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Sore Eye - Hay poke maybe?

S and G

S and G

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
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Location
Essex, UK
Ginny has a sore right eye. It looks like the eye lids are swollen. Any suggestions? Trying too get better photo. Looking to get vet appointment (would happen Easter bhols)

She seems happy and eating normally.
 

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Hi
Unfortunately, your pictures are no focussed enough to comment on whether your piggy has an obvious injury or not but any sore and potentially injured eyes should be vet checked ideally within 24 hours. Thankfully, guinea pig eyes are the same as other common pets' eyes and medication is also the same, so any halfway decent general vet will do.

When it comes to eyes, always opt for the first vet who can fit you in as eye injuries can deteriorate very quickly. Unfortunately, these things have a bad habit of happening on the eve of a bank holiday or weekend, as I know myself only too well. :(

All the best!
 
Thanks, trying to get booked in now
 

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S and G said:
Thanks, trying to get booked in now
Click to expand...

Didicult to say whether its and injury or a conjunctival problem without hands-on access but good that you have your piggy seen latest by tomorrow.
 
Only been a day of treatment but touch wood the eye seems to be a bit better.
 
When I saw the emergency vet they recommended coming back in 5 days.

Is it best to go back to the same practice as they would have the notes from Saturday. Or go to a more guinea pig focused vet.
 
S and G said:
Thanks, this is the first vet visit need in recent pet ownership. So, bit stressy but touch wood all looking good now (apart from my wallet 😥)
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All the best.

Good that you have had it seen promptly; it is either an infected scratch on or a poke of the cornea (the eye surface). the blueish gunk on the eye surface is the ulceration, i.e. where the infection sits. What eye drops have you been given?

Eyes are the one issue where treatment and medication is the same as for other species so you do not need to see an exotics vet. Just stay with your current treating vet for now.
Please set a part of your monthly salary aside for your vet fund and always save up for any vet fees, which can quickly run into the hundreds of pounds for a more serious health issue or an operation; often as an emergency.

For UK members, who are used to free human medical care, the cost of running a vet clinic come as a nasty surprise. Unlike what most people assume, salaries are actually much lower than you'd think (especially in view of the long working hours) and do not make the largest budget post. That goes for stocking medication and expensive diagnostic machines.
A guide to vets fees, insurance and payment support.
 
Wiebke said:
All the best.

Good that you have had it seen promptly; it is either an infected scratch on or a poke of the cornea (the eye surface). the blueish gunk on the eye surface is the ulceration, i.e. where the infection sits. What eye drops have you been given?

Eyes are the one issue where treatment and medication is the same as for other species so you do not need to see an exotics vet. Just stay with your current treating vet for now.
Please set a part of your monthly salary aside for your vet fund and always save up for any vet fees, which can quickly run into the hundreds of pounds for a more serious health issue or an operation; often as an emergency.

For UK members, who are used to free human medical care, the cost of running a vet clinic come as a nasty surprise. Unlike what most people assume, salaries are actually much lower than you'd think (especially in view of the long working hours) and do not make the largest budget post. That goes for stocking medication and expensive diagnostic machines.
A guide to vets fees, insurance and payment support.
Click to expand...
Medication is Isathal antibiotic eye drops and Oral metacam anti-inflammatory.

I have gone down the route of making sure there is sufficient funds to cover these medical issues though savings (insurance didn't seem cost effective). I might moan about paying vet bill, but do appreciate it is a non negotiable necessity.

Thanks for the ongoing advice.

I
 
S and G said:
Medication is Isathal antibiotic eye drops and Oral metacam anti-inflammatory.

I have gone down the route of making sure there is sufficient funds to cover these medical issues though savings (insurance didn't seem cost effective). I might moan about paying vet bill, but do appreciate it is a non negotiable necessity.

Thanks for the ongoing advice.

I
Click to expand...

Thank you!

Yes, that is the standard treatment and good on your vet to include an analgesic.

If you wish to, you can additionally order some plain tear fluid gel (like UK brand viscotears) and give that 3 times daily for rehydration, discomfort in the eye and speeding up the healing process. It really makes a difference but it is not a medication so not all vets prescribe it.

You need to wait at least half an hour after applying the antibiotic eye drops to allow them to be fully absorbed before applying any carbomer based eye gel. The gel is much easier to apply than drops and is much longer lasting in effect. It penetrates deeper into the eye than the antibiotic but it also counters the itchiness that the eye drops can cause as well as the rehydration after tearing.

Thank you for appreciating that we need to make sure that any new owners are aware of the need to for saving up or getting insurance (especially as there is very little of the latter around). We are sadly all too often confronted with the lack of any preparation.
 
Wiebke said:
Thank you!

Yes, that is the standard treatment and good on your vet to include an analgesic.

If you wish to, you can additionally order some plain tear fluid gel (like UK brand viscotears) and give that 3 times daily for rehydration, discomfort in the eye and speeding up the healing process. It really makes a difference but it is not a medication so not all vets prescribe it.

You need to wait at least half an hour after applying the antibiotic eye drops to allow them to be fully absorbed before applying any carbomer based eye gel. The gel is much easier to apply than drops and is much longer lasting in effect. It penetrates deeper into the eye than the antibiotic but it also counters the itchiness that the eye drops can cause as well as the rehydration after tearing.

Thank you for appreciating that we need to make sure that any new owners are aware of the need to for saving up or getting insurance (especially as there is very little of the latter around). We are sadly all too often confronted with the lack of any preparation.
Click to expand...
Thanks, is that tear fluid the same as the viscotears you get in boots or superdrug etc for humans?

Follow up vet appointment booked for tomorrow.
 
S and G said:
Thanks, is that tear fluid the same as the viscotears you get in boots or superdrug etc for humans?

Follow up vet appointment booked for tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Yes, but they may not have the gel and check the ingredients first.
 
Hi,
Just thought I'd mention eye all healed now.

I didn't get the tear fluid in the end, as vet gave me some coneal repair drops (remend) to help thing get better. I thought adding another drop ontop of this and the antibiotic would be too much for Ginny. She's definitely fed up of drops

Thanks again
 
S and G said:
Hi,
Just thought I'd mention eye all healed now.

I didn't get the tear fluid in the end, as vet gave me some coneal repair drops (remend) to help thing get better. I thought adding another drop ontop of this and the antibiotic would be too much for Ginny. She's definitely fed up of drops

Thanks again
Click to expand...

Thank you for the update!

Like stated much earlier in this thread, either a lubricant like Remend or otherwise tear gel will do. But you do not need both. It is just that some vets won't prescribe a lubricant to support and speed up the healing process of an injured eye.

But glad that the eye has healed well and without problems. Unless the damage to the eye is really bad, when seen promptly, most hay pokes will heal without problems. The important point is getting a piggy to the vets within 24 hours.
 
Argh!!

Well Sophia not wanting to be left out decided to join the eye poke club as well.

Vet seen, same treatment as per Ginny
 
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