Saline solution for eye injury

[moodysuzy]

Hi everyone,

My Prawn sustained a fairly severe eye injury from his brother on Monday night, he’s had it stitched up and is grumpily taking all his drops and medication.

We’ve been seen by the vet daily since then, and they’ve recommended we gently wash his eye twice daily with a weak saline.

I should’ve asked at the appointment but forgot, but does anyone have recommendations for buying a saline solution at the pharmacy? Pretty sure all saline is created equal, but is there a specific one for eyes or anything?

And is a pharmacy saline better than a homemade one?

Thanks

 

[Swissgreys]

It is fine to make your own saline solution. Basically stir 1 teaspoon of salt into 250 mls boiling water and allow to cool.
Make a fresh solution every coule of days.

First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency

 

[moodysuzy]

It is fine to make your own saline solution. Basically stir 1 teaspoon of salt into 250 mls boiling water and allow to cool.
Make a fresh solution every coule of days.

First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency

Cheers

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone,

My Prawn sustained a fairly severe eye injury from his brother on Monday night, he’s had it stitched up and is grumpily taking all his drops and medication.

We’ve been seen by the vet daily since then, and they’ve recommended we gently wash his eye twice daily with a weak saline.

I should’ve asked at the appointment but forgot, but does anyone have recommendations for buying a saline solution at the pharmacy? Pretty sure all saline is created equal, but is there a specific one for eyes or anything?

And is a pharmacy saline better than a homemade one?

Thanks

Hi!

I am very sorry. I assume that you are dealing with a hay poke?

What are the other meds that your vet hasgiven you in view of you describing it is a bad injury? Eye treatment in guinea pigs is the same as in other common pet species, including antibiotic eye drops, lubricants and analgesic.

You can get sterile saline from your pharmacy or make your own at home in a pinch; it is simply a mild antiseptic. You can find how to make your own in here: First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency

 

[moodysuzy]

Hi!

I am very sorry. I assume that you are dealing with a hay poke?

What are the other meds that your vet hasgiven you in view of you describing it is a bad injury? Eye treatment in guinea pigs is the same as in other common pet species, including antibiotic eye drops, lubricants and analgesic.

You can get sterile saline from your pharmacy or make your own at home in a pinch; it is simply a mild antiseptic. You can find how to make your own in here: First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency

Unfortunately it was a bite inflicted by his cage mate (now separated!), he had his conjunctiva and eyelid sewn up on Tuesday.

We’ve got isathal, remend, oral sulfatrim and metacam. His eye has ulcerated and it seems 50:50 whether it’ll end up being removed. He’s being seen at cityvets in Exeter so I’m confident he’s in good hands.

The vet took a swab when she sewed him up so I’m hoping we’ll get some useful info from the culture soon.

We’re going to pick up some saline from the pharmacy this evening. Fingers crossed for his eye

 

[weepweeps]

I hope his eye heals with no further issues. . Sounds really nasty. Poor piggy.

 

[Wiebke]

Unfortunately it was a bite inflicted by his cage mate (now separated!), he had his conjunctiva and eyelid sewn up on Tuesday.

We’ve got isathal, remend, oral sulfatrim and metacam. His eye has ulcerated and it seems 50:50 whether it’ll end up being removed. He’s being seen at cityvets in Exeter so I’m confident he’s in good hands.

The vet took a swab when she sewed him up so I’m hoping we’ll get some useful info from the culture soon.

We’re going to pick up some saline from the pharmacy this evening. Fingers crossed for his eye

Fingers firmly crossed that the ulceration/infection is mainly superficial and has not penetrated deeper into the eye.

Thank you for putting the additional measure into perspective. It makes more sense now.


PS: If possible please use the 'Find Thread/Your threads' button by the top bar when you come on top pick up an earlier thread on the same ongoing case so we can keep all information together. Or bookmark your Health/Illness thread so you can pick it up again easily.
If it is your first thread on the subject, please give us the medical background and any ongoing treatment.

