Possible hay poke

[emiso]

Hi!
I just got back home after being gone a few hours and immediately noticed my guinea pig had a bit of eye boogers and a little piece of hay sticking out of his upper eyelid. I easily pulled it out and wiped his eye as well as observing the rest of it to ensure I got everything out, which I did.

He seems a bit spooked now but other than that his eye seems fine, when I put the flash on it he has a slight blue over his eye but I think thats normal because his other healthy eye has it too. Anything I should be doing as of right now or any way to clean it out 100%? Thank you.

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Oh dear, you're not having the best of luck. You could try gently rinsing the eye with saline solution to remove any dust particles, but it would be best to take him to get it checked at the vet within 24 hours - eyes are quite delicate and it doesn't take much to scratch them. If you get eye injuries treated quickly though, they heal up well.

 

[emiso]

Oh dear, you're not having the best of luck. You could try gently rinsing the eye with saline solution to remove any dust particles, but it would be best to take him to get it checked at the vet within 24 hours - eyes are quite delicate and it doesn't take much to scratch them. If you get eye injuries treated quickly though, they heal up well.

Okay thank you, is it okay to make a saline solution with the boiled then cooled water and salt?

 

[emiso]

Small update: I did the saline solution of boiled water and salt and I used the measurements from this forum, but it burned my eyes when I tested it and I didn’t want to use that on his eyes so I used a bottled saline solution instead. I just washed out both of his eyes twice just for safe measures and he has been acting completely fine, little bit more information is that the hay wasn’t actually in his cornea or pupil it was stuck in the upper area of his eyelid, which is why it was easy to get it out.

The ONLY concerning thing as of right now is the slight blue tint to his eye, but both of his eyes have that same slight blue tint which is weird because as far as I know his other eye is perfectly fine? This tint is only seen with a flashlight too.

Thank you !

 

[KatieM]

Okay not an expert but my guinea pig is on week 2 of an eye ulcer from Hay Poke. I could not see the ulcer at all until it started healing and scarring a week ago! The only way it could be seen initially was with eye stain at the vet…I really thought he’d have nothing but he had an ulcer covering his whole eye…thankfully the friendly folk here told my to go in and I did! Definitely couldn’t be seen with a flashlight.

With my boy it was fully in his eye…I pulled it out. He was winking and his eye was watering and he was shaking his head. It sounds like it’s possible your guy just had it on his face near his eye…regardless I’d still go get him check…you never know!

Look up a saline solution diy recipe on google…there’s lots of different ratios but that would be the #1 thing I would have done differently. Rinsed his eye from any particles right away! The vet did end up doing this the following day!

Hope he’s okay!

 

[KatieM]

Small update: I did the saline solution of boiled water and salt and I used the measurements from this forum, but it burned my eyes when I tested it and I didn’t want to use that on his eyes so I used a bottled saline solution instead. I just washed out both of his eyes twice just for safe measures and he has been acting completely fine, little bit more information is that the hay wasn’t actually in his cornea or pupil it was stuck in the upper area of his eyelid, which is why it was easy to get it out.

The ONLY concerning thing as of right now is the slight blue tint to his eye, but both of his eyes have that same slight blue tint which is weird because as far as I know his other eye is perfectly fine? This tint is only seen with a flashlight too.

Thank you !

Bottles saline solution was the best bet!

My boy also had it stuck in his upper eyelid and his cornea was totally covered in an ulcer…

Is his eye red at all when you pull it back…like around the cornea. Any slight winking? My boy didn’t act painful at all after getting the hay out but he was indeed in a lot of pain.

1st picture was after getting the hay out, then the hay, then the eye stain at the vet

 

[emiso]

Bottles saline solution was the best bet!

My boy also had it stuck in his upper eyelid and his cornea was totally covered in an ulcer…

Is his eye red at all when you pull it back…like around the cornea. Any slight winking? My boy didn’t act painful at all after getting the hay out but he was indeed in a lot of pain.

1st picture was after getting the hay out, then the hay, then the eye stain at the vet

I am so sorry about your piggy I hope he has gotten better!

I attached photos of his eye when pulled back, most of the eye is white except the corner where I just pulled the hay from. Also no there is not any winking, genuinely just the way it looks. He has it wide open like usual.

