Swollen and weepy eye...

[dearbarbie]

Oh my poor Burt. Is this just him getting old? He's 6. I know very little about eye problems in pigs.

Background/details below the pics...

Here's his good eye:


Bad eye when closed at same time as other photo:

Tear ducts haven't been draining for a while, vet prescribed Isathal (antibiotic eye drops) last year in case was infection. Didn't really clear up and they thought he's just ageing, they were happy with him. He does this thing where he closes one eye a bit slitty and opens it again - vet saw this happen and didn't think it was an issue. He's a bit of a runt/sickly pig from his youth/is a rescue so has a few quirks anyway!

A few weeks ago he poked himself with hay. Vet again prescribed Isathal a few times a day. It's completely cleared up (yay) and the cloudy bit has gone... but we still have residual eye goop daily. I thought it was just extra cleaning fluid drying on his eye again but it's a bit yellow sometimes (not daily). Seems like it's in the inner corner of his eye. Doesn't seem to bother him much apart from one eye is still a bit more closed than the other/doing the slitty eye thing a bit.

Today though it's really slitty (then he'll open it and it's looking swollen... and when I try investigate it seems a bit red inside. There's white goop and it's inside his eye too. He's a darker pig so hard to tell re redness. Isathal wasn't helping it.

He's weighing fine, eating and drinking fine, seems himself at floor time and when handled. Pooping absolutely fine! Just wanted to get thoughts on this before calling the vet again / showing them on a video call is hard.

Have a bit more Isathal left, but that wasn't doing anything to help this so probably not much point in giving that another shot whilst waiting to see a vet. What else would they prescribe to help an infection if that's what this is?

Could it even be residual hay poke healing?

Thank you! ♥

 

[Wiebke]

Oh my poor Burt. Is this just him getting old? He's 6. I know very little about eye problems in pigs.

Background/details below the pics...

Here's his good eye:
View attachment 140932

Bad eye when closed at same time as other photo:View attachment 140931

Tear ducts haven't been draining for a while, vet prescribed Isathal last year in case was infection. Didn't really clear up and they thought he's just ageing, they were happy with him. He does this thing where he closes one eye a bit slitty and opens it again - vet saw this happen and didn't think it was an issue. He's a bit of a runt/sickly pig from his youth/is a rescue so has a few quirks anyway!

A few weeks ago he poked himself with hay. Vet again prescribed Isathal a few times a day. It's completely cleared up (yay) and the cloudy bit has gone... but we still have residual eye goop daily. I thought it was just extra cleaning fluid drying on his eye again but it's a bit yellow sometimes (not daily). Seems like it's in the inner corner of his eye. Doesn't seem to bother him much apart from one eye is still a bit more closed than the other/doing the slitty eye thing a bit.

Today though it's really slitty (then he'll open it and it's looking swollen... and when I try investigate it seems a bit red inside. There's white goop and it's inside his eye too. He's a darker pig so hard to tell re redness.

He's weighing fine, eating and drinking fine, seems himself. Pooping absolutely fine! Just wanted to get thoughts on this before calling the vet again / showing them on a video call is hard.

Have a bit more Isathal left, should I give that another shot whilst waiting to see a vet.

Thank you! ♥

Hi!

Please have the eye vet checked as soon as possible. It could well be another hay poke but only a hands-on examination will tell.
How to contact a vet out of hours
COVID-19 - Vet visits/emergencies during coronavirus/Covid-19 lockdown

Eye injuries deteriorate very quickly but need a vet assessment as to the severity and as which antibiotic drops or gel they use accordingly (isathal it the weaker of the two possible antibiotics for eyes). Treatment and medication is the same for all common pet species, so any general vet will do. Please ask whether some metacam (analgesic to help with pain and any inflammation) and a lubricant.

If possible get hold of ideally some plain tear gel (longer lasting and easier to apply than drops, but plain articifial tear drops will also do) in order to keep the eye hydrated; if you can't get a lubricant from your vet, a pharmacy or even larger supermarket will do. The gel will reduce the discomfort and help speed up the healing process in combination with the antibiotic. My own piggy savvy vet always prescribes it as a matter of course, and after ending up with 8 hay pokes in a year, I always have some at home in my first aid kit.
Apply 3-6 times in 24 hours but always wait 30-60 minutes after the antibiotic drops/gel to allow them to be fully absorbed.

Please do not use any opened eye drops if possible and not if you can see a vet ideally today. Eye injuries count as an emergency.

 

[dearbarbie]

Thanks. I called the vet as soon as I posted this and he's been examined in-person tomorrow afternoon.

I had a closer look just now as his eye is a bit more open and noticed it looks like there's something on his eyeball, like a mark or a cutout. Very hard to see and look out with him wriggling. Bit cloudy too BUT he has been thought to have cataracts before. Wondering if he's poked himself again..

