Scratch and red irritation on eye

[IsabellaJames]

Hi everyone. I noticed this morning my Guinea pig’s eye looked foggy and it looks like there’s some kind of issue on his cornea. His eye around it is also very red and irritated, and I do not know what to do. The last times I have gone to the vet the bill was very expensive for five minute visits where I was just told how to help him myself. I am a college student so just wondering if anyone knows what this might be? Is there a way I can treat it myself or should I make a vet appointment asap? Thank you all for your help.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please make a vet appointment - we don’t advocate any home treatments. It is possibly a hay poke but eyes always need to be checked and are considered urgent.
The vet will likely put a dye in his eye to check the extent of the injury

 

[Bill & Ted]

Gosh that looks very sore, please see a vet eyes can go down hill very quickly, hoping it’s hay poke and AB’s will sort it quickly

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone. I noticed this morning my Guinea pig’s eye looked foggy and it looks like there’s some kind of issue on his cornea. His eye around it is also very red and irritated, and I do not know what to do. The last times I have gone to the vet the bill was very expensive for five minute visits where I was just told how to help him myself. I am a college student so just wondering if anyone knows what this might be? Is there a way I can treat it myself or should I make a vet appointment asap? Thank you all for your help.

Hi

It looks like an ulcerating (i.e. infected) eye injury. Please see a vet to ensure that your piggy is getting the correct treatment, mainly an assessment under UV light as to how severe and how deep any damage is going plus to get the right antibiotic eye drops or gel to prevent the infection penetrating deeper.

Eye infections can develop very quickly and be much more extensive than visible to the naked eye. The trick is to have them seen by a vet promptly. The good news is that guinea pig eyes are the same as other pet eyes and that the medication is also the same, so any halfway decent general can deal with it. Here in the UK, eye injuries are seen as a priority and will be accommodated as quickly as possible within 24 hours.

In order to apply any drops or gel, gently pull down the lower lid a little and aim the medication into the gap.
The sooner you can step in with the correct treatment the more quickly and smoothly will the recovery be.

All the best!

 

[weepweeps]

Good luck at the vets. I hope it’s something easily treated.

 

[IsabellaJames]

Hi

It looks like an ulcerating (i.e. infected) eye injury. Please see a vet to ensure that your piggy is getting the correct treatment, mainly an assessment under UV light as to how severe and how deep any damage is going plus to get the right antibiotic eye drops or gel to prevent the infection penetrating deeper.

Eye infections can develop very quickly and be much more extensive than visible to the naked eye. The trick is to have them seen by a vet promptly. The good news is that guinea pig eyes are the same as other pet eyes and that the medication is also the same, so any halfway decent general can deal with it. Here in the UK, eye injuries are seen as a priority and will be accommodated as quickly as possible within 24 hours.

In order to apply any drops or gel, gently pull down the lower lid a little and aim the medication into the gap.
The sooner you can step in with the correct treatment the more quickly and smoothly will the recovery be.

All the best!

Thank you so much for this information. I called around to 8 vets today within a 3 hour radius from me who look at exotic animals. The earliest they could get him in is Saturday. None of them offered emergency care (I live in the US) and I am so worried that he’s going to get worse in the next five days. Do you have any advice on what I should do in the meantime?

 

[IsabellaJames]

Please make a vet appointment - we don’t advocate any home treatments. It is possibly a hay poke but eyes always need to be checked and are considered urgent.
The vet will likely put a dye in his eye to check the extent of the injury

I called multiple vets and the best one could do is get him in Saturday. I don’t understand, since everyone is saying- and I would consider- eye problems to need more urgency. I just hope it doesn’t get too much worse by Saturday. I’m at my wits end. Thanks for your response.

 

[weepweeps]

I’m sorry you can’t get him seen sooner. It’s such a shame that vet appointments in the US don’t seem as easily accessible as they are over here. All you can do is keep an eye on him and if it gets a lot worse call them and try to get in as an emergency. If you call each morning do they release any cancellation appointments? Good luck. You are doing all you can.