I think she's blind - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**cough** · #1 08-23-07, 09:09 am

When I came home today, after spending the night someplace else, I found my cavy Coffee looking like this.

The pictures aren't very good, she's not the posing type.
Her left eye's all blurry, having a kind of light greyish/blueish skin over it. If it weren't for the murky surface, I'd think she'd have an infection or something caused perhaps by a piece of hay. Now I don't really know. I have scheduled a time at the vet's tomorrow, but they're not really experts in guinea pigs, or any smaller animals than cats or dogs for that matter.
I'd like to be updated when I go there, to be able to question them and suggest things, so any ideas are welcome!
I know you're not supposed to write emergencies in this forum, but I couldn't find anywhere else to write!
Please - anything you can think of is great!
Thank you! /Annelie

**clotho** · #2 08-23-07, 09:18 am

I'm afraid I don't have any real experience with this. I would suggest posting on guinealynx.com Good luck at the vet's!

**jilovecavies** · #3 08-23-07, 09:20 am

Have her eyes always looked normal otherwise? If this is a drastic change, then I would think it's cause for concern. My texel House has "murky" eyes, but he was born that way. Because you live in Sweden, I guess it'd be hard to find an exotics vet that has more guinea pig experience, huh? I'm sorry I can't offer any more advice, except for you to check out this link. Good luck, Annelie. Let us know how the vet visit goes. We're here for you.

**PiggyPaws** · #4 08-23-07, 09:49 am

This must be awful for you, I wish you luck at the vets and I hope they can sort it out - regardless of their experience.

**envisionary333** · #5 08-23-07, 10:12 am

That must be so frustrating to have your piggy's health in danger while there are no experienced vets to turn to. If at all possible, try calling vets farther away and sending them a photo if you can to at least get a phone consultation. Guinea Lynx recommends that inexperienced vets sign up for the site Veterinary Information Network (VIN) - For Veterinarians, By Veterinarians so they can share information with other members who are more knowledgeable. This link might also be of use for you as a guide for what to do until you can get to the vet: Guinea Lynx :: Rural Emergency Care. I wish you and your piggy the best of luck, please let us know how things work out.

**Piggersrule** · #6 08-23-07, 10:35 am

Looks like cateracts but cateracts usually don't form that fast. I would love to know what the vet thinks about this. Do keep us updated.

**cough** · #7 08-23-07, 10:51 am

Her eyes have always been clear and very alert, until I saw her this morning. Since it's only one of the eyes, I'm a bit confused.
I'll just have to see what the vet'll say.
But, as you said, it's not easy to find a vet who knows what he or she is talking about when it comes to guinea pigs. But I've got a few numbers for specialists around the country.
Thanks for responding, and I'll let you all know!

**daftscotslass** · #8 08-23-07, 11:55 am

It doesn't look like cataracts to me at all, it looks like an eye injury (you're probably right about the hay).

Let us know what the vet says.

**FoolOnTheHill** · #9 08-23-07, 12:16 pm

I've had a couple of occasions where the eye looked bluish like your piggy's does. I think it was because of a piece of hay or other irritation in the eye. I got some drops for it and it cleared up very quickly.

Hope all goes well

**Ly&Pigs** · #10 08-23-07, 01:07 pm

I do have experience with this situation. It's an eye injury, it's very serious and she needs a vet now. The eye is infected from some type of injury. She will need antibiotics, pain meds and BNP (eye) ointment. There is a good chance she may lose the use of that eye. I had a pig that looked very similar to that but she had a red area in her eye along with the greyish looking stuff. She is blind in that eye now.

**cough** · #11 08-23-07, 02:47 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

I do have experience with this situation. It's an eye injury, it's very serious and she needs a vet now. The eye is infected from some type of injury. She will need antibiotics, pain meds and BNP (eye) ointment. There is a good chance she may lose the use of that eye. I had a pig that looked very similar to that but she had a red area in her eye along with the greyish looking stuff. She is blind in that eye now.

I know I have to go there as soon as possible, but I can't get there 'til tomorrow, I don't have a car and nobody I know can drive me tonight.
I've been in contact with the vet three times during the day, and the time I've got scheduled is the first one tomorrow. I feel terrible not being able to go there tonight, I just hope it won't get worse..

**salana** · #12 08-23-07, 04:24 pm

Can you see a piece of hay in the eye? If so, you might try using sterile saline eye wash from the drugstore to flush it out.

