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Sunflower has had an eye removed

Pound Shilling & Pig

Adult Guinea Pig
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I'm going through a bit of a hard time with the pigs at the moment. As some of you know I took Hazelelnut to the vets last friday, then had to have her pts on Tuesday. What I didn't mention was on Friday I took 2 other pigs along as well, Sunflower and Strawberry Moon. Infact the appointment had been for them and Hazelnut was added as an emergency extra.
Anyway Sunflower has been losing weight very slowly for a long time, just 2 or 3 grams a week but every week for a few months. She also has crusty nipples and more hormonal behaviour than you would expect but not all the time. She is alpha pig in her large herd and always mounts whoever is in season when they stand ready. She doesn't bother otherwise and has no fur loss but I have my suspensions about the small hormonal ovarian cysts they can get and has decided the time had come to speak ti the vet. The vet couldn't feel anything and didn't want to stay at this time. So that was that. I weighed her on Sunday and she was down a gram from the week before. Then on Wednesday evening I realised she had stopped eating and was withdrawn. She had lost 100g since Sunday! I started syringe feeding and booked an appointment on Thursday for Friday. Then something unexpected started to happen.
Thursday evening her eye was starting to protrude and her conjunctiva swell. By Friday morning it was even worse. The vet suspected there was an abscess or tumor behind it and admitted her as an emergency to remove it as she was in a lot of pain. She said the conjunctiva was being pushed out too.
After losing Hazelnut I was expecting the worst and hated leaving her in pain and fear but the opp went well. Strangely, but fortunately there was nothing behind the eye pushing it out or any issues with her teeth and roots. The vet said it must be an issue with the eye itself, something going on inside it causing it to expand but couldn't say what without sending it away for histo, which I cant afford right now. There had been no external trauma to the eye. She also said that in the few hours between my appointment and the opp, the conjunctiva had started to become neuctotic. I am amazed at out fast this developed. I don't know if this had been brewing for a long time and the cause of her slow weight loss or if she has hormonal issues too, she still has a lot of recovering to do and then we will see. She is only eating a little on her own but taking syringe food well so I am feeling hopeful. Here are some photos

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First 2 photos i took Wednesday evening when syringe feeding
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Thursday evening
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A close up
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Friday morning
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Friday evening post op
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My vet was wonderful and treating Sunflower meant she had no lunchbreak and finished late too.
 
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Hope Sunflower recovers quickly now the eye is gone.
That was quite a scary and traumatic time for you.
You sound as if your vet is excellent and very caring.

Holding you in my heart ♥️
 
Oh wow... that looks incredibly painful! She is likely better off without the eye, I hope she's soon feeling much better!
 
BIG HUGS

I am so sorry. I've never seen an with such a swollen conjunctiva; whatever happened, it was unusual. :(

I have occasionally come up against cases where the eye has swelled up literally in a matter of hours to bursting point but that has always just been the eyeball.

Fingers very firmly crossed for your poorly lady. I hope that she recovers soon from her ordeal.
 
BIG HUGS

I am so sorry. I've never seen an with such a swollen conjunctiva; whatever happened, it was unusual. :(

I have occasionally come up against cases where the eye has swelled up literally in a matter of hours to bursting point but that has always just been the eyeball.

Fingers very firmly crossed for your poorly lady. I hope that she recovers soon from her ordeal.
The vet said it wasn't so much that the conjunctiva was swollen (although it looks that way) but that it was being forced out of the socket, presumably because the eye was expanding.
Yes, it is unusual. Hazelnut's jaw issue was unusual too. And my long term bladder piggy Plum Blossom has had some unusual developments too, I may post about separately, and I am starting to fear the worst for her. I feel i have vet visit fatigue
 
The vet said it wasn't so much that the conjunctiva was swollen (although it looks that way) but that it was being forced out of the socket, presumably because the eye was expanding.
Yes, it is unusual. Hazelnut's jaw issue was unusual too. And my long term bladder piggy Plum Blossom has had some unusual developments too, I may post about separately, and I am starting to fear the worst for her. I feel i have vet visit fatigue

HUGS

I know the feeling, and so does my piggy account... :(

There is so much we don't know about piggies; and the wider our horizons get and the closer vets look at issues the more complex and weirder stuff turns up.

Keeping my fingers firmly crossed for your poorly girls.
 
HUGS

I know the feeling, and so does my piggy account... :(

There is so much we don't know about piggies; and the wider our horizons get and the closer vets look at issues the more complex and weirder stuff turns up.

Keeping my fingers firmly crossed for your poorly girls.
Thank you, I know you have been going through it too. I agree with what you say. I think it is good at least that we can share our experiences here, it all adds to the overall bank of knowledge
 
Oh wow, what a startling situation you had. Poor Sunflower. I hope she’s making a good recovery from her surgery and adapting to monocular vision.
 
Gosh what a poor girl for it to deteriorate so quickly, it must have been so painful bless her little heart. I’m so pleased her op went well and she’s doing ok, she’s absolutely gorgeous and such a brave girl :luv: Sending you massive hugs and lots of love and healing vibes to beautiful Sunflower x
 
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