 

[alpacasqueak]

Aah bless him, sounds like haypoke which is a pain (and quite painful) but if you can get him seen quickly then should heal quickly! Good luck at the vets with him. He’s gorgeous x

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks. I called the vet as soon as I posted this and he's been examined in-person tomorrow afternoon.

I had a closer look just now as his eye is a bit more open and noticed it looks like there's something on his eyeball, like a mark or a cutout. Very hard to see and look out with him wriggling. Bit cloudy too BUT he has been thought to have cataracts before. Wondering if he's poked himself again..

The cloudiness is a developing ulcer (infection) from a hay poke. They are pretty common.
Please try to get hold of some eye drops or gel.

 

[dearbarbie]

An update on little Burt who is currently sat next to me on the sofa chuttering away!

So the vet gave him some eye drops (cannot remember which!) and metacam, there was some hay poke going on we thought. Thought it was getting better but it didn't go away fully so vet then prescribed another eye drop (tiacil) .

It seemed to be getting better and turns out its fine for a few days and then one day it'll get really crusty and be a lot more closed. One thing is that his eyelids are swollen, you can see this when you look at him head on.
Sometimes it's more open than other times but here it is on a good day.



The third set of eye drops he's now on are chloramphenicol twice a day plus 0.19ml of Baytril twice daily. He's tolerating both fine but after a week of this, no difference to the eye apart from less goopy... ie its not fully opened. It has helped with redness inside his eyelids though I think.

He is completely fine in himself. His weight is fine, perfect poops like it's going out of fashion, eating and drinking fine, just as excited about vegetables and floor time as ever. Vet said he's very healthy for a 6.5 year old pig! Am baffled. Next up is tests but the vet doesn't want to start anaesthetising him for blood from his leg etc...

 

[dearbarbie]

Ps the hay poke cloudy mark has gone, I forgot to mention that bit!

 

[Swissgreys]

Were you able to get the tear gel Wiebke recommended?

Using this in combination with the antibiotic eye drops (applied at suitable intervals) from the vet can often help shift a stubborn eye issue.

 

[Wiebke]

An update on little Burt who is currently sat next to me on the sofa chuttering away!

So the vet gave him some eye drops (cannot remember which!) and metacam, there was some hay poke going on we thought. Thought it was getting better but it didn't go away fully so vet then prescribed another eye drop (tiacil) .

It seemed to be getting better and turns out its fine for a few days and then one day it'll get really crusty and be a lot more closed. One thing is that his eyelids are swollen, you can see this when you look at him head on.
Sometimes it's more open than other times but here it is on a good day.

View attachment 148031

The third set of eye drops he's now on are chloramphenicol twice a day plus 0.19ml of Baytril twice daily. He's tolerating both fine but after a week of this, no difference to the eye apart from less goopy... ie its not fully opened. It has helped with redness inside his eyelids though I think.

He is completely fine in himself. His weight is fine, perfect poops like it's going out of fashion, eating and drinking fine, just as excited about vegetables and floor time as ever. Vet said he's very healthy for a 6.5 year old pig! Am baffled. Next up is tests but the vet doesn't want to start anaesthetising him for blood from his leg etc...

I am very sorry that there is something else going on. Chloramphenicol is the heave gun when it comes to antibiotic eye drops/gels.

Would your vet consider a course or two of zithromax (azithromycin)? This is the strongest (unlicensed) antibiotic you can give a guinea pig, and it has saved the eye of at least two of my older piggies who were too old to risk an eye removal operation. Zithromax is mostly tolerated well by guinea pigs but it can cause total loss of appetite so you would have to push through that with syringe feeding around the clock. I had to do this both with my Nosgan who had bashed in his eye on a grid rather badly and then again with 6 year old Hafren - both needed two rounds of zithromax so it was no fun but very much worth it!


My vet also always prescibes (or recommends) plain artificial tear gel (preferably to drops as the gel is longer lasting in effect and easier to apply) to help with hydration and the healing process deeper down in the eye. I must admit that it has made a real difference in the healing process, much more than you would expect. You will have to always wait at least half an hour after any antibiotic drops and gel to allow them to be fully absorbed but you can apply drops up 6 times and gel up to 3 times a day.

I hope that these points which have helped me with my own trickiest eye customers can help you and your vet as well.

 

[dearbarbie]

Thank you! I'm unsure which eye gel you mean/Wiebke meant (and completely forgot to ask moretti about it)... Can you recommend any? I'm terrified of getting the wrong thing and hurting the poor little chap!

I can certainly discuss with the vet for sure re the zithromax if no luck with that, thank you!

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you! I'm unsure which eye gel you mean/Wiebke meant (and completely forgot to ask moretti about it)... Can you recommend any? I'm terrified of getting the wrong thing and hurting the poor little chap!

