Osseous Metaplasia In Eye

[Sian25]

Hi all, it's been a while since I've been on here.

In general Milan and Effie are fine and their happy little selves. However, almost 2 years ago, Milan started with a tiny speckle like thing in his eye. Originally the vet said it's part of his cataract so we took her word for a while, and as it grew we assumed it was just the cataract worsening. It became a ring around the outside of his eyeball and we went back to the vet, who didn't have a clue what it was. We went to several vets then finally we saw an eye specialist (at this point his eye had worsened more with the ring around the outside and cloudiness in the centre) the vet said it was osseous Metaplasia (bone formation/calcium in the eye) and told me that it was not a painful condition and that it does get worse over time. I felt so much better knowing it's not painful but it doesn't stop me worrying.

The condition seems rare and all the photos ive seen have not got it as bad as Milan. His has drastically worsened in the last 12 months and I'm just unsure what to do really. Obviously I don't want his eye removed if there's no pain or danger but with how fast his eye has deteriorated and by seeing how much worse his is compared to others with the disease, it frightens me as to what could happen if it continues. Has anyone seen anything like it before? He's still my beautiful man but I just want to ensure no harm comes to him. He doesnt show any sign of pain or any other symptoms. Still eats like the greedy boy he is and still seems a happy little soul despite being completely blind now (he has the condition starting in the other eye too plus a cataract).

 

[sport_billy]

tagging in @furryfriends (TEAS) @Wiebke @helen105281 @Jaycey @Elwickcavies @Freela

 

[Sian25]

Thank you @sport_billy

These are the earlier stages if it helps so you can see how it's developed over time. The vet was not really concerned and just said to keep an eye that it doesn't bulge out or anything, but that's about it. He was a general eye specialist as opposed to an exotic vet

 

[Freela]

First off, thanks for sharing the pics- I have heard of and read about this condition, but these are really great, detailed pictures to see! It sounds as though you have done everything right- he's seen a specialist to get an accurate diagnosis. The fact that it's not painful is the most important part... and I do believe you would know if it did, as he would be pawing at the eye, withdrawing from normal activities in pain, etc. The only real 'harm' to him would be the loss of vision, but you say he has adjusted well to that (my experience is that blind pigs, once they adjust, differ very little from sighted pigs- one of mine developed thick cataracts in her old age and was none the worse for wear and it changed her behavior and quality of life very minimally- most people seeing her would not even have known that she was blind, but for the cloudy eyes in bright light.) I would guess that the only real option would be removing the eye, and I don't see what benefit that would be unless it became acutely painful. It would just be taking on the risks of an operation for no real reason. I think, in your situation, I would keep on monitoring the eye to make sure it isn't bulging, the surface isn't drying out or irritating, and he isn't pawing or rubbing at it, but otherwise I would hope for the best that it will never require any invasive treatment.

Out of curiosity, how old is he and how old was he when the condition began?

 

[Sian25]

First off, thanks for sharing the pics- I have heard of and read about this condition, but these are really great, detailed pictures to see! It sounds as though you have done everything right- he's seen a specialist to get an accurate diagnosis. The fact that it's not painful is the most important part... and I do believe you would know if it did, as he would be pawing at the eye, withdrawing from normal activities in pain, etc. The only real 'harm' to him would be the loss of vision, but you say he has adjusted well to that (my experience is that blind pigs, once they adjust, differ very little from sighted pigs- one of mine developed thick cataracts in her old age and was none the worse for wear and it changed her behavior and quality of life very minimally- most people seeing her would not even have known that she was blind, but for the cloudy eyes in bright light.) I would guess that the only real option would be removing the eye, and I don't see what benefit that would be unless it became acutely painful. It would just be taking on the risks of an operation for no real reason. I think, in your situation, I would keep on monitoring the eye to make sure it isn't bulging, the surface isn't drying out or irritating, and he isn't pawing or rubbing at it, but otherwise I would hope for the best that it will never require any invasive treatment.

Out of curiosity, how old is he and how old was he when the condition began?

Thank you for your reply, it has made me feel better. I guess with seeing photos of other pigs with the disease and it not looking as bad as Milans then I was wondering why. I suppose the vet advice is right to just continue monitoring and if any complications were to happen then deal with it then but for the time being, he seems fine in himself. He is approximately 4 years old and it started at around 2 years as just a tiny speckle then advanced to the ring in about a year then the ring has filled in in this last year. His other eye has a speckle in but doesn't seem to be advancing quite so quickly I don't think.

I think what worries me most is that there's not much info online that I can clue myself up on. I'm still not completely sure what causes it, except I seem to remember the vet saying it's from too much vitamin C but telling me not to decrease the amount for fear of him not getting enough. But then I'm confused as to how vitamin C makes calcium in the eye? He doesn't get any vitamin C supplements, he just gets it from his veg and eats the same diet as my other pig so it's all quite baffling really

 

[DM030819]

@Sian25 My Ace Rimmer had it too. He started out as a nornal sighted boy and his started when he was around 2.

