• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Strange Patch Appeared Near Guinea Pig Eye

Emily<3

Emily<3

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Mar 4, 2018
Messages
29
Reaction score
48
Points
175
Hello! I have a longhaired piggy named Atticus, he is about 5 years old. He has developed a strange patch right in between his eye and his nose (it seems almost attached to the veeeery end of his eye) at first he was just scratching at it but now there is pus coming out of it. My other pig bubbles had an eye infection but this looks different. The eye itself doesn't seem affected. I plan on taking him to the vet this Friday (I would take him ASAP, but I won't have the money until Friday). Any idea what this is? It was very sudden. I've been cleaning it with a cloth with warm water twice a day. He's on a good diet if anyone is going to ask. Unlimited Hay, multiple water sources, salad of romaine lettuce, bell pepper, and just a couple little pieces of carrot and broccoli since they can't have too much. He has quality bedding and toys/hideouts. Thank you!1520180639532943427922.webp
 
Emily<3 said:
Hello! I have a longhaired piggy named Atticus, he is about 5 years old. He has developed a strange patch right in between his eye and his nose (it seems almost attached to the veeeery end of his eye) at first he was just scratching at it but now there is pus coming out of it. My other pig bubbles had an eye infection but this looks different. The eye itself doesn't seem affected. I plan on taking him to the vet this Friday (I would take him ASAP, but I won't have the money until Friday). Any idea what this is? It was very sudden. I've been cleaning it with a cloth with warm water twice a day. He's on a good diet if anyone is going to ask. Unlimited Hay, multiple water sources, salad of romaine lettuce, bell pepper, and just a couple little pieces of carrot and broccoli since they can't have too much. He has quality bedding and toys/hideouts. Thank you!View attachment 82134
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome!

Please have your boy seen for potential ringworm as soon as you can next week. Ringworm is the most aggressive and transmittable form of fungal skin infections (including other pets and humans). Good hygiene is paramount. Please follow the tips in our ringworm guide; they have been learned the hard way, that is why they really work to prevent any further spread!
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

If your piggy has been bought from a pet shop in the last two weeks, then you can reclaim any vet cost from the shop by presenting the sales receipt together with the vet bill since exposure and infection must have happened at the shop. The period between infection and outbreak is 10-14 days. You will also need to treat his companion to prevent an acute outbreak; infection will have already happened if they live together.

Please be aware that we are legally not allowed (like all online places) to diagnose without a hands-on vet examination. Be also aware that by treating before you see a vet, you wipe the 'crime scene' and make any diagnosis very difficult to impossible.

I would recommend that you start setting aside a little sum of money for a vet fund as part of their regular upkeep each week or month so you can always see a vet asap and can pay for life saving treatment. Illness and emergencies never happen at a convenient time, and more often than not at the most awkward moment possible, as I know my from own experience! :(
 
So I ended up taking him to the vet and she cleaned the wound out and its a hole that goes all the way through his sinus cavity! We have NO idea how it happened, the vet has no idea either. While we save up a few hundred bucks he has an ointment twice a day and I have to flush it with solution once a day. In about a week, he is going in for a skull xray so we can see what the deal is! There is absolutely nothing in his cage that would cause something like that.
 
Emily<3 said:
So I ended up taking him to the vet and she cleaned the wound out and its a hole that goes all the way through his sinus cavity! We have NO idea how it happened, the vet has no idea either. While we save up a few hundred bucks he has an ointment twice a day and I have to flush it with solution once a day. In about a week, he is going in for a skull xray so we can see what the deal is! There is absolutely nothing in his cage that would cause something like that.
Click to expand...

All the best! No idea how it could have happened either. Any bite wound that was this severe would inevtibly have shown up in the behaviour of the two, not to mention that it must have bled quite a bit with blood coming out of the nose, too.
 
Oh my word. Sometimes these little mysteries remain unsolved. I hope that he soon recovers.
 
Your poor piggy that must be very uncomfortable for him. Keep us informed on his progress.
 
Wiebke said:
All the best! No idea how it could have happened either. Any bite wound that was this severe would inevtibly have shown up in the behaviour of the two, not to mention that it must have bled quite a bit with blood coming out of the nose, too.
Click to expand...
He's had it since before we put them together. They all lived in separate cages next to each other (I adopted them, so when I got them they were like that. I recently eased them into living together which they didn't mind because they socialized outside the cage a lot) so it's definitely not a bite. No signs of blood ever, and he's with me at least 2-3 hours a day minimum, vet said nothing up his nose. She thinks perhaps it's something that started inside and made it's way out
 
Emily<3 said:
He's had it since before we put them together. They all lived in separate cages next to each other (I adopted them, so when I got them they were like that. I recently eased them into living together which they didn't mind because they socialized outside the cage a lot) so it's definitely not a bite. No signs of blood ever, and he's with me at least 2-3 hours a day minimum, vet said nothing up his nose. She thinks perhaps it's something that started inside and made it's way out
Click to expand...

That is my thought, too, but it is not something you can work out without a scan. Good luck with coming to the bottom of it. It doesn't look recent.
 
I am back with an update! I did the ointment and flush as I was supposed to and it went away after a couple weeks! It completely healed over, fur was growing back, but I kept a close eye on it. Today and picked him up and boom there it is again! I tried to give him treats and he wouldn't take any. He wasnt active, refused to eat (he ate yesterday, so once again its sudden!) I took him out and checked him out and wouldn't you know it looks just like it did on day one. I gave it a good flush (I had stopped the flush once I saw it healing over, wanted to let it heal) and he didn't even resist it which is concerning. Hes currently on my chest not moving, no energy. The vet is closed today. I'm calling first thing in the morning and making an emergency appointment. Here I was thinking everything was good. My poor Atticus.
 
So sorry to hear this.
Is there an emergency vet you can get hold of tonight?
Hope things work out for you and Atticus.
Holding you in my thoughts
 
I went to make an emergency appointment this morning but he had already passed I could tell last night it was too late. He was just fine too! I'm heartbroken. I did not have an emergency vet near me that treats guinea pigs so I had no choice but to wait until morning. My poor baby..hopefully the medication I was giving him at least took away his pain
 
So sorry for your loss.
It is heartbreaking to lose a beloved pet.
Take time to grieve and be gentle with yourself.
Post a tribute on the Rainbow Pigs thread for Atticus when you feel ready.
 
HUGS

I am so sorry! You have done what you could; please don't feel guilty. We can and only are expected to do our best under the circumstances. It is likely that even an emergency trip would not have saved his life if he was going downhill that quickly. :(

You have already gone a long way with what is a very unusual problem that has been negelcted by previous owners. You have bought him time, love and happiness that he would have otherwise not have had. Please try to remember that!

PS: You are welcome to post a tribute to your beloved boy in our Rainbow Bridge section if or anytime it feels right for you. It is there for those of us who want to share a special life with other people who understand what your loss means.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top