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Winstons eye! I'm very worried please help!

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Sophie

Sophie

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Hello
I'm really worried about winston. He is my 6 month old boar but he is the only one who survived out of the litter. I noticed yesterday that his eye is really strange it has gone all White and the pupil is really small and looks like a blob. It look very weird and quite creepy! I have had lots of guinea pigs and I have never heard of this before. Please help I'm so worried!
 
Hi Sophie, I assume that Winston's eye has been alright before yesterday? It sounds as if he could be suffering from a hay poke injury, the eye turns cloudy when it is trying to heal itself. After a couple of days you should see some improvement, if not you should get Winston checked by your vet just incase he has a tiny piece of hay stuck in his eye or has picked up a little eye infection. Your vet can give you some drops/cream to help with healing if necessary.

Keep us posted, hopefully he will be better soon.
 
Sounds just like an eye ulcer, providing he gets some eye drops and has a quick check with the vet he should be fine. A week or two of eye drops usually settles it down and heals it well. Guinea pigs cope v well healing eye ulcers. try not to worry too much.
I hope hes feeling better soon.

x.
 
Re. Wionstons eye

First of all thank you so much for your wonderful advice. We took Winston to the vets today and they said he is beginning to have a cataracts (not sure how to spell it) and will eventually lose sight in both of his eyes. I feel so sorry for him, however the vet has assured us it will happen gradually and it won't bother him as he lives with Edward who should look after him. However I was wondering if anyone else on here has blind piggies and could offer me any advice such as will he still be able to go out in the run? What do I do if I ever need to change where his food bowl is or change his cage? Thanks :)
 
I had a guinea pig with cataracts once and as soon as she had adjusted to them, she was fine. Winston won't lose all sight - he will still be able to distinguish big blobs of colours and light and dark.

Thankfully, eyesight is not the strongest sense in guinea pigs. Winston will compensate with his tactile hair, sense of smell, hearing and memory. I had been teaching Mischief how to go right ("good girl, good girl, come on, come on" ) and wrong ("uh uh uh" ) and she learned to follow my voice, readjust herself when she went wrong or wait to be picked up if she got too confused - and that over a distance of several yards! She still had the run of the garden and knew where she was. Food she could smell just fine! She even managed to jump on top of her hut and topple hay bags, find the opening and go asleep inside!

Congenital cataracts are not the end of the world. You may want to announce yourself whenever you are coming near and develop a little ritual so Winston can brace himself for being handled or picked up. I used to just gently touch Missy first before picking her up.

Here is Mischief's story. I hope it will take away a lot of your fears!
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=33420
 
Hello,

I am sorry to hear about Winston...but do not fear the worst.

I have a blind female piggy called Pingu. She also went blind early on (around 8 months of age). She does brilliantly with the aid of Mandy, her cage buddy. My vet said that it could be a sign of an underlying problem like diabetes. But Pingu has had no other signs of diabetes, an has had cataracts for almost 3 years. Just watch for other symptoms.

Piggies use their other senses - touch and smell being very important in a blind piggies life.

Piggies seem to adapt really well to disabilities. :)
 
Thank you weibke and Gracie so much! That has really put my mind to rest as I was so worried! I am so glad he will be able to have a normal piggy life and I will definately look out for other signs of diabetes, I am so glad he has Edward who absolutely adores him and gets really upset if I take him out the cage! Thank you again so much! X
 
Sophie said:
Thank you weibke and Gracie so much! That has really put my mind to rest as I was so worried! I am so glad he will be able to have a normal piggy life and I will definately look out for other signs of diabetes, I am so glad he has Edward who absolutely adores him and gets really upset if I take him out the cage! Thank you again so much! X
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Chances are that it is most likely a congenital defect at his age rather than diabetes. You will need to look out for drinking lots, peeing lots and sudden loss of weight as indicators for diabetes. Weighing your piggies weekly is a good habit to have anyway, as you can pick up illness quicker that way.
 
Hi Sophie sorry to hear about Winston :(
My girl has just been diagnosed with diabetes, has your vet done any tests?
My girl other than the cataracts had not changed in anyway, no weight loss, still a happy girl, eating like a piggie should.....
I do not want to worry you, but please ask if they could check this out, cause then you could put Winston onto a diet that would suit him :)
Give Winston some loves from Velvet who so understands his frustrations in not being able to see clearly anymore ! xoxoxoxo
 
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