Crusty eye?

[Popcorn bby]

My guinea pigs recovered from a URI about two weeks ago. Yesterday, we picked them up from a four-night stay at my grandma's house. After bringing them back home, I noticed one of my piggies had a bit of white crust in the inner corner of her eye. Although a bit sleepy, she was acting and eating completely normal, and today she seems to be acting and eating completely normally and healthily. I believe the crust is still there, although I think some of it did come off already. Then I noticed that my other piggie also had white crust on her inner eye corner. However I can't fully recall if that has always been there, because there is a possibility it could have, but my memory is failing me. They're both acting fine, right now they are napping, and I just fed them not too long ago. They were both especially active in the morning, as usual. Any thoughts? The vet we go to that knows about guinea pigs might not be here till the end of the week. Do you think it could be URI? The following picture isn't my guinea pigs, but it looks pretty similar to what they have.

 

[Wiebke]

My guinea pigs recovered from a URI about two weeks ago. Yesterday, we picked them up from a four-night stay at my grandma's house. After bringing them back home, I noticed one of my piggies had a bit of white crust in the inner corner of her eye. Although a bit sleepy, she was acting and eating completely normal, and today she seems to be acting and eating completely normally and healthily. I believe the crust is still there, although I think some of it did come off already. Then I noticed that my other piggie also had white crust on her inner eye corner. However I can't fully recall if that has always been there, because there is a possibility it could have, but my memory is failing me. They're both acting fine, right now they are napping, and I just fed them not too long ago. They were both especially active in the morning, as usual. Any thoughts? The vet we go to that knows about guinea pigs might not be here till the end of the week. Do you think it could be URI? The following picture isn't my guinea pigs, but it looks pretty similar to what they have.

Hi!

That looks like some of the milky eye cleaning fluid has spilled over a bit and not fully drained away through the tear duct. Nothing to worry about!

You can find four different varieties of crusts around the eyes:
- harmless milky cleaning fluid; this is used to wash the eyes several times a day as guinea pigs. It will fall off eventually by itself.
- transparent watery crusts. Watery tear fluid is only excreted in order to wash out any irritants if possible. Please always have the eye vet checked promptly if you notice persistent blinking and watering, a painfully drawn in or a bulging eye.
Eye injuries can deteriorate very quickly and far more extensively than visible to the naked eye. A vet will check the eye with a special dye under UV light for damage.
- whitish/bluish/greyish dots or a film on the eye surface are the sign of an ulceration - an infected eye scratch or eye poke. See a vet very promptly to prevent any injury from penetrating further into the eye where it is much more difficult to treat. When the film is washed out, it can end up as thick whitish/greyish gunk around the eye.
- thick yellow/greenish gunk that glues the eye together is the sign of an advanced untreated or undertreated upper respiratory tract infection. Please see a vet promptly; URI can kill or damage permanently without an antibiotic!

Here is more information on various guinea pig body quirks that new owners can stumble over: Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?

 

[Popcorn bby]

Oh my goodness thank you once again! That is relieving to hear, although I will still continue to keep an eye out. We do have a vet appointment tomorrow, but if I see they still seem to be healthy, with no more crust, then I obviously will not take them. Thank you once again!