May I ask how much all of this cost when you took him in? I’ve already spent well over thousands within the past year over just medical things for my piggies through taking them to vets and buying medications.

 

[emiso]

Okay not an expert but my guinea pig is on week 2 of an eye ulcer from Hay Poke. I could not see the ulcer at all until it started healing and scarring a week ago! The only way it could be seen initially was with eye stain at the vet…I really thought he’d have nothing but he had an ulcer covering his whole eye…thankfully the friendly folk here told my to go in and I did! Definitely couldn’t be seen with a flashlight.

With my boy it was fully in his eye…I pulled it out. He was winking and his eye was watering and he was shaking his head. It sounds like it’s possible your guy just had it on his face near his eye…regardless I’d still go get him check…you never know!

Look up a saline solution diy recipe on google…there’s lots of different ratios but that would be the #1 thing I would have done differently. Rinsed his eye from any particles right away! The vet did end up doing this the following day!

Hope he’s okay!

I used a saline solution ratio of 250 ml water to 1tbsp of salt and it burned my own eye so I didn’t use that and am now using my old bottled saline solution.

 

[KatieM]

I am so sorry about your piggy I hope he has gotten better!

I attached photos of his eye when pulled back, most of the eye is white except the corner where I just pulled the hay from.

May I ask how much all of this cost when you took him in? I’ve already spent well over thousands within the past year over just medical things for my piggies through taking them to vets and buying medications.

So with eye poke you don’t have to take them to an exotic vet…all vets should be able to do the test you just have to ask.

I took him to a vet that is mostly a dog vet but does small animals too. I’m in Colorado, USA. I paid $175 for the actual came, the stain check, eye drops and oral meds. I took him back in for a recheck a week later and paid $124 for eye stain, the exam and 2 more weeks of oral meds.

Eye injuries can deteriorate very fast..you’d be paying much more if she does have an ulcer and it doesn’t get treated. They can loose their eyes.

His eye looks fine…but you seriously cannot tell with just a flash light. I tried and didn’t see it but as soon as the special stain was on game over you could see it clear as day.

I understand the expense…I have 5 pigs it’s been a lot. But as little exotics they definitely wrack up a bill and I’ve been pulling from a savings account I made for my animals.

 

[KatieM]

I am so sorry about your piggy I hope he has gotten better!

I attached photos of his eye when pulled back, most of the eye is white except the corner where I just pulled the hay from. Also no there is not any winking, genuinely just the way it looks. He has it wide open like usual.

May I ask how much all of this cost when you took him in? I’ve already spent well over thousands within the past year over just medical things for my piggies through taking them to vets and buying medications.

I should also say that’s exactly where I pulled my guys hay from. His eye was more squinty initially but he looked normal the next day with minimal redness. And all the same he did have a full ulcer. And once he got on pain meds I realized he had been in pain!

 

[emiso]

So with eye poke you don’t have to take them to an exotic vet…all vets should be able to do the test you just have to ask.

I took him to a vet that is mostly a dog vet but does small animals too. I’m in Colorado, USA. I paid $175 for the actual came, the stain check, eye drops and oral meds. I took him back in for a recheck a week later and paid $124 for eye stain, the exam and 2 more weeks of oral meds.

Eye injuries can deteriorate very fast..you’d be paying much more if she does have an ulcer and it doesn’t get treated. They can loose their eyes.

His eye looks fine…but you seriously cannot tell with just a flash light. I tried and didn’t see it but as soon as the special stain was on game over you could see it clear as day.

I understand the expense…I have 5 pigs it’s been a lot. But as little exotics they definitely wrack up a bill and I’ve been pulling from a savings account I made for my animals.

My exotic vet usually takes $75 just for the checkup so I feel like it’d be about the same even if I did go to a different vet, I will call soon and tell her about this and ask about prices. I do have the money in my savings which I clearly do not mind spending its just stressful as I was saving for a car and I went from 5K to 2K so quickly over the span of 4 bloated piggies recently and losing one of them. I will pay whatever it takes for him, he is my everything, I just like to see what I can do for now considering they aren’t even open.

I am really praying it doesn’t end up being an ulcer or anything severe, I’ve dealt with so many health issues with him over the past year already.

Do you mind telling me what exactly they gave your piggy? I’ve seen some people saying they were prescribed terramycin as well as an eye wash and that was it, but I’m assuming thats for a less severe situation where its not a full ulcer.

