Closed and sore eye... help please!

[mackenziejanetaylor]

My 7-week-old guinea pig, Blue, has a really sore eye. Photo attached below.

We've just got back from the vet (Ashleigh vets in Chorlton, Manchester)... they prescribed Clorogen eye drops and metacam. She thinks a bit of hay got stuck in it and caused an ulcer? He is still eating, but seems sleepy. His head is tilted slightly to the direction of the sore eye... I'm just so so worried about him. If anyone can share similar stories or offer advice I'd be more than grateful.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

Sadly haypokes are part and parcel of piggy keeping - most of us have had to deal with them and likely dealt with them multiple times!

Keep up with his treatment and seek vet advice if it isn’t better by the end of the course

 

[mackenziejanetaylor]

I’m sorry to hear this.

Sadly haypokes are part and parcel of piggy keeping - most of us have had to deal with them and likely dealt with them multiple times!

Keep up with his treatment and seek vet advice if it isn’t better by the end of the course

Thanks for the response. Yeah, one of my boys had that a year ago but didn't look half as bad as this one... really worried about him, I know how fast they can go downhill

 

[Wiebke]

My 7-week-old guinea pig, Blue, has a really sore eye. Photo attached below.

We've just got back from the vet (Ashleigh vets in Chorlton, Manchester)... they prescribed Clorogen eye drops and metacam. She thinks a bit of hay got stuck in it and caused an ulcer? He is still eating, but seems sleepy. His head is tilted slightly to the direction of the sore eye... I'm just so so worried about him. If anyone can share similar stories or offer advice I'd be more than grateful.

View attachment 258702

Hi

Good that you have seen a vet promptly. Has your vet been able to remove the piece of hay from underneath the lid?

Please follow your vet's advice. Gently pull the lower lid down and aim the drops into the gap. It may be a two people job, especially with a wiggly baby. Their eye will feel very sore right now after all the prodding.


Recovery if the hay poke is generally straight forward and the eye will be as good as new within 10-14 days. Having your little one seen promptly will mean that any infection is stopped in its track straight away and cannot spread.

We recommend having some carbomer based plain tear gel at home at all times. Applying the tear gel straight away can help with slowing any infection down until it can be seen by a vet and help with the comfort as well. Apply the tear gel 3 times daily but wait at least half an hour after the clorogen to allow the antibiotic to be fully absorbed. The extra hydration creates an ideal healing environment and helps to speed up the healing process.
Tear gel is not a medication, so vets won't stock it. It is widely available online; any brand will do.

Thread 'First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products'

Mar 14, 2019

1 Important Proviso
2 First Aid Kit
- General Items
- Comfort
- Useful to have in stock
3 Illness and Recovery First Aid Tips
- Accessing vet care and when it is too late for help
- Loss of appetite and weight (Feeding support, Recovery foods, digestive aids and rehydration)
- Accident, bites and injury (Wound disinfection and bleeding)
- Eyes and ears
- Breathing
- Acute heart and circulation failure
-...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Emergency Information and Care

• 

Clorogen is a chloramphenicol brand in fluid form; this is the stronger antibiotic used for eye injuries in pets. Metacam is for the pain and inflammation (analgesic).

I hope that this helps you?

 

[mackenziejanetaylor]

Hi

Good that you have seen a vet promptly. Has your vet been able to remove the piece of hay from underneath the lid?

Please follow your vet's advice. Gently pull the lower lid down and aim the drops into the gap. It may be a two people job, especially with a wiggly baby. Their eye will feel very sore right now after all the prodding.

The good news with scratchy stuff stuck under the lid is that the cornea is not perforated. While the damaged area on the surface is generally wider and can be come infected/ulcerated as well, the infection is usually not getting deeper into the eye as quickly as with a hay poke.

Recovery once the offending piece of whatever has got wedged in has been removed is generally straight forward and the eye will be as good as new within 7-14 days, depending on the extent of scratching damage. Having your little one seen promptly will mean that any infection is stopped in its track straight away and cannot spread.

Clorogen is a chloramphenicol brand in fluid form; this is the stronger antibiotic used for eye injuries in pets. Metacam is for the pain and inflammation (analgesic).

I hope that this helps you?

Thank you so much for your supportive response.

Regarding the piece of hay... this morning I checked his eye, and while I didn’t see anything, a piece was visible on his eye surface when we arrived at the vet. Whether it got stuck from him shifting about in his travel bag (which had lots of hay in it) or was already etched in his eye and found its way to the surface by the time we were in the consultation room, I don't know. I assume there must have been hay stuck in his eye for it to be so sore. Anyway, the vet was able to remove that, but she confirmed that he has an ulcer, which was detected with an orange liquid (that turned green).

I’m relieved that she used a stronger antibiotic for his eye, but I’m worried because he has been sleeping a lot since we got home. He hasn’t moved much, which has me anxious.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much for your supportive response.

Regarding the piece of hay... this morning I checked his eye, and while I didn’t see anything, a piece was visible on his eye surface when we arrived at the vet. Whether it got stuck from him shifting about in his travel bag (which had lots of hay in it) or was already etched in his eye and found its way to the surface by the time we were in the consultation room, I don't know. I assume there must have been hay stuck in his eye for it to be so sore. Anyway, the vet was able to remove that, but she confirmed that he has an ulcer, which was detected with an orange liquid (that turned green).

I’m relieved that she used a stronger antibiotic for his eye, but I’m worried because he has been sleeping a lot since we got home. He hasn’t moved much, which has me anxious.

