Crusty Eyes please help piggy

[michelle3200]

Sunday I saw a guinea pig in a pet store that was not well. I informed the people working there and they said they would "take care of it". When I askedexactly how, they said they wont sell sick guinea pigs and would "take it out back". It sounded omnious. I used to breed cavies and was in a cavy 4-H club. I just couldnt walk away. So I broke my own cardinal rule and I brought the sick piggie home. He seems very listless, but is eating, drinking and pooping normally. He is not coughing, or sneezing and an overall exam shows that there is nothing obviously wrong with him (I checked teeth etc). However, he has an eye problem that I suspect is making him very uncomfortable. One eye is very runny and keeps getting stuck shut. The lower inside of the lid is red and swollen. I couldn't see any debris in there and I flushed the eye with sterile saline. (The other eye is bright and clear). Then he got a prescription of Neomycin, Polymyxin B Sulphates and Dexamethasone Opthalmis Suspension (1 drop, three times a day). I started this last night. I have also been using a moist cloth a few times a day to clear around the eye. The eye is less red today, but otherwise unimproved. I have added vitamins to his water, am feeding him snacks of kale, parsley and carrots, keeping him warm and quiet. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I think his eye is just making him miserable. Please help. please please.....

 

[AnimalHouse36]

Take him to the vet ASAP. Make sure he is cavy savy.

I know either PetSmart or Petco will pay for all the vet bills if you ask them and make a fuss.

One more thing, plrase, even if you see a sick cavy in a store, don't buy it. That will just support their stupidness.

I really do encourage you to make them pay for the vetbills. It will take away all the money and then some that came with buying this pig.

 

[lmarieaa]

Do not put vitamins in the water. Please do make a fuss to get the pet store to pay for the bills.

 

[graycurse]

That could possibly be the very beginnings of a URI. That's the only symptom my rescued piggy had when she was diagnosed with one.

 

[gooberific]

Please take the piggy to a savvy vet.

Is he eating at least a cup of leafy greens and veggies a day?

Instead of putting the vitamins in the water, I would suggest chewable tablets, such as Oxbow's GTN-C 50 just at least while he's sick. They're apple flavored, so the boys think they're getting an extra treat. Also keep up with some green bell pepper (1/8 of a pepper twice a day) and some cilantro for the extra vitamin C daily, in addition to the greens.

It sounds like an infection for sure, but whether it is an upper respiratory infection or isolated to the eye is the question, which a competent vet can answer and assist you in treatment.

The swollen lower lid could be pea eye on top of whatever else is going on there. Please see https://www.guinealynx.info/eyes.html for more information related to the eye.

 

[michelle3200]

Thank you for all the feedback. I should have clarified, I did seek vet care for piggie and that was how I got the prescription for they eye drops. The eye looks about 95% better. Its no longer closed, but open and bright. There is no more weeping, just an occasionally little speck of crust. Piggie is still eating (dry food with mixed greens, kale as well) and is drinking. He still seems listless compared to my other piggie, but even though he sits quietly in my lap he is more perky and looks around. Tonight I thought I heard a sneeze...maybe Im being paranoid and hearing things....anyway, Im in my room for hours on end and its the only one I have heard. I really appreciate all the feed back and I will keep you posted.

 

[fieryone]

A sneeze here and there isn't anything to be alarmed about. If he keeps sneezing then I would bring him back to the vet. but it sounds like things are improving! I hope all is well in a few days

 

[michelle3200]

Just an update. Piggie's eye is perfect. Im still worried about the sneeze. Now I'm hearing about 3 a night, and tonight there was a tiny bit of dried mucus near one nostril. I know how deadly URI are, and I knwo the sooner they are caught the better. However, Piggie is eating like a PIG..he actually waits by his food dish for me to stir it so that he can reach his favorite pieces. He loves oranges, parsley and kale too. He is drinkning, poop normal, still very calm but now alert. Still, this increased sneezing and that little bit of dried mucus near his nose has me concerned. Your thoguhts?

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

You should take him back to a vet asap and have them prescribe a safe oral antibiotic. It sounds like he has a URI.