• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

One Eyed Pig Has Gunky Eye! Help

Status
Not open for further replies.
Piratethepig

Piratethepig

New Born Pup
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
14
Reaction score
3
Points
45
So, little pi pi is around 2 years old now and was 'rescued' from P@H. He was in the 'adoption centre' which basically meant he was too old to sell because he wasn't a tiny cute little baby. He was stuck in a glass tank on his own with his little one eye and I couldn't help but take him home. I was told under strict instruction not to put him with any other guinea pigs or near any others as he was very aggressive. They wouldn't tell me how he lost his eye. But I presume it was due to fighting. I got him home and found after 2 weeks he was the sweetest, most loving excited little piggy. He loved being able to see my other boys (I have 10 altogether in large home built cages indoors so they can all see, hear and smell each other). He soon was paired with a 5 week old sheltie cross (was rescued from being ferret food) who he adores!
The problem is his eye, it is very wet and gunky. After many trips to the vet and courses of anti biotics it doesn't seem to be healing. It seems as though his eye lids have been stitched inwards. Every now and then a small drainage hole appears and little hairs are poking out. So I am wondering if it's ingrowing hairs which are causing the infection. My vet doesn't want to reopen the open as he says there is a large vein that runs through the back of the socket and there's a large risk of this being nicked and him dying. Has anybody else had anything similar or does anybody know of rodentologists or small animal specialist within the Nottinghamshire or east Midlands area? He is a very happy boy, eating, drinking and pop corning. But I am aware they hide their pain and want this problem sorting no matter what the cost. I have asked my vet numerous times to open the eye back up but he refuses.

Any body who has got this far gets tea and cake!

Thank you in advance!
 
Piratethepig said:
So, little pi pi is around 2 years old now and was 'rescued' from P@H. He was in the 'adoption centre' which basically meant he was too old to sell because he wasn't a tiny cute little baby. He was stuck in a glass tank on his own with his little one eye and I couldn't help but take him home. I was told under strict instruction not to put him with any other guinea pigs or near any others as he was very aggressive. They wouldn't tell me how he lost his eye. But I presume it was due to fighting. I got him home and found after 2 weeks he was the sweetest, most loving excited little piggy. He loved being able to see my other boys (I have 10 altogether in large home built cages indoors so they can all see, hear and smell each other). He soon was paired with a 5 week old sheltie cross (was rescued from being ferret food) who he adores!
The problem is his eye, it is very wet and gunky. After many trips to the vet and courses of anti biotics it doesn't seem to be healing. It seems as though his eye lids have been stitched inwards. Every now and then a small drainage hole appears and little hairs are poking out. So I am wondering if it's ingrowing hairs which are causing the infection. My vet doesn't want to reopen the open as he says there is a large vein that runs through the back of the socket and there's a large risk of this being nicked and him dying. Has anybody else had anything similar or does anybody know of rodentologists or small animal specialist within the Nottinghamshire or east Midlands area? He is a very happy boy, eating, drinking and pop corning. But I am aware they hide their pain and want this problem sorting no matter what the cost. I have asked my vet numerous times to open the eye back up but he refuses.

Any body who has got this far gets tea and cake!

Thank you in advance!
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome!

Could you get as far as Northampton to see one of the best guinea pig vets ? They see piggies from all over the country on a daily basis and have performed eye removal surgery, so they are familiar with what is involved. That would be the safest place to take your poorly boy in my opinion. Some vets have now started to leave the cavity open to drain after surgery; there can be a build up of gunk for quite some time afterwards.
The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic - Home
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

Could you get as far as Northampton to see one of the best guinea pig vets ? They see piggies from all over the country on a daily basis and have performed eye removal surgery, so they are familiar with what is involved. That would be the safest place to take your poorly boy in my opinion. Some vets have now started to leave the cavity open to drain after surgery; there can be a build up of gunk for quite some time afterwards.
The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic - Home
Click to expand...


Hi, yes I am willing to travel that far as I am not happy with my vets. They used to be fantastic but now seem like they'd rather go down the 'well see what happens' and that's not how I work.
It's around 18 months ago now since he had the eye removed. Where abouts in Northampton is the vets?xx
 
Piratethepig said:
Hi, yes I am willing to travel that far as I am not happy with my vets. They used to be fantastic but now seem like they'd rather go down the 'well see what happens' and that's not how I work.
It's around 18 months ago now since he had the eye removed. Where abouts in Northampton is the vets?xx
Click to expand...

It's in New Duston, so on the near side of Northampton. It's about 5-10 minutes from the M1 in the middle of a housing estate. You can find the adress on their website. It is a general vets, but they only treat cats, rabbits and small furries, so they see many more guinea pigs than most other vets and are magic with operations etc.. I use them myself for anything that surpasses my local general vets' experience and have just been with my two oldest piggies on Monday.

Simon should hopefully be able to open the eye cavity a bit more, so it can be gently flushed and kept open to drain better. It hopefully needs no more than that.
 
I've just seen this thread and agree with @Wiebke that it would be a good idea to get a second opinion. The vets she has recommended have experience of these issues. Hope you can get him sorted soon.
 
Thank you! Are they very busy? I generally work 6 days a week so would possibly need to make an appointment a week in advance etc. Xx
 
Piratethepig said:
Thank you! Are they very busy? I generally work 6 days a week so would possibly need to make an appointment a week in advance etc. Xx
Click to expand...

They can be very busy as they are only a small place, so it would be good if you made an appointment as soon as they are open again.
 
I'm going to give them a call first thing! What can I do in the mean time with him x
 
Piratethepig said:
I'm going to give them a call first thing! What can I do in the mean time with him x
Click to expand...

Just keep washing the gunk off gently with mildly disinfecting saline solution (either sterile from the pharmacy or by mixing 1 teaspoon of salt into 1/2 pint/250 ml of boiled cooled water). If you are worried, you could ask whether somebody could come back to you for further tips on what you could do in the meantime when you book him in.
 
I recommend Simon too, he actually removed my Tim's eye after he had a retrobulbar abscess. It will be a year in September and he is doing great. If anyone can help it will be Simon.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top