Hi

Treatment is the same for surface scratching as it is for perforations (hay pokes), so it doesn't matter. Good to know that the piece of hay is gone.

The first vet trip (was it with a companion or not?) was obviously on the traumatic side. Just the little one sleep it off. That is not an uncommon reaction. He will be fine once he has had his rest and has caught up with sleep. Because the medication is topical 'on the spot', there should be no negative reaction. The dye is harmless and a standard part in diagnosing the extent of damage in eye injuries. it will be washed out on its own.

Thread 'Tips For Vet Visits'

Jan 22, 2016

1 Before you need to see a vet
- Accustoming your guinea pigs to their carrier
- Finding a good vet
- How soon do I need to see a vet?
- How to find an out-of-hours vet in an emergency
2 Care until you can see a vet
- Emergency and bridging care advice and resources
- How to improvise crucial...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Health & Illness Support Corner

• 

All the best!

 

[mackenziejanetaylor]

Yes, I brought his stepfather along with him. I wasn't going to take him alone... it's always better with a companion in my opinion. X

I'm worried because when I checked his eye before the vet there was no hay visible at all but when we got to the vet it was right there on his eye. So she removed it pretty easily. Can this happen, can it just appear on the surface after being hidden somewhere? I dont know, I just hope there wasn't another bit somewhere or something... I am overthinking.

I will have a look at buying that tear gel too, thank you for that... useful information. The vet also suggested a follow-up after one week has passed which was good.

He has been sleeping a lot but he has also had a few walks about, came running to me when I had some pieces of romaine lettuce in my hand, and been munching in his hay tray too. I just can't help but think the worst... however your advice has helped a lot, so thank you.

 

[Piggies&buns]

It could have been under the eyelid and then moved out while he was blinking.

 

[Wiebke]

Yes, I brought his stepfather along with him. I wasn't going to take him alone... it's always better with a companion in my opinion. X

I'm worried because when I checked his eye before the vet there was no hay visible at all but when we got to the vet it was right there on his eye. So she removed it pretty easily. Can this happen, can it just appear on the surface after being hidden somewhere? I dont know, I just hope there wasn't another bit somewhere or something... I am overthinking.

I will have a look at buying that tear gel too, thank you for that... useful information. The vet also suggested a follow-up after one week has passed which was good.

He has been sleeping a lot but he has also had a few walks about, came running to me when I had some pieces of romaine lettuce in my hand, and been munching in his hay tray too. I just can't help but think the worst... however your advice has helped a lot, so thank you.

Yes, it can be washed out from under a lid. The discomfort should stop once the meds kick in. He should be ok now.

 

[Wheekallweek]

The ever common haypoke! I think most piggy owners have experienced this at some point!
You're doing all the right things. Give him some time to destress and let the metacam kick in and I'm sure he'll be just fine

 

[Merab]

Haypoke is no fun.
Hope the eye drops and metacam work quickly.
Glad you were able to get him to the vet so promptly

 

[mackenziejanetaylor]

The ever common haypoke! I think most piggy owners have experienced this at some point!
You're doing all the right things. Give him some time to destress and let the metacam kick in and I'm sure he'll be just fine

I just gave my piggies their dinner and he was wheeking away while I prepared it... made me so happy. He ate all his dinner as enthusiastically as ever, such a strong, brave lad. Thanks for your message, and I really hoping he gets better soon.

 

[mackenziejanetaylor]

Haypoke is no fun.
Hope the eye drops and metacam work quickly.
Glad you were able to get him to the vet so promptly

It really isn't, it's been such a stressful day. Yeah, his eye was completely fine 24 hours ago, I rang the vet first thing this morning and was lucky to get a same-day appointment. I hope he recovers. He is so young... Thank you for the message.

 

[Wheekallweek]

I'm glad he's feeling OK - eating is always a good sign

 

[mackenziejanetaylor]

UPDATE: Blue has had three eye drops today and look at his eye (photo attached below)... I'm gobsmacked at how much better it looks already. It's not 100% there yet but compared to a few hours ago this is a fantastic and very fast recovery, and the eye is actually open.

I'm feeling relieved and fortunate. Thank you, everybody, for being a part of this thread, this forum is such a wonderful place for guinea pig lovers.

 

[mackenziejanetaylor]

A few hours before the vet and a few hours after the vet...

 

[VickiA]

Eye injuries, including ulcers from hay poke really can look very dramatic and scary (especially to those of us who are squeamish about eyes!) When caught early enough they respond very well to the treatment. So well done for getting your young chap to the vets so quickly and for starting his treatment. Your prompt action and your subsequent care really help his recovery..

 

[fluffysal]

He's a handsome boy, is he a himalayan?

 

[CTWC]

I was just about to say he is lovely

 

[mackenziejanetaylor]

Eye injuries, including ulcers from hay poke really can look very dramatic and scary (especially to those of us who are squeamish about eyes!) When caught early enough they respond very well to the treatment. So well done for getting your young chap to the vets so quickly and for starting his treatment. Your prompt action and your subsequent care really help his recovery..

Thank you... Yes, one of my boys had hay poke a year ago and it didn't look half as bad as this one's. I got him to the vet immediately and am thankful they had space that day... Sending hugs!

 

[mackenziejanetaylor]

He's a handsome boy, is he a himalayan?

His mum is a grey and white sheltie (photo below)
And his dad - I'm not completely sure but he is white and looks like a self/californian (photo also attached)
Not sure what that makes him but he's a great lad.

The pregnancy wasn't planned and I'm keeping her three babies... Blue was in the litter, they are such cuties x

 

[CTWC]

All adorable