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Bann's eye

I just popped my head in the door on the way to get something to eat and even from the door it looks miles better. Here's hoping it keeps up when I get started on the drops.

Would it be so terrible if I found out whether he likes Metacam tonight and, if so, split the dose for bribery purposes for the week? It's not like it's going to be doing much for pain relief as is anyway.
 
Do you ever feel like you're being very subtly told to get stuffed? Or is having a bum pushed under your chin some sign of affection I was previously unaware of?

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That second image is his affected eye. I'm 95% sure I got something in there but I ended up using a mirror, he was much more comfortable when I wasn't looking directly at him.

Also he was being weird about the Metacam and I figured maybe he just didn't like it, and then I accidentally dribbled some on my shirt. That's when he realised what was in the syringe I was trying to get him to take and took to biting it to get the goodies out. Bann, I adore you, but good grief lol.
 
Hope that Bann's eye is showing signs of improvement. It is always so difficult to get the eye drops in and that is with two of us doing it. It must be almost impossible on your own.
 
It's still clouded but he's got it wide open and there's no bits of blood leaving it either. He did nearly give me a heart attack trying to get him back into the cage last night when he decided leaping head first from my arms into the hay was the way to go 🤨

He was good last night once I stopped trying to look at his eye properly and instead went with using a mirror. It wasn't perfect but he was much less squirmy that way.
 
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He was really good this morning, no bribes needed :wub: the vets rang and asked if they could put a photo of him on their Facebook page, I don't think they get to see skinnies often, heh. I've said yes though.
 
Just catching up (been away for a week with dreadful internet signal). So pleased that you managed to get him seen so quickly and things are improving. He looks perky enough and it’s always a relief when the eye remains open. The cloudiness takes a while to go but things are definitely going in the right direction.
 
Actually a question - he'll stay put and let me put the drops along his lower eyelid without my manipulating his eyelids which (in part) is probably why he's being so good about it. Should I be making more of an effort to lower the eyelid myself? I feel like I'd be getting even less in if I tried that but obviously I don't want to underdo it either.
 
I've had to administer drops to several piggies and for me it depends on the animal. You should really lower the lid to make sure it goes in the eye enough but with difficult ones I do what you are doing and they have healed quickly. It's tough when you have to do it on your own and as you say stressing him out will result in the drops going everywhere. Sometimes I have found wrapping them helps so they can't struggle so much.
 
I think if I was doing this with an extra pair of hands I'd feel better, but he's such a wriggly little sod. The nozzle is below the eyelid as much as it can be without poking him. I don't know how to explain it any better.

I'm in two minds about wrapping him. I think if I was trying to give him Baytril I probably would but with it being his eye I need access to, I think I'd struggle.
 
It's a case of doing what you are comfortable with I think. If he feels you're stressed he will struggle more. I had to wrap Duck and prop him up with 3 cushions so that he was upright with his back completely supported. Hold him down facing me with one hand and put the drops in with the other so I couldn't pull the eye lid down. If I'd tried to do it any other way none would have gone in at all. It sounds rough but I promise I was very gentle and there was less stress because it was over quick.
 
Sometimes shoving a load of grass/cucumber in front of their little faces can help too. :)
I've had to do eyedrops by myself before, and found towel wrapping and tasty bribes invaluable for wriggly piggies.
Good luck- I'm sure he appreciates what you're doing deep deep down!
 
Lorcan said:
Actually a question - he'll stay put and let me put the drops along his lower eyelid without my manipulating his eyelids which (in part) is probably why he's being so good about it. Should I be making more of an effort to lower the eyelid myself? I feel like I'd be getting even less in if I tried that but obviously I don't want to underdo it either.
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If you are getting the drops in without any manipulation then count yourself blessed!
 
I was in the study and heard some awful screams from the bedroom. It was Bann of course, I'm not sure what happened but

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It's not been quite 12 hours yet but I don't know if I want to let it go another couple of hours 😕

Edit - I'll wait. He had something to eat without hesitation (and I have a grape-soaked shirt for my trouble. Thanks, lad). My poor heart.
 