I can certainly discuss with the vet for sure re the zithromax if no luck with that, thank you!

Ask at your pharmacy (if necessary say it's for yourself) or ask your vet; there are different brands around and names also differ from country to country. My vets use viscotears liquid gel, which they keep in stock but I have on occasion bought whatever my local pharmacy had in stock when I needed to use my local vets (who like most clinics) won't have any in stock. I usually have some at home since the year I ended up with 7 or 8 hay pokes.

 

[dearbarbie]

Thanks! I found a Beaphar one on amazon so shall order that, they don't seem to have Viscotears on there!

 

[dearbarbie]

Update.... Human Viscotears has just finally arrived in the post. Will apply three times a day and see how we get on!

 

[Bill & Ted]

Aw poor little chap, hope his eye gets better soon x

 

[dearbarbie]

Thanks... Update. When I put the gel in his eye is almost normal size again. Still has swollen eyelids though. Doesn't seem to be in pain still. Am doing once or twice a day after a gentle clean.

As a recap... he's had this for a few months. Eating and drinking fine. Did have a hay poke but that's healed. We've tried three kinds of prescribed eye drops and he also recently had baytril. Now trying viscotears.

Symptoms - one eye with swollen eyelids, white goo coming from inner corner of eye similar to the kind of stuff that comes out of a human eye when you get something in it. Has seen vet four times. Vet can't see anything in his eye, no ulcers. Also doesn't think it's teeth. He's 6.5 and vet isn't keen on doing anything like bloods that require anaesthetic because of his age and he's a petite little chap. Weight fine, eating and drinking fine, personality fine.

Am wondering if this could be an allergy...?
I use megazorb for bedding. I mix up different kinds of hay to keep things interesting!

 

[Wizzy]

One of my pigs has a similar problem with her eye as well- looks exactly like your pigs eye only slightly more watery. We thought it was a uri so have been giving her antibiotics and eye drops since may- but nothings changed. Vet suspects allergy- so perhaps this is what’s happening with your pig too? You could try fleece or Vetbed and try different brands of hay, and see if that helps at all?

 

[dearbarbie]

One of my pigs has a similar problem with her eye as well- looks exactly like your pigs eye only slightly more watery. We thought it was a uri so have been giving her antibiotics and eye drops since may- but nothings changed. Vet suspects allergy- so perhaps this is what’s happening with your pig too? You could try fleece or Vetbed and try different brands of hay, and see if that helps at all?

Ah thanks! Yes, if it was a uri it would have surely been captured by the baytril or metacam and also gotten worse. But its been the same / slightly better since April.

I've tried fleece and it was a complete nightmare with this guy but maybe aubiose or something paper based might work. Will keep you posted. Did you try changing anything?

 

[Wizzy]

Ah thanks! Yes, if it was a uri it would have surely been captured by the baytril or metacam and also gotten worse. But its been the same / slightly better since April.

I've tried fleece and it was a complete nightmare with this guy but maybe aubiose or something paper based might work. Will keep you posted. Did you try changing anything?

Clean out day is tomorrow so I'll be trying the back2nature bedding instead of woodshavings- I'll see how that goes. I'm not keen on fleece either.

 

[dearbarbie]

Hi everyone! Realised I didn't update in ages!

Here's an update and a diagnosis in case anyone encounters similar...

So different kinds of bedding didn't do much - this clearly isn't an allergy. Then things seemed to get better for a bit.

Then his eye went very white like it was another ulcer or a cataract so back to the exotic vet we went.

She did another ulcer test which showed nothing and diagnosed a fully developed cataract at the same time.

His nose also seemed a bit weepy along with eye so she took a swab. Prescribed kamidox (or something sounding like that!) and metacam in the meantime.

I've just had a call saying results show he has bacteria called staphylococcus aureus, so is already on the right meds for 5 days now and he's having some more eye drops prescribed later today.

Feels good to finally have an answer and I'm now wondering what's caused it or how he's had it for so long! Just hoping these meds work.

I can't find much online about this bacteria in terms of guinea pigs.

 

[GPTV]

Then his eye went very white like it was another ulcer or a cataract so back to the exotic vet we went.

Just out of interest, do you have any photos of Burt's eye like this?

My Orca has had eye problems for years & nearly 2wks ago I took her to the vet as her good eye developed what looked like a cataract over 24hrs.

The vet said he thinks she's just prone to eye issues as she's virtually blind in her other eye, she has Osseous Metaplasia the boney formation of white spots around her eyeballs & has had it for yrs
Links - Eye Conditions - Guinea Lynx Records .

She doesn't normally close her eyes unless it's a hay poke or she's sleeping deeply, but they can be extra watery at times.

Orca's had about 4 different eyedrops prescribed at different times & one was a steroid eyedrop.

