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Sudoku Has A Hay Poke

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lauraboara

lauraboara

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Noticed that Sudoku's eye was not fully open and a bit weepy this morning. Got him into better light and gently bathed the eye in cooled, boiled water and a flimsy but quite long piece of hay emerged with the gentle wiping. He wasn't bothered - he was eating corriander! Seemed to be quite well wrapped around his eyeball so I am glad it just came out so easily. The eye is looking just faintly cloudy so I am off to the vet later this aft. Anything I should be looking out for/ Reddening, cloudiness and weeping I presume?

Although I have experienced quite a few different piggy illnesses with my boys this is my first hay poke.... We get pretty soft farm hay and it doesn't seem to 'poke' very much, thankfully.
 
Had this with primrose about 2 weeks ago, long soft strand of hay wrapped around her eyeball. Got it quickly, but it still caused an ulcer to the surface of her eye. Vet gave her isathal eye drops twice a day, and metacam once a day. It cleared up nicely by her check up a week later, and i could stop the metacam and just continue with the eye drops for a few more days. All clear now.
 
lauraboara said:
Noticed that Sudoku's eye was not fully open and a bit weepy this morning. Got him into better light and gently bathed the eye in cooled, boiled water and a flimsy but quite long piece of hay emerged with the gentle wiping. He wasn't bothered - he was eating corriander! Seemed to be quite well wrapped around his eyeball so I am glad it just came out so easily. The eye is looking just faintly cloudy so I am off to the vet later this aft. Anything I should be looking out for/ Reddening, cloudiness and weeping I presume?

Although I have experienced quite a few different piggy illnesses with my boys this is my first hay poke.... We get pretty soft farm hay and it doesn't seem to 'poke' very much, thankfully.
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Hay pokes happen, even with softer hay... Pieces of hay can also wedge underneath a lid when piggies enthusiastically dive into hay. :(

Prompt vet care is key. Eye injuries can get worse very quickly. Thankfully, they usually come down pretty quickly again, too, unless you are dealing with a severe injury.

Make sure that you give the prescribed ointment/drops for the ulcer (i.e. the cloudiness) ideally 4 rather than 3 times a day in the first couple of days in order to get the infection and discomfort down as quickly as possible; that also makes it much easier to get the ointment in for the rest of the course.

If necessary, divert the piggy with some food and wait until it is absorbed with munching and not so much bothered about its eye. Guinea pigs are not very good at multitasking.
 
Vet did examination and the magic dye in the eye. There is a shallow ulcer and it is fairly large :(. Have got Isathal eye drops and also a lubricant eye gel Lubrithal. Also doing metcam. Review early next week at vets. So an expensive piece of hay. But Sudoku seems fine so hoping drops help resolve soon.
 
lauraboara said:
Vet did examination and the magic dye in the eye. There is a shallow ulcer and it is fairly large :(. Have got Isathal eye drops and also a lubricant eye gel Lubrithal. Also doing metcam. Review early next week at vets. So an expensive piece of hay. But Sudoku seems fine so hoping drops help resolve soon.
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The ulcer is hopefully clearing mostly within 2-3 days. All the best!
 
Glad that his eye is better, its amazing that this doesn't happen all the time, they do love snuggling in their hay!
 
Such a design fault that piggies have such protruding eyes and love burrowing into hay! So glad that they eye has healed. Such a relief for you x
 
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