Since we are all doing to this for free in our free time on top of our day job, our own piggies and private life, none of us is around all the time and none of us will ever read all threads in this forum.
That is why it really matters for both you and us to keep all information for one case together in one ongoing support thread that you can pick up at need but we have a chance to refresh our memory or catch up without you have to tell the whole backstory every time. Unlike social media we do not rely on having lots of new threads just the number of posts. This means that we can provide personalised ongoing support for any length of time - but it can only be as good as you provide us with relevant information.
Thank you.

 

[moodysuzy]

Fingers firmly crossed that the ulceration/infection is mainly superficial and has not penetrated deeper into the eye.

Thank you for putting the additional measure into perspective. It makes more sense now.


PS: If possible please use the 'Find Thread/Your threads' button by the top bar when you come on top pick up an earlier thread on the same ongoing case so we can keep all information together. Or bookmark your Health/Illness thread so you can pick it up again easily.
If it is your first thread on the subject, please give us the medical background and any ongoing treatment.

Since we are all doing to this for free in our free time on top of our day job, our own piggies and private life, none of us is around all the time and none of us will ever read all threads in this forum.
That is why it really matters for both you and us to keep all information for one case together in one ongoing support thread that you can pick up at need but we have a chance to refresh our memory or catch up without you have to tell the whole backstory every time. Unlike social media we do not rely on having lots of new threads just the number of posts. This means that we can provide personalised ongoing support for any length of time - but it can only be as good as you provide us with relevant information.
Thank you.

Thanks really sorry for not giving more info in the original post. I had posted in the behaviour forum originally (pre-eye bite) but thought it would benefit from a new one here as it’s now definitely an illness issue and hadn’t realised I would need to add all the details

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks really sorry for not giving more info in the original post. I had posted in the behaviour forum originally (pre-eye bite) but thought it would benefit from a new one here as it’s now definitely an illness issue and hadn’t realised I would need to add all the details

Some of us monitor different sections more specifically than others although we will step in where necessary. But none of us can be around all the time or answer everything; or some years down the line and tens of thousands of posts on be able to remember much in the way of details; especially when they turn up in a different context.
My own memory storage has packed in years ago unless it is more outstanding cases and conditions.

We appreciate your help to allow us help you best. You won't be necessarily aware of how the forum is run behind the scenes, so this is just to make you aware.
For instance, I have some sections where I look at all new threads or posts and will post in any other section only once I have caught up. Other mods are keeping a closer eye on other sections.

 

[Merab]

Ouch!
Poor boy.
Hope everything heals and the eye can be saved

 

[moodysuzy]

I thought I’d give a quick update, Prawn is doing very well, acting more like himself (which makes medicating him harder ). We burrito him now and it works quite well. He was very quiet and reserved for days afterwards so it’s reassuring to have him closer to normal…he’s stopped sitting all hunched and fluffed up so he must be in less pain now.

His eye looks better than on Wednesday, but doesn’t seem to be have improved much since. We have our one week checkup on Tuesday so I’m looking forward to hearing the vets opinion

I’ve attached a couple of pics from yesterday, if anyone wants to see it

 

[Claire W]

Aw poor Prawn I am glad he’s feeling better x

 

[weepweeps]

Poor Prawn. Looks like it’s healing.

 

[VickiA]

Poor little fellow. That looks like he had a nasty injury. Eyes usually do look worse before they get better but if you are at all concerned then I would ask for an earlier review.

 

[Merab]

Glad the eye is healing

 

[moodysuzy]

Poor little fellow. That looks like he had a nasty injury. Eyes usually do look worse before they get better but if you are at all concerned then I would ask for an earlier review.

Yeah it was really nasty I’m quite happy with it at the moment.

We had a culture done as well from when they stitched him up so I’m hoping that comes back soon and we can maybe get a more specialised antibiotic.

 

[moodysuzy]

One of Prawn’s stitches came out this morning and unfortunately his eyelid has come open I’m gutted, his eye has been looking so good. We’re seeing the vet later today, but as it’s a Saturday it won’t be the guinea pig specific vet.

I’ve attached a pic, any opinions about whether it’ll need to be re-stitched? Or is his poor eye lid stuck with a split in it now?