[Gpdd] [HEALTH] eye problems

Dr Kay Dudman kay.dudman at londonmet.ac.uk
Mon Jan 2 10:58:47 EST 2006


Hi Nicole

I agree with Ty that it could be a problem with the bag balm, particularly
as it contains an antibiotic.  If your little piggy wipes her eye with her
hand and then licks her hand, you do NOT want something with an antibiotic
getting ingested.  This is particularly important as guinea pigs can only
take a limited range of antibiotics, as these can kill the natural gut flora
and then you've *really* got problems.  Penicillin-based drugs are
definitely out-of-bounds for piggies for this reason.

I hope by now you have had the chance to take your piggy to the vet and
had something prescribed that is helping, but if not here is something you
can use that will lubricate the eye:

Hypromellose eye drops (hypromellose 0.3% w/v)

This is an over-the-counter pharmacy product here in the UK, sold for human
use (effectively artificial tears, no antibiotic).  These eye drops are also
used as the basis for some other eye medication, so it is extremely unlikely
that it would clash with anything else.  The licence holder here in the UK
is FDC International Ltd, but it is manufactured by Tubilux Pharma SpA in
Rome, Italy, if that's any help.

My vet has prescribed Maxitrol for some piggy eye problems, which has
helped.  Sometimes Tiacil has been tried; although it seems to be OK for
rabbits, I have found that it can cause inflammation in guinea pigs, so I'd
ask for something else (just to be on the safe side) if that is suggested.

Best wishes

Kay

>Message: 3
>Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 15:55:33 EST
>From: RaPhillips10 at aol.com
>Subject: [Gpdd] [HEALTH] <eye problems>
>
>I just got a my daughters guinea pigs... they are wonderful but one of them
>seems to have a crusty sort of half shut eye.  I am scheduled to take him
>to the vet but I thought maybe I could put some soothing drops in to help
>lubricate it.  Any suggestions or thoughts as to what the prognosis of the
>little gal might be.
>Nicole

>Message: 5
>Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 15:42:59 -0800 (PST)
>From: Birdie Horn <birdlonglegs at yahoo.com>
>Subject: [Gpdd] Health , eye problems
>To: "gpdd at gpdd.org" <gpdd at gpdd.org>
>
>  Nicole,
>  When I was young and lived on the
>  farm we used to use a product called
>  bag balm. It was used on the the teats
>  to keep them soft and healed when
>  were nursing baby calves.
   .....
   I don't know if it would help guinea
>  pigs eyes or not. Lets get the opion of
>  fellow digesters. I think I would try it
>  if it were me, since it is an antibotic
>  salve.
>
>  Birdie, Jimmy Jr., Blondie and Spunky
>
>Message: 9
>Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 22:13:21 -0600
>From: <twigg1 at comcast.net>
>Subject: [Gpdd] health-eye care(Birdie and Nicole)
>
>I beg to differ; when was the last time
>you used hand lotion for an eye infection?
>Do you know the ingredients? Do you know
>what their effect on gp's is? Why take a
>chance on blinding your gp?
>As I e-mailed Nicole; I would only use vet-
>approved medication.
>Ty.





More information about the Gpdd mailing list