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Lorcan said:
I was in the study and heard some awful screams from the bedroom. It was Bann of course, I'm not sure what happened but

View attachment 247777

It's not been quite 12 hours yet but I don't know if I want to let it go another couple of hours 😕

Edit - I'll wait. He had something to eat without hesitation (and I have a grape-soaked shirt for my trouble. Thanks, lad). My poor heart.
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HUGS
 
That noise was horrific even as far as skinny shrieks go. I've bathed the eye on some saline - had to get gauze and saline out of the respective boxes, remove the cap on the saline pod, open the gauze, dowse it in saline, solo and with him refusing to stay put, then had to find the smallest grape I could find. I had no idea how good I was with one useful hand, lol.
 
Merab's Slave said:
Hope that eye can be dealt with soon.
Bann is lucky to have you to care for him
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I know you're right, I just wish I felt like it. But I did manage to get drops in with...actually I don't remember which eyelid it even was, but I got one of them. And he knows the metacam is in the syringe now too. Hell have it chewed to pieces by Monday at this rate.
 
Another Metacam junkie piggy! we get through so many syringes I buy them by the box. If you need more PM me an address and I'll post you some.
You are doing an awesome job with the Goblins, you always go the extra mile. They really are lucky to have you.
 
Lorcan said:
I was in the study and heard some awful screams from the bedroom. It was Bann of course, I'm not sure what happened but

View attachment 247777

It's not been quite 12 hours yet but I don't know if I want to let it go another couple of hours 😕

Edit - I'll wait. He had something to eat without hesitation (and I have a grape-soaked shirt for my trouble. Thanks, lad). My poor heart.
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Oh dear, I hope he's OK! His eye looks more gunky than the earlier photo, but has he done anything else to himself?
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
Oh dear, I hope he's OK! His eye looks more gunky than the earlier photo, but has he done anything else to himself?
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Not that I could find. I think there may have been a bit of an argument between the pair of them over who got the bed but that was it.
 
Lorcan said:
Not that I could find. I think there may have been a bit of an argument between the pair of them over who got the bed but that was it.
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The ulceration gunk can continue for some days (usually about 2-3 days) until the meds kick in fully and the infection that produces it starts to subside. Antibiotics (isathal are the licensed antibiotic eye drops or gel for milder cases in the UK) take several days to build up to full efficiency. Just be patient and persist at this stage; make sure that the medication arrives in his eye regularly (ideally you space out the interval as evenly as you can) and things are going to sort themselves out. You are only a day into treatment.
 
It's been 13 or 14 years since Jake's eye issues. I'm so not used to any of this. I managed to wrap him a little which is hilarious solo - wrap it round once, move him off me to let the fleece wrap go underneath him, repeat a few times til there's no fabric left. It doesn't stop him shifting his head but since I had to do tonight's meds run downstairs it settled him much quicker (and downstairs is always cold in comparison).

Wiebke said:
You are only a day in.
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That's what I had to remind myself - once I was sure he would eat I ended up putting it off again til the correct time. He's had his meds and came looking for his pellets (which they always get right before I go to bed) and the eye's still open.

piggieminder said:
Another Metacam junkie piggy! we get through so many syringes I buy them by the box. If you need more PM me an address and I'll post you some.
You are doing an awesome job with the Goblins, you always go the extra mile. They really are lucky to have you.
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I'll hopefully not need to take you up on that but considering how much he likes to gnaw on it, I can appreciate I'm probably being optimistic 😅

Qualcast&Flymo said:
Let's hope that's all it was, you can do without the hassle of another ( especially OOH/weekend) trip to the vets ..
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The vet opens over weekends but the weather's taken a turn. There's always something isn't there?
 
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Poor Bann and poor you. You’re doing a great job. I’m sure it will soon be looking and feeling much better. 🤞🏻
 
You’re doing so well ! It’s so hard and Bann doesn’t realise it’s for his own good 🥰
It can take a while for everything to start working but you’re both doing great ❤️❤️
 
piggieminder said:
Another Metacam junkie piggy! we get through so many syringes I buy them by the box. If you need more PM me an address and I'll post you some.
You are doing an awesome job with the Goblins, you always go the extra mile. They really are lucky to have you.
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I have some spare syringes too if needed
 
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