His right eye did bulge too, but he had a few xrays to confirm nothing nasty was going on behind it.

It never bothered him and he just got on with life.

We never found out why it happened to him, my research on the internet seemed to suggest it was genetic and I never knew his history other than he was from Pets at Home.

You're doing the very best for him. I just monitored Ace, kept a record of any changes and took him for vet check ups every now and then. There's nothing else that can be done unfortunately.

 

[Wiebke]

Osseous metaplasia is not all that rare in older guinea pigs. My Maelog had it and my Hafren is just starting with it.
However, I have never seen it so bad!

Please see a good vet to discuss whether measures need to be taken or whether the eye can be safely left. The ultimate decision is always yours. With older piggies it often comes down to weighing up risks against each other, but you want to make as informed decisions as possible, and not ones based on your fears.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I first heard of this about 8 years ago when a friends piggy had it. He lived out a normal lifespan and eventually died with it, rather than because of it. It never affected her piggies quality of life and never caused any pain. Animals are so much better at adapting to issues, than we are.

 

[Merrypigs Sanctuary]

A couple of our older kids have had this (choristoma and metaplasia) but not to this extent. Those are great photos! It hasn't ever seemed to affect any of our affected pigs really but I spose it's something to keep an eye on! Xx

 

[SDRB_TP]

I’ve been directed here from my own thread regarding this as my piggy recently developed it over the past 6 months. She is almost 7 however I’d say looking at these photos in the earlier stages of development, however the eye does bulge and she sometimes winks a bit. Not really advice as such to offer only experience as my vet who diagnosed her is quite experienced and has seen it multiple times says it does cause some pain, and showed me this by touching around her eye. I’ve done a bit of googling and other cases like yourself say it doesn’t so I’m still confused about that, obviously hoping and praying that it doesn’t cause pain. My vet also said that the only real option is to have the eye out (something which my piggy can’t have due to her having breathing problems she wouldn’t bare well under anastetic). She also said that eventually if it progresses enough to be so bad the eye will burst, which I can only imagine is terribly painful. Lily is also blind in that eye now the vet said, it kind of looks like she has catarax to me.
Obviously some of this stuff may contradict what you know of the condition and ultimately may not be correct, but just thought I’d give you what I know of the condition as of my vet.
All the best, Poppy and the lil pig Lily x

 

[SDRB_TP]

Here is a rather bad picture of my pigs eye (every time I go to take a pic she either moves or squints haha), again sorry I can’t be of anymore help!

 

[DM030819]

I wonder if it is the bulging that causes pain rather than the condition itself. My Ace's eye was pretty bad, and one of them bulged too. It never seemed to bother him though, he continued to be bright and loved eating until the day he passed away.

 

[Merab]

I have no experience of this condition- I ‘d never heard of it before, however I do have a blind piggy. Merab has cataracts and is blind. She’s more cautious and doesn’t run around much, otherwise she eats lots, plays happily and is her usual placid and bemused self. She’s 5.5 years old now.
Hoping things work well for you.

 

[4harmony2]

A couple of our older kids have had this (choristoma and metaplasia) but not to this extent. Those are great photos! It hasn't ever seemed to affect any of our affected pigs really but I spose it's something to keep an eye on! Xx

Hi I saw that you have heard of the osseous choristoma before ,One of my guineapgs has recently been diagnosed with this & was wondering how your guineapigs got along with it .He is in no pain & it doesn't bother him .did your's have any treatment ?

 

[Claire W]

Hi I saw that you have heard of the osseous choristoma before ,One of my guineapgs has recently been diagnosed with this & was wondering how your guineapigs got along with it .He is in no pain & it doesn't bother him .did your's have any treatment ?

Hi, this is an old thread so you would do better to start your own thread and ask all questions there

 

[Wiebke]

Hi I saw that you have heard of the osseous choristoma before ,One of my guineapgs has recently been diagnosed with this & was wondering how your guineapigs got along with it .He is in no pain & it doesn't bother him .did your's have any treatment ?

Hi

There is no treatment and it is no painful. Normal tissue in the eye is turning into bony tissue.

It is of course impacting on sight but for guinea pigs sight is their weakest sense whereas it is the strongest in humans, so they can much easier live around it; like we can live around loss of sense of smell, but a guinea pig would really struggle since their sense of smell is many times stronger than our human one.

In my own experience, guinea pigs even with really bad cataracts or osseous choristoma can live a perfectly normal enriched life. The more you challenge them, the better because their other senses will take over brain function if needed and will compensate. The transition phase is generally the most difficult bit of the process; especially with a very quick onset and development.