# Wounded Eye



## Alyssa (Jun 20, 2009)

Hey guys, this is Alyssa. I used to be "Asyla_Ryo" on here, but I think once you guys uploaded the new forums, my old name got deleted? It's okay, I was rarely on anyway.

Anywho, I've got a BIG problem with my oldest boy, Yugi. Two days ago, I found that he had a little bulge in his left eye (it looked like his tear duct was pushing out). I was worried about it, but let him do his thing and thought that if it got worse the next day, then I would schedule a pet appointment. The next day at work, I scheduled the appointment anyway, because he was due for a routine exam. When I got home and handled him, I found that his eye had been bleeding (there was dried blood around it) and the bulge only looked worse.  Not to mention, he didn't touch his food. It looked like he couldn't see out of his eye since he kept it shut, and I rushed him to our pet emergency vet hospital (I knew they have exotic animal veterinarians through a friend) and had them exam him.

They told me they don't know how his tear duct had bulged out or why it might have; they just said that sometimes hedgehogs scratch or bump their faces, or it's an infection of some sort. So they gave me some ointment called "Neo-Poly-Bac" to rub on his eye daily, and if it doesn't improve within a week to come back. While he was at the vet, he opened his eye and was behaving pretty normally, so I thought that the pain wasn't too great (he did act very grumpy and hissy, but I think that's due to the eye AND the trip to the hospital). I applied it twice that day.

Today, I applied it in the morning and just a few moments ago, but it doesn't seem to be getting better... I think he scratched it again last night while he was playing (at least he ate his food). Is there a way to keep him from scratching? I trimmed down his nails, but since his quip is pretty long, it doesn't do very much.

Any opinions on what may be wrong with him? I know the picture it kind of blurry, but it was the best I could get.


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

I don't have an answer for you but poor little guy.

*edited to add: If he's not eating/drinking it might be worth picking up some baby syringes to feed him.


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## HedgeMom (Nov 7, 2008)

He needs to be sedated and xrayed and a full oral exam done. Often eye bulges are indicative of an internal growth.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

We've had numerous with proptosed eyes and/or little bulges of skin around the eye and sadly they have all been tumour related and all but one, the tumour was visible on the roof of their mouth. As Hedgemom has said, he needs a thorough examination to see if there is an underlying tumour. 

Sending prayers it is something minor.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Even if they don't find something inside the mouth it could still be tumor related. Riley's spindle cell sarcoma caused tissue to push out from the eyelid. His cancer was actually growing deep in the eyelid's tissues. We originally thought it was a deep infection (behaved like an infection originally), but eventually it popped out enough that we had a biopsy performed. We found a great veterinary ophthalmologist who removed the tumor from his eye lid for us. Sadly for us the cancer had already spread to his neck, where it was not removable.

Good luck, hopefully its just a little infection that will clear up.


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## Alyssa (Jun 20, 2009)

Thanks a ton you guys for the prayers and advice. I really can't tell if the eye sore/infection/cancer is getting better or not. Here's a picture of it today.

silvercat: Luckily he's been eating and drinking normally ever since that night, but I'll keep an eye on his food and water bowl and if he doesn't keep eating like he should, I'll go out and buy a syringe. He's been behaving normally today, if only acting a little slow (it's 11:50 AM my time).

I really hope this isn't cancer... but he is a fairly old hedgy so it's possible. If it's not better by Wednesday I'll call up the vet and ask them to x-ray him and give him an oral examination. 

Can anyone tell me about how much examination and surgery would cost for a hedgehog?

EDIT: I just called up the same emergency hospital and asked the secretary to leave me a note about that strange circle in his eye for the exotic expertise vets. Could that be a sign of a scratch or a tumor?


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## HedgeMom (Nov 7, 2008)

That appears to be an ulceration, which could be from a scratch. Corneal ulcerations are painful and require medication to heal.


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## Alyssa (Jun 20, 2009)

I just got off the phone with their small mammal specialist and described Yugi's eye to her. She said it definitely sounds like he scratched his cornea and to keep applying the medication I got from them yesterday. Whew, it's a big relief.  I'll be sure to keep an eye on his eye and update you guys with his condition!


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## Alyssa (Jun 20, 2009)

So I've been giving the little guy his medication for a while now. His eye has stopped bleeding/he's stopped picking at it, and he's behaving pretty normally. Eating his food, drinking his water, running around and being active and loving, all that good stuff. 

But his eye... it still has some goopey stuff (his tear duct?) in the corner of it. And it's usually lidded and not all the way open when I play with him (maybe because it still hurts?) Here's a picture of it I took today during bath time, with flash.

Is it just because he scratched it? Or something more? I asked the vets if it was a tumor and they said they don't believe so. But I don't know... it's not going away (and I'm not sure if it's getting better) and that makes me so nervous.


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