to be pretty much gone?

What I would strongly recommend is to please - do NOT hover over her. You obviously have the kind of mind that is wired to overlook all the good things and just home in on the bad and blow it up out of proportion. The more you watch and fixate on it, the worse it gets for you. Once you have given the antibiotic, please leave the room for half an hour to allow the antibiotic to be fully absorbed. That is absolutely necessary but it looks a lot worse to you when you sit by and watch the process.

After half an hour, you can give either the lubricant or some plain tear drops or gel to ease the itchiness that comes with any of the licenced antibiotics (they dry out the eye a bit as they are absorbed) but that eases once the antibiotic if totally absorbed and working away. The hydration from eye drops/gel help to soothe the eye and help with the healing process inside the eye once the antibiotic has got there.
Do this before the antibiotic has had time to be fully absorbed and you simply wash the antibiotic out without it being able to its job.

That is all there is to the medication process. You get the same with your human meds if you ever had an eye infection or penetration.

I hope that this helps to settle down your mind a little more and also to help yourself from upsetting yourself any more than absolutely necessary?

Thank you so much

Yeah, the marks on her eye seems to clearing and her eye looks brighter, we are trying to work out whether that’s from primary entropion or the entropion is secondary to whatever else is going on, she still seems to want to squint when her lids are out the way anyway so could be an infection or trauma of some sort but we are treating for that currently.

There are times where she doesn’t do it, I thought if it was entropion it would be constant even when moving about

Thanks so much again I appreciate it

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much

Yeah, the marks on her eye seems to clearing and her eye looks brighter, we are trying to work out whether that’s from primary entropion or the entropion is secondary to whatever else is going on, she still seems to want to squint when her lids are out the way anyway so could be an infection or trauma of some sort but we are treating for that currently.

There are times where she doesn’t do it, I thought if it was entropion it would be constant even when moving about

Thanks so much again I appreciate it

It may not be entropion at all and just something small stuck deeply under the lid that may be gradually discomposing or at least not causing as much discomfort because of the medication - but where your vet cannot get at with a very tight lid.
I know how difficult that can be, as I have and have had piggies like that myself.

Unfortunately, not having access to your piggy, I cannot tell you what exactly is going on and I have to pick it all up past the fog of your anxiety. Please leave the room while the antibiotic is being absorbed if it upsets you so much.

The important bit is to please continue to stick with the medical regime as prescribed and - if you wish - add the tear drops half an hour after the antibiotic for comfort. Your vet really knows what they are doing and they are proceeding the correct way. Please continue to hang on in there.

 

[Lorcan]

Hey, I think you're doing a great job honestly, even if it doesn't feel like it. My experience with eye issues (bar Bann) is limited and I can't offer much in the way of treatment advice, but anxiety I can understand. @Wiebke's advice about the leaving the room between medication doses is something I've had to do myself over the years because of anxiety and the way it'd affect my ability to medicate properly or to appropriately assess the response.

From a human point of view, I think you need a little confidence in yourself and your abilities, this isn't something you've done wrong but it's new to you and outside of your comfort zone. You obviously care about her and them both, it's just been a bit of a rough start for you all.

 

[Merab]

Holding you in my thoughts.
Try not to get over stressed.
Your vet is on the ball and your piggies will be more more relaxed if you are too.
I know it’s tough but you are a caring owner so look after yourself as well as the piggies

 

[Gadzy]

Just a quick question, do antibiotic eye drops continue working hours after use or is it a fast action thing until it’s sunk in and that’s it then if that makes sense?

 

[Gadzy]

I need help, 2 hours after her drops and she’s got her eye pretty much totally
Closed. It’s worse than ever. I don’t know what’s happened!!

 

[Wiebke]

I need help, 2 hours after her drops and she’s got her eye pretty much totally
Closed. It’s worse than ever. I don’t know what’s happened!

Have you given some plain artificial tear drops or eye gel half an hour after the antibiotic? At which point are you giving the lubricant - before or after the antibiotic drops/gel? You have so far never answered this question so I simply cannot assess the situation adequately.

PS: Entropion is an not a developing condition, it is basically babies born with an inward turned eyelid. It is more likely something badly wedged in under the eyelid.

 

[Gadzy]

Yeah, I gave it 45 mins after the antibiotic drops

 

[Wiebke]

Yeah, I gave it 45 mins after the antibiotic drops

My suspicion is that something could be stuck that is slightly moved by the fluid coming into the eye. If is rather hard, like a small grass seed or pointy, then this would be that uncomfortable.

I had an eyelash once ending up stuck right at the very back of the upper lid, which was uncomfortable and caused a sore eye and eventually need my doctor to wash it out when it started an infection without budging. At least it won't be causing an infection in your case...

However, all I can do is speculate.

Please hang on in there for another day until Thursday. It is obviously uncomfortable but it is not a life threatening illness as long as your piggy is eating and keeping her weight.

 

[Gadzy]

Thank you so much!

Also I used some pets at home eye gel which is quite thick. It’s the beaphar one and lubed round her eyelids and bit in eye and she stopped and her eyes better. I will pass this onto the vets. Very strange? Unless the eyelids were stinging or drying out from the antibiotics? There was a really long looping hair I got out the way? Can they do electrolysis in them

I am gonna ask them to try and have a good look at her upper eyelid Thursday too, strange how after using that thick stuff round the eye lids and stuff it helped it. I only used that one cause for some reason it’s helped more than the others. This is tough

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much!

Also I used some pets at home eye gel which is quite thick. It’s the beaphar one and lubed round her eyelids and bit in eye and she stopped and her eyes better. I will pass this onto the vets. Very strange? Unless the eyelids were stinging or drying out from the antibiotics? There was a really long looping hair I got out the way? Can they do electrolysis in them

I am gonna ask them to try and have a good look at her upper eyelid Thursday too, strange how after using that thick stuff round the eye lids and stuff it helped it. I only used that one cause for some reason it’s helped more than the others. This is tough

It could also calm the eyelid better from what is stuck underneath it whereas drops make what is stuck move just a bit again? I've had piggies with blades of fresh grass (and their sharp edges) or dried hard grass seeds or even seed heads stuck under piggy lids without showing if they were wedged in really tightly.
Unfortunately, all we can do is guess.

Try not to overthink - which I know is really hard - but tell your objective observations to the vet because that can help them exclude or rule things in.