She's currently on a repeat prescription of 'Tiacil' and I give her 'Remend' Remend Corneal Repair Gel - 3ml
too about 30+ mins after the Tiacil when she needs them. (I was told to keep them in the fridge to make them last longer by the vet).

She's never had the cateract looking eye before now though.

Does his look similar to Orca's?


Orca's only been on courses of Baytril for hers over the years & she's about 6.5yrs old now.

Speedy recovery to Burt your handsome little man xx

 

[Wiebke]

Just out of interest, do you have any photos of Burt's eye like this?

My Orca has had eye problems for years & nearly 2wks ago I took her to the vet as her good eye developed what looked like a cataract over 24hrs.

The vet said he thinks she's just prone to eye issues as she's virtually blind in her other eye, she has Osseous Metaplasia the boney formation of white spots around her eyeballs & has had it for yrs
Links - Eye Conditions - Guinea Lynx Records .

She doesn't normally close her eyes unless it's a hay poke or she's sleeping deeply, but they can be extra watery at times.

Orca's had about 4 different eyedrops prescribed at different times & one was a steroid eyedrop.

She's currently on a repeat prescription of 'Tiacil' and I give her 'Remend' Remend Corneal Repair Gel - 3ml
too about 30+ mins after the Tiacil when she needs them. (I was told to keep them in the fridge to make them last longer by the vet).

She's never had the cateract looking eye before now though.

Does his look similar to Orca's?
View attachment 153646View attachment 153647

Orca's only been on courses of Baytril for hers over the years & she's about 6.5yrs old now.

Speedy recovery to Burt your handsome little man xx

Hi

Can you please start your own thread and not take over an old one. This allows us to give you personalised support without creating confusion by reviving old threads. For that reason we ask our members to please stick to the 1 case = 1 thread rule.
This section is specially monitored by experienced members whose knowledge we fully trust, who will make sure that every thread is seen and answered by at least one of us during UK daytime hours. Thank you!

PS: What your sadly somewhat fuzzy pictures and the medication seem to imply is that your piggy is treated for a well developed ulcerated eye infection/hay poke or an ulcerating infected eye scratch. This is on the surface of the eye whereas a cataract forms in the lens inside the eye. Ulcerated hay pokes and similar eye injuries are not uncommon.

 

[GPTV]

Hi

Can you please start your own thread and not take over an old one. This allows us to give you personalised support without creating confusion by reviving old threads. For that reason we ask our members to please stick to the 1 case = 1 thread rule.
This section is specially monitored by experienced members whose knowledge we fully trust, who will make sure that every thread is seen and answered by at least one of us during UK daytime hours. Thank you!

PS: What your sadly somewhat fuzzy pictures and the medication seem to imply is that your piggy is treated for a well developed ulcerated eye infection/hay poke or an ulcerating infected eye scratch. This is on the surface of the eye whereas a cataract forms in the lens inside the eye. Ulcerated hay pokes and similar eye injuries are not uncommon.

The original poster updated today, I didn't realise the thread was an old one.

Orca's nearly blind eye has the Tiacil drops the same as Burts, I thought it would be reassuring to know of another Guinea on the same meds as him.

Her good eye went silvery inside the eyeball similar to a cataract, which sounded similar to Burts.
The vet examined her the next day & thinks its an issue with her lens as no ulceration or hay pokes were found.
I wondered if from the OP description they had photos to compare with Orca's to ask my vet their thoughts on it.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Wiebke]

The original poster updated today, I didn't realise the thread was an old one.

Orca's nearly blind eye has the Tiacil drops the same as Burts, I thought it would be reassuring to know of another Guinea on the same meds as him.

Her good eye went silvery inside the eyeball similar to a cataract, which sounded similar to Burts.
The vet examined her the next day & thinks its an issue with her lens as no ulceration or hay pokes were found.
I wondered if from the OP description they had photos to compare with Orca's to ask my vet their thoughts on it.
Thanks for the help.

If the lens goes evenly cloudy, then that can be nuclear sclerosis. It is similar to a cataract, but instead of resembling the night sky with a growing net of stars and galaxies, nuclear sclerosis looks like the lens is fogging up and is becoming opaque. It can come on very quickly - with my brindle aby Mischief it happened within a matter of days.
You can see her fully developed nuclear sclerosis blue in the flashlight in this picture here:

Her other eye developed a more common cataract within a matter of weeks afterwards, but not quite as quickly. It still did come as a massive shock and the transition period was not easy on her.
Nuclear sclerosis and fully developed cataracts will reflect blue in flashlight whereas a developing one can reflect purple and show up that earlier than you would normally notice.


I would still recommend that you please opened your own thread for your own questions and tagged people in that might have helpful information, so any thread is just about one piggy and their problem.