**cough** · #13 08-24-07, 12:20 pm

Hi everybody!
I went to the vet with Coffee this morning, and she actually seemed to be knowing what she was talking about.

I should probably add that yesterday evening I noticed a piece of hay sticking out of the mucous membrane right below the eye. I checked many times during the day, but it must have been located further in below the eye. So I called the veterinary again. They adviced me to try to take it out myself if I wasn't able to get in to the hospital, and then to try to flush it. So that I did. I took a picture of it, it was really big, and it was the thin part that was sticking out, so it was impossible for it to get out by itself - it must have been like a fishing hook.

Anyway, Coffee is looking a lot better today, her eye's not as blurry as it was yesterday.
The veterinary flushed her eye and then dripped some contrast fluid which would show any injury on the cornea. I'm sorry to say that most of it was injured.
She gave me antibiotics for the infection and tear replacement (I don't know if that's the word for it), so she's on medication now.

Hopefully she won't lose sight completely, but there will surely be a scar which will affect her sight.

Thank you all for the help and the support!

**Tulia&Susie** · #14 08-24-07, 12:45 pm

Wow, I'm so glad that you were able to find out what the problem was and now she's on medication which is great. I hope everything goes smoothly for you and everyhting works out.

**PiggyPaws** · #15 08-24-07, 02:45 pm

Ouch, that hay seed looks nasty - I wouldn't want that in my eye. I'm glad it's sorted now and that Cookie's feeling better, best wishes for a good recovery!

**aqh88** · #16 08-24-07, 04:19 pm

Did you get any ointments to apply directly to the eye? We've saved eyes worse than that with terramycin ointment and oral bactrim. If the cloudy is going away it should be fine provided you stay on top of it. However from experience I know that if you don't get to eye injuries within 24-48hours the chance of saving the eye goes down considerably. We didn't notice Orbit's eye for 2days after injury because at the same time he split his shoulder open on the opposite side and we were concentrating on that. He lost the eye and has had trouble with it from that day on. Several years and hundred of $ later we aren't much better off than a month after it happened. On the other hand Pistachio jammed a piece of hay through his eyeball, it was actually sticking out like a spear. I pulled it, rinsed with saline, and started applying ointment the next day. His eye clouded and swelled until it looked like it was going to pop out of his head but within a week it was completely normal. He has no noticeable vision loss and no further issues. $40 and complete recovery for getting to the vet within 24hours compared to $300 and 2 years of continued problems for getting treatment after 48hours for 2 injuries with similar amounts of damage. Time makes a huge difference with eye injuries.

**salana** · #17 08-24-07, 06:33 pm

The absolute most important thing to do with an injured eye after the vet has given you antibiotics, is to keep the eye lubricated to encourage healing. If the vet gave you drops, you should absolutely go to the drugstore and get a tube of eye lubrication ointment. Here in the States one brand is GenTeal; I don't know what you get there.

The eye will look terrible as it heals--cloudy and bluish. Suzi had a hay poke too, and it looked hideous as it was healing. Luckily her hay poke was minor and I saw her eye within 4 hours of the injury and was able to flush it out.

**pignewton** · #18 08-24-07, 07:06 pm

I just went through this same situation just a couple of weeks ago with my dog - he had a foxtail stuck in his eye ball. They removed the sticker and gave him an antibiotic shot. I took home both antibiotic eye drops and oral antibiotics. He was much better in only a couple of days and was all clear on his recheck last weekend. I dont know how close dog and guineas eyes are biologically but it sounds as if your vet is doing the correct treatmant. The really sad part is the pain they must be going through until the object is removed. Im sure we all know the feeling when we get a tiny grain of sand or dust in our eye and it feels like a giant boulder ! Give your piggy a get-well kiss from my doggy Jimi - he totally sympathizes (and loves our guineas).

**jilovecavies** · #19 08-24-07, 08:36 pm

Oh, what a poor baby-I'm glad you found the root of the problem. Hopefully she will heal very fast. House cut his eye over two weeks ago and I immediately took him to the vet and got ointment to put on. It looks much better, but there's still scarring-to be expected. I'm glad you took her to the vet asap and that she has such a good mommy to take care of her!!! Hrm, her name is making me crave a frothy beverage...

.

**Guinea_Piggin** · #20 08-25-07, 02:56 am

Poor baby. =( Glad you got everything sorted out and that she's on the mend. My boys and I send wheeks and thoughts of good wishes for a speedy recovery.