One of my piggys is cleaning the others eye?

[Skullblits]

Just seen my female pig clean the others eye. Or I think she was. The one with the sore eye let her.

Is this common? For them to clean wounds?

 

[Claire W]

Don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal behaviour

 

[Wiebke]

Just seen my female pig clean the others eye. Or I think she was. The one with the sore eye let her.

Is this common? For them to clean wounds?

Yes, it is common. In fact, several times this behaviour has alerted me to an eye injury. It actually fights germs and is the only natural access to some kind of medicine that guinea pigs have when it comes to disinfection/wound cleaning and healing.

Have you seen the vet over the eye injury/infection? Eye problems can deteriorate very quickly and should always be seen promptly. The damage is often larger than you can see with a naked eye.

 

[Skullblits]

Yes, it is common. In fact, several times this behaviour has alerted me to an eye injury. It actually fights germs and is the only natural access to some kind of medicine that guinea pigs have when it comes to disinfection/wound cleaning and healing.

Have you seen the vet over the eye injury/infection? Eye problems can deteriorate very quickly and should always be seen promptly. The damage is often larger than you can see with a naked eye.

Yea seen the vet. She hurt 50 % of the surface.

But it's alot better now. Have to go get drops to clear the cloudy Ness up

 

[Wiebke]

Yea seen the vet. She hurt 50 % of the surface.

But it's alot better now. Have to go get drops to clear the cloudy Ness up

Ouch! I am glad that it is healing. It is always a race to prevent an infection working its way into the eye where it is a lot more difficult to treat. Please keep on treating with the antibiotic eye drops until the surface is nice and even again and every last spec of infection has gone.

You can help ease any discomfort further with artificial tear gel from the pharmacy (gel is much easier to apply than drops). You have to wait at least half an hour for the antibiotic drops to work but you can apply the gel 3-6 times a day. It helps to make the eye a lot less painful, itchy and less dull looking as it rehydrates it.