Please Help Guinea Pig Really Sick With Eye Ulcer/removal

[Hannah117]

​

PLEASE HELP AND ADVISE URGENT!

My piggie Wilma is 6 years old and has never had any major health problems. 2 weeks ago I noticed her eye was looking sore - protruding and buldging out exposing the white muscle at the bottom of her eye, she also couldn't blink but seemed fine in herself, this happened literally over night.

We took her to the vets where they explained it looked like either a hay poke or an eye ulcer. She was on Istathal for 5 days. We saw little improvement and the eye had become blood shot and cloudy blue (her eye colour is brown).

We took her back to the vets who said it could be a severe ulcer or a tumour behind the eye giving us 5 different eye medicines which she has been taking for 1 week. They are Chloramphenicol Remend Viscotears Brolene and Istathal as well as Loxicom pain relief.

Today we noticed she was really tired not moving much or eating at all, we have been giving critical care in a syrine which she usually loves but doesn't want to eat. Also her poos are not normal they are discoulered mishapen and wet. We are extremely worried about her. Took her back to the vets, we seen both our usual vet and the surgerys head vet, they said it could be a melting ulcer, or a tumour behind the eye - they have suggested having it removed but can't do that right now as she is too ill for anaesthetic due to her glands being swollen and her breathing being laboured, they think with the pain.

She has had 2 shots one of Baytril and one of Tramadol. They changed her medicines to Sulfatrim Tramadol Loxicom Chloramphenicol Remend and Viscotears. She is still not blinking the eye but is flinching when drops are applied. It is less protruding but now bloodshot and cloudy blue still.

Please can anyone help or advise is they have experienced anything like this or know anything about removing the eye?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Wiebke]

I am very sorry. Please continue with her medication and with the syringe feed. Try to get the visco tears in up to 6 times a day.

My Nosgan severely bashed in his eye last November and against the odds managed to hang onto it, but it took several weeks of chloramphenicol and visco tears (the latter he has to have daily for the rest of his life) as well as a course of zithromax (which is an even stronger antibiotic) to get him through it. He also had metacam at first. He has thankfully regained a good degree of sight in his damaged eye.

It is actually a good sign that the eye is reactive and actually looking a lot better again.

Has your vet cecked the swollen glands for lymphoma? There seems to be something else going on.

Eye removal operations are not all that rare and most come off; however, they are usually performed on younger and healthier guinea pigs. With your girl having swollen lymph glands I would think twice about it to be honest unless it is a make or break situation.

@furryfriends (TEAS)

 

[Hannah117]

Photos from the top are today

(Her white eye is normal)

From the bottom 2 weeks ago

 

[Wiebke]

OUCH! Sorry I thought that it was the other way round. That looks very bad indeed.

 

[Hannah117]

I am very sorry. Please continue with her medication and with the syringe feed. Try to get the visco tears in up to 6 times a day.

My Nosgan severely bashed in his eye last November and against the odds managed to hang onto it, but it took several weeks of chloramphenicol and visco tears (the latter he has to have daily for the rest of his life) as well as a course of zithromax (which is an even stronger antibiotic) to get him through it. He also had metacam at first. He has thankfully regained a good degree of sight in his damaged eye.

It is actually a good sign that the eye is reactive and actually looking a lot better again.

Has your vet cecked the swollen glands for lymphoma? There seems to be something else going on.

Eye removal operations are not all that rare and most come off; however, they are usually performed on younger and healthier guinea pigs. With your girl having swollen lymph glands I would think twice about it to be honest unless it is a make or break situation.

@furryfriends (TEAS)

I am very sorry. Please continue with her medication and with the syringe feed. Try to get the visco tears in up to 6 times a day.

My Nosgan severely bashed in his eye last November and against the odds managed to hang onto it, but it took several weeks of chloramphenicol and visco tears (the latter he has to have daily for the rest of his life) as well as a course of zithromax (which is an even stronger antibiotic) to get him through it. He also had metacam at first. He has thankfully regained a good degree of sight in his damaged eye.

It is actually a good sign that the eye is reactive and actually looking a lot better again.

Has your vet cecked the swollen glands for lymphoma? There seems to be something else going on.

Eye removal operations are not all that rare and most come off; however, they are usually performed on younger and healthier guinea pigs. With your girl having swollen lymph glands I would think twice about it to be honest unless it is a make or break situation.

@furryfriends (TEAS)

I am very sorry. Please continue with her medication and with the syringe feed. Try to get the visco tears in up to 6 times a day.

My Nosgan severely bashed in his eye last November and against the odds managed to hang onto it, but it took several weeks of chloramphenicol and visco tears (the latter he has to have daily for the rest of his life) as well as a course of zithromax (which is an even stronger antibiotic) to get him through it. He also had metacam at first. He has thankfully regained a good degree of sight in his damaged eye.

It is actually a good sign that the eye is reactive and actually looking a lot better again.

Has your vet cecked the swollen glands for lymphoma? There seems to be something else going on.

Eye removal operations are not all that rare and most come off; however, they are usually performed on younger and healthier guinea pigs. With your girl having swollen lymph glands I would think twice about it to be honest unless it is a make or break situation.

@furryfriends (TEAS)

Thank you very much for your help we're back in the vets on Sunday will continue as planned until then and update you when we have any news, thanks again for sharing and we'll be sure to ask the vet about lymphoma if her glands are still swollen.

