# Pig has an eye infection - not going away with antibiotics



## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

Sorry for the long post - I just want to make sure I cover the details.

Pig as a mild (so far) eye infection but the treatment doesn't seem to be working and I was hoping to get some input from you guys before we go back to the vet.

I have 2 questions:

1. Should I ask for a different or stronger medication when I take him back in? Does this look like it could be something more serious?

2. The vet thought it could be related to his persistent sniffles, since it shares a duct with the nose. And he thinks the sniffles are caused by allergies. But he doesn't produce enough snot for them to swab and culture, so the only conclusive way to find out is to knock him out and do a nasal flush. If this eye problem is indeed related to his nose, do you think it's worth it to put him through a nasal flush?

Here's what happened:

Day 1: Extra crust in his eye (not too much) when he woke up. A few hours later I spotted something in his eye that could have been pus or just some eye goop.

Day 2: Inner eye appeared a little pink and very slightly inflamed and he was blinking that eye more slowly, as though it was almost sticky. Saw the vet that afternoon and was given Neopolybac eye ointment to be applied twice a day for one week.

Day 6: Eye appears mostly healed. Two more days to go with the ointment.

Day 8: Ointment completed. Eye appears 90% normal.

Day 10: Crust on eye is back (again, not too much, but more than normal for him), ever so slightly pink. I re-start the ointment.

Day 12: Inner eye is noticeably pink, with some crust. Blinking eye with some difficulty again, as though it's sticky.

It doesn't seem to be bothering him and he hasn't been scratching at and he seems normal otherwise.

Day 1:








Day 2:








Day 6:








Day 12:








Day 12:








Day 12:


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

*Update:

I just talked to the vet over the phone and he said we can stop the ointment and he'll give us an antibiotic eye drop with a steroid instead. Hopefully that will have better results.


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## Artist (Apr 18, 2014)

Good luck! Hope your hedgie is doing better.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Such a cute little face. 

I have nothing much to offer other than, is it possible to collect some of the eye gunk to send for testing?


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

Thanks, Nancy.  I'll see if they can do a quick swab when we go to pick up the eye drops. He's been such a good boy with letting me apply the ointment - no fuss at all. Hopefully he continues to be patient with the drops!


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## Mel_W (Apr 26, 2013)

I have a rabbit that got eye infection and I brought her to the vet and my vet gave her some antibotic and after a few days it started getting better.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Awwww, poor Pig! Your pictures are great quality, thank you for sharing the situation & pictures - hopefully they may help someone else someday too. I hope the new eye drops help get this cleared up so he feels better! He's being such a good boy for you...give him an extra mealie from me!


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

I'm so surprised he let me get those pictures! I should point out that the shiny/wetness isn't part of the infection, it's just the ointment I applied before taking the pics.


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

Just tried the eye drops and Pig was such an angel!! I'm so lucky to have my little Squish.


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

AWW poor Pig. He's adorable. 

Did they say what it was? 

It sounds like my problem--I have allergic conjunctivitis that gets really bad at allergy season. I had to quit wearing contact lenses it was so bad. I have eyedrops too! 

Glad to hear he's doing better. He must sense you are trying to help.:-D


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

His eye seems to be responding well to the new drops. I'm going to continue them for two more days just to make sure it's totally cleared up.

They weren't able to get a swab and test the eye goop (we got stuck in traffic and by the time we got to the vet they were closing up), so I don't know what it is specifically. But something like allergic conjunctivitis sounds very plausible, considering his history with allergies. Sounds plausible for me, too, considering how stuffed up I've been!


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