Fatty or pea eye?

[Fluffbabies]

I know this thread is no replacement for a vet visit but Leia's eye has gone like this yesterday.

It seemed to happen very suddenly (in a day / overnight) as we handle them every day and I definitely would have noticed! It doesn't just seem to be swollen/dropping underneath but also in the corner of her eye. There's no pinkness or redness and I can't find anything in the eye. She doesn't seem to behaving any differently to normal and doesn't seem too bothered as far as I can tell.

I've looked on the guidance thread about piggies' eyes and it looks like fatty eye or pea eye to me. I just wanted to ask for your thoughts as I'm under the impression not much can be done and it might be due to ageing. Leia is just turning 4 this week.

 

[Wiebke]

I know this thread is no replacement for a vet visit but Leia's eye has gone like this yesterday.

It seemed to happen very suddenly (in a day / overnight) as we handle them every day and I definitely would have noticed! It doesn't just seem to be swollen/dropping underneath but also in the corner of her eye. There's no pinkness or redness and I can't find anything in the eye. She doesn't seem to behaving any differently to normal and doesn't seem too bothered as far as I can tell.

I've looked on the guidance thread about piggies' eyes and it looks like fatty eye or pea eye to me. I just wanted to ask for your thoughts as I'm under the impression not much can be done and it might be due to ageing. Leia is just turning 4 this week.

Hi

It is just the dropping of the lower eyelid away from the eye without the conjunctiva showing or one of the tear glands prolapsing. It is more commonly happening at the lower back end of the eye where the conjunctiva becomes visible (fatty or pea eye) but very occasionally it can happy more at the front of the eye. As long as there is no sign of infection it is just one of these things that can happen to a piggy, most commonly as they get older.

See a vet if in any doubt or as soon as you notice signs of infection in the conjunctiva (redness or swelling) or prolapsing glands (small purply bits of tissue) - the latter which should hopefully not happen. I have had a number of oldies with pea eye over the year; none of them ever suffered an infection and most lived to the upper end of the average life span (7-8 years) despite their slighty unsightly eye issue.

 

[Fluffbabies]

Thanks Wiebke! I was hoping this was the case. We'll keep an eye on it like we do with all of them

Bless them. Last vet visit just a couple of months ago, we were told they were showing signs of ageing such as putting more weight on the heels of their back feet making them get red sometimes, having a more haunched posture and walking differently. Oreo, who we thought had gone deaf seems to be deaf as and when it suits her haha. She also sleeps more and more deeply, although she has always been a big sleeper. She loves nothing more than snuggling and having a nap! And she is still daft and runs in the opposite direction to the salad bag lol.

We can tell they're a bit older now by looking at their eyes. Ginger's bottom lids are ever so slightly droopy and you only notice it in Oreo when she looks up. Theirs drop towards the back of the eye but it is very subtle. I only notice because they're in our living room and we're forever interacting with them throughout the day. In fact, I think Leia's other eye will go the same soon as you can see a tiny bit on the white protruding already.

It makes me a bit sad because as you said it's a bit unsightly and I don't like it when something is 'wrong' with them. I was the same when they chewed each other's ears a bit as babies! I was like look what you've done to your lovely little ears! I can't believe they are 4 now. And so they are considered senior piggies. Feels like just the other day we adopted them as babies! Still we will get used to it. The time just goes so fast