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Goopy / Crusty Eye

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soupnbread

New Born Pup
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Hello,
One of my guinea pig's eyes have been goopy (whitish discharge) and crusty for a few months. I took him to a vet who prescribed eye drops (Tobramycin) and an oral anti-biotic (Enrofloxacin) for a possible bacterial infection (of the eye of an upper respiratory infection). He has no other symptoms and has been behaving normally. After 14 days of the medications, there has been no improvement. The vet wants us to bring him back in. My question is, has anyone here experienced something like this? Since the meds did nothing, I can assume this isn't a bacterial infection. Is the return trip to the vet needed or is this just a normal eye discharge that guinea pigs sometimes get? Thank you!
 
soupnbread said:
Hello,
One of my guinea pig's eyes have been goopy (whitish discharge) and crusty for a few months. I took him to a vet who prescribed eye drops (Tobramycin) and an oral anti-biotic (Enrofloxacin) for a possible bacterial infection (of the eye of an upper respiratory infection). He has no other symptoms and has been behaving normally. After 14 days of the medications, there has been no improvement. The vet wants us to bring him back in. My question is, has anyone here experienced something like this? Since the meds did nothing, I can assume this isn't a bacterial infection. Is the return trip to the vet needed or is this just a normal eye discharge that guinea pigs sometimes get? Thank you!
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

Milky white fluid is the normal eye cleaning fluid in guinea pigs. It dries however hard. It can spill if the tear duct is being blocked.

If it is gunky, then it is more likely from an ulceration. Has your vet checked whether something could be stuck under an eyelid and has been scratching it?

Could you please take a preferably clear and well-lit picture so we can get a bit more of an idea? Your description is rather vague.
For uploading a picture please use the Attach Files button under your post when you write it. We are not part of social media and cannot support all formats but this way always works.
 
Hi Wiebke,

Thanks for your reply. The vet looked around his eye, but did not mention specifically looking for a scratch or foreign object. I have attached the picture. The eye is a bit better than yesterday (less whitish goop). Thanks!
 

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soupnbread said:
Hi Wiebke,

Thanks for your reply. The vet looked around his eye, but did not mention specifically looking for a scratch or foreign object. I have attached the picture. The eye is a bit better than yesterday (less whitish goop). Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi

This looks like dried transparent clear watery discharge, which is usually a sign of an irritation in the eye. Around the nose, it is either from a sneeze (can be a nose cleaning sneeze) or possible irritant in the nose. The watery tear fluid is used to wash irritants out.

Eye cleaning fluid in guinea pigs is milky and dries into hard solid white drops if it is spilled and not reabsorbed via the tear duct. Guinea pigs don't blink in order to clean their eyes the way humans do.

Greish/bluish gunk is an ulceration from an injury or infection and green/yellow/orange mucus gunk, fresh or dried) is the result of a well developed upper respiratory tract infection in the nasal cavities.

I hope that helps you?

All the best that your piggy can wash out whatever is irritating their eye.

Irritants to Avoid Around Guinea Pigs
 
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