 

[KatieM]

My exotic vet usually takes $75 just for the checkup so I feel like it’d be about the same even if I did go to a different vet, I will call soon and tell her about this and ask about prices. I do have the money in my savings which I clearly do not mind spending its just stressful as I was saving for a car and I went from 5K to 2K so quickly over the span of 4 bloated piggies recently and losing one of them. I will pay whatever it takes for him, he is my everything, I just like to see what I can do for now considering they aren’t even open.

I am really praying it doesn’t end up being an ulcer or anything severe, I’ve dealt with so many health issues with him over the past year already.

Do you mind telling me what exactly they gave your piggy? I’ve seen some people saying they were prescribed terramycin as well as an eye wash and that was it, but I’m assuming thats for a less severe situation where its not a full ulcer.

Definitely call them, It sounds like it would be very similar pricing wise! It truly is like the least expensive piggy issue I’ve encountered so far treatment wise…but definitely the most dangerous as they can loose their eyes/eye sight. I should say both would have probably been closer to the $124 cost…they charged me extra for being an emergency walk in the first time!

But there is a chance he doesn’t have an ulcer and then it will be cheaper because it’s just the exam and stain! You clearly love your pigs…it’s so hard when they get sick and you already feel broke…I completely understand.

They gave my boy Ofloxacin Opthomalic solution for his eye drops and then Meloxicam for oral pain meds

 

[emiso]

Definitely call them, It sounds like it would be very similar pricing wise! It truly is like the least expensive piggy issue I’ve encountered so far treatment wise…but definitely the most dangerous as they can loose their eyes/eye sight. I should say both would have probably been closer to the $124 cost…they charged me extra for being an emergency walk in the first time!

But there is a chance he doesn’t have an ulcer and then it will be cheaper because it’s just the exam and stain! You clearly love your pigs…it’s so hard when they get sick and you already feel broke…I completely understand.

They gave my boy Ofloxacin Opthomalic solution for his eye drops and then Meloxicam for oral pain meds

I’ll definitely check on him and call up tomorrow, thank you, I’ll make sure to update on how his eye looks as well.

I cleaned it out one more time just for good measure and will be checking on him again before bed, but he is perfectly fine and I’m praying he is not just hiding pain based on the fact his eye is wide open and only thing “wrong” to my eye with only a flashlight is the slight redness, hopefully there is nothing beyond my eye.

I actually have a bottle of meloxicam which has 40 doses on hand for situations like these where they seem to be in pain and I need them to be out of pain until we get them into the vet. I gave him a dose just in case because thats really all I can do right now if he is truly in pain and hiding it.

I really appreciate all of the help and quick replies you’ve been very helpful and reassuring in a stressful time like this!

 

[KatieM]

I’ll definitely check on him and call up tomorrow, thank you, I’ll make sure to update on how his eye looks as well.

I cleaned it out one more time just for good measure and will be checking on him again before bed, but he is perfectly fine and I’m praying he is not just hiding pain based on the fact his eye is wide open and only thing “wrong” to my eye with only a flashlight is the slight redness, hopefully there is nothing beyond my eye.

I actually have a bottle of meloxicam which has 40 doses on hand for situations like these where they seem to be in pain and I need them to be out of pain until we get them into the vet. I gave him a dose just in case because thats really all I can do right now if he is truly in pain and hiding it.

I really appreciate all of the help and quick replies you’ve been very helpful and reassuring in a stressful time like this!

Yes please update! Hopefully he avoided a true hay poke!

So smart to have the pain meds on hand…if he is hiding pain then he at least is comfortable for the night!

You are so welcome! This forum has reassured me a comes my nerves many a time! It’s so helpful for me and I’m glad I was able to help

 

[emiso]

Very tiny update but I have checked on him for the last time tonight and maybe it is just in my head but I feel like the redness has gone down VERY slightly which is easing my mind.

Maybe its just in my head but photo 1 (now) seems to be more pink rather than a deep red and it is also more in one spot than widespread, whereas photo 2 (earlier) seems much more red.

He is acting great, much better than when I first took the hay out where he was clearly uncomfortable and spooked. I also attached a photo of how he is laying now just to show him off, I will check again in the morning and do saline wash again as well as update!