 

[Kitzrules350]

I am so sorry about your guinea pig. I have been dealing with the same thing - my guinea pig is called Coco and I have had him for almost 6 years (he will be 6 years old in 2 weeks). I noticed that his eye went slightly cloudy (like when a human finds a bit of film in their eye but are able to get it out). We had already booked to go to the vets to cut his nails, and thought we could just ask then. However, within 24hrs, his right eye was bulging protudely out from his head. His eye pupil was put white/blue and was bloodshot around it. We phoned up the vets again to change the appointment from cutting his nails, to see the vet about his eye. When we took him, the vet put some dye into his eye to see if there was any infection (the eye turned his eye green) -- the vet said that if it is primary, it is an ulcer on the eye which can be treated with medication, however, if it is secondary, and the ulcer has developed from something behind the eye, then my guinea pig would either have to have a big operation, or we will need to put him to sleep. I was so upset and haven't stopped crying since, I just hope the medication works once they put the dye into his eye, he was really scared and tried to find me -- I scooped him up and held him, he was shaking and holding on to me as hard as he could, he also climbed up to my face for a hug.
We got given some Beytril and Metacam and we have to give Coco 0.4ml once a day in his mouth, for 7 days. We were also given some eye drops for his right eye, which we had to give one drop, twice a day for 7 days.

I am just wishing so much these work...We are going back to the vets in 3 days to see if there is any improvement, or if we will have to make the horrific decision to put him to sleep...

Can anyone give me any reassurance at all?

Thanks
The first image was the first day I noticed it...



And the second image is 24hrs afterwards...


From the last image, his eye is protuding even more. Coco doesn't seem to be in any type of pain -- he is still a happy, content guinea pig and still were and drinks everything he used to before this.

Can anyone help or give reassurance?
Thanks

Katie

 

[Merab]

Sorry I can’t help as this is outside my experience but I do want to offer you support.

 

[Wheekallweek]

Aw poor piggies.
A friend of mine had a piggy who had to have an eye removed the other day as she had an abscess behind it, it’s quite common I think. We have also had a piggy with the same problem.
Have you tried (veggie or fruit) baby food? That sometimes encourages them to eat, along with herbs.
Good luck! Make sure to get plenty of pain relief for your piggy after the operation, and top up on the syringe feed!

 

[Angela Botzong]

I am so sorry about your guinea pig. I have been dealing with the same thing - my guinea pig is called Coco and I have had him for almost 6 years (he will be 6 years old in 2 weeks). I noticed that his eye went slightly cloudy (like when a human finds a bit of film in their eye but are able to get it out). We had already booked to go to the vets to cut his nails, and thought we could just ask then. However, within 24hrs, his right eye was bulging protudely out from his head. His eye pupil was put white/blue and was bloodshot around it. We phoned up the vets again to change the appointment from cutting his nails, to see the vet about his eye. When we took him, the vet put some dye into his eye to see if there was any infection (the eye turned his eye green) -- the vet said that if it is primary, it is an ulcer on the eye which can be treated with medication, however, if it is secondary, and the ulcer has developed from something behind the eye, then my guinea pig would either have to have a big operation, or we will need to put him to sleep. I was so upset and haven't stopped crying since, I just hope the medication works once they put the dye into his eye, he was really scared and tried to find me -- I scooped him up and held him, he was shaking and holding on to me as hard as he could, he also climbed up to my face for a hug.
We got given some Beytril and Metacam and we have to give Coco 0.4ml once a day in his mouth, for 7 days. We were also given some eye drops for his right eye, which we had to give one drop, twice a day for 7 days.

I am just wishing so much these work...We are going back to the vets in 3 days to see if there is any improvement, or if we will have to make the horrific decision to put him to sleep...

Can anyone give me any reassurance at all?

Thanks
The first image was the first day I noticed it...

View attachment 84064

And the second image is 24hrs afterwards...
View attachment 84065

From the last image, his eye is protuding even more. Coco doesn't seem to be in any type of pain -- he is still a happy, content guinea pig and still were and drinks everything he used to before this.

Can anyone help or give reassurance?
Thanks

Katie

I’m curious what ever happened to your piggies eye.
this looks like a common hay poke. My guineas eye looks just like it right now bc she got a nasty 1 inch piece of hay stuck in her eyeball while I was gone on vacation and my brother was watching them. You have to pull the piece of hay out of their eye so the antibiotic ointment will heal it. The hay pokes will cause ulcers.
terramycin ointment in the eye will heal it up quick(you can buy it on Amazon, tractor supply, and other pet places). You can also use CBD oil for the pain. Just rub some on their ear a couple times a day.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m curious what ever happened to your piggies eye.
this looks like a common hay poke. My guineas eye looks just like it right now bc she got a nasty 1 inch piece of hay stuck in her eyeball while I was gone on vacation and my brother was watching them. You have to pull the piece of hay out of their eye so the antibiotic ointment will heal it. The hay pokes will cause ulcers.
terramycin ointment in the eye will heal it up quick(you can buy it on Amazon, tractor supply, and other pet places). You can also use CBD oil for the pain. Just rub some on their ear a couple times a day.

this thread is three years old and this member hasn’t been back on the forum since. You are best to start your own new thread in the health section. Most of us have had experience of haypoke at one point or another and we can give ongoing advice and support if you start your own thread.

Eyes are classed as emergencies and should never be handled at home. Vet advice should be sought urgently. There could be damage which you cannot see and which may not be dealt with appropriately unless seen by a vet, thereby risking permanent damage.
We don’t recommend any home treatments for anything. Please don’t try to remove hay yourself or purchase and administer any meds purchased yourself. All antibiotics and appropriate pain killers need to be prescribed by a vet following a consultation. Pain killer doses are based on the piggies weight.