# Prolapsed eye, mass in same side of mouth...



## patch (Mar 11, 2011)

Last night, my wife and I learned a new word: Prolapsed.

We noticed at 11:00PM-perhaps a few minutes later-that Snuggles's left eye was displaced. We called a few animal hospitals nearby, but none of them seemed to think themselves capable of treating him. Instead, they directed us to Dr. Paul Stewart in Roanoke, who received our call and immediately wanted to help, opening his office from 1:00AM to 2:00AM for our little wuffler. (If any of you are in or around that area, he has been an amazing help through such a scary time and really knows his stuff. I give him my highest recommendations.) While neither myself or my wife looked forward to the hour-long drive out there, we knew it could not wait.

Snuggles stayed with the doctor overnight. The doctor tried simply re-setting the eye, but it seems that the swelling in his eye has rendered that potential solution impossible. He's also informed us that he located a mass inside his mouth on the same side as the prolapsed eye (likely a contributing factor in all this mess) and that he believes there to be a mass in the globe of the eye. He's doing biopsies on the known mass and an ultrasound on the eye, today. In spite of the double-hockey-sticks he's been through in the past few hours, the doctor is convinced that Snuggles will be in his own bed this evening. Despite the hope that the doctor has, I'm fairly convinced that the eye may have to go.

I've pretty much been scared to tears since the moment of discovery. This morning, I'm running on coffee steam. However, the posts by Litch on his little one, Prick, have been really helpful. I don't seem to gather that the situation with either instance of eye loss was entirely the same, but it has helped-really, truly helped-to know that Snuggles is not enduring anything which no other hufflebutt has endured.

I'll try to post as we get more information. Of course, considering that we also have a scheduled check-up for our newly-adopted dog, Katsura, a one-hour drive out to Roanoke to retrieve the newly-rechristened Yagyu Snuggles, the more-likely-than-not high vet bills (no higher than expected, just high for the unexpected), a full day's worth of work, and no lunch in the fridge here, I'm simply not looking forward to the rest of the day.


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## zorropirate (Aug 13, 2010)

Daisy and I's love and positive vibes are being sent your and your hedgies' way!

Goodness!! What a traumatic time! 

What a relief to have a knowledgable vet to help.

When my cat Max is in his bubble at the vet's, they always calm me down with hot sweet tea. Something about just trying to breathe and calm yourself down with a warm sweet beverage is some comfort. 

HUGS!


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## patch (Mar 11, 2011)

zorropirate said:


> When my cat Max is in his bubble at the vet's, they always calm me down with hot sweet tea.


Actually, I just located the packet of Cozy Chamomile that I serendipitously did not drink yesterday. Chai would probably be better.

Thanks, also, for the hugs!


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

This is so awful and scary; I'm so sorry you have to go through this. 

Just wanted you to know I'm sending good vibes your way and thinking of you and Snuggles. Hope everything works out okay!

And I second zorropirate: Tea can cure all ills.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I'm sorry this is happening. Sadly I have been through it more times than I care to think of. 

Unfortunately, it is quite common for a head tumour to bulge out an eye as well as go into the mouth. We've had numerous where the first indication was either a proptosed eye or a small tumour showing around the eye and upon being gassed, the tumour was evident in their mouth too. 

I'm sorry you are going through this. Give Snuggles lots of love.


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## Bee (Feb 7, 2011)

sending hugs, good vibes and thoughts to you and your little one. Im so sorry that you have to go through this and hope it gets better soon !


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## ThePliny (Jun 3, 2010)

Pliny, Percy and I are keeping quills, hooves, fingers and toes crossed for your little hufflebutt. 
Your vet sounds fantastic; clearly you are doing everything you can for the little guy.
Lots of hugs and snuggles for little Snuggles.


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## rivoli256 (Mar 1, 2009)

6 hedgies' & 1 human's worth of good vibes being flung your way as hard as possible...please keep us posted on the wuffler (what a great word, BTW)...i hope the doc can help & he recovers quickly!


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## silversheep (Jan 24, 2011)

That is so scary! Best of luck, and keep us posted!


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

Best of luck, sorry to hear you guys are having to go through this.


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## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

Count Herc and I in on sending you good vibes. We're saying a little prayer for both of you today. Please keep us posted!


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## patch (Mar 11, 2011)

*Re: Prolapsed eye, mass in same side of throat...*

All: Thank you! I really appreciate all of your support and will make sure those good vibes get to him.

After waiting until 3:00PM to give the doctor some time to work with Snuggles, I called to at least arrange details on when we could/should pick him up. When I called he had just finished some procedures on Snuggles. He had a lot of details to share, and I may have missed something, but I did take some notes as to what he was saying.

_House, M.D._-grade medical details follow. Continue with caution.


They extracted at least a major portion of the tumor in his throat (correcting, "mouth" from earlier... it was 2:00 AM, okay?) The rest is a bit too fine to extract.[/*:kusoh679]
The tumor at the back of his throat did *not* penetrate his soft pallet, meaning it may not be a factor in the eye issue, after all.[/*:kusoh679]
The doctor will be sending the tumor out for biopsy. We can expect results in about a week. Coincidentally, this is what I've been sweating most. I can stand to sweat for another week, can't I?[/*:kusoh679]
There is definitely a "mass" in his eye. Right now, there's no conclusive evidence as to whether it is a clot or a tumor. In about a week's time, the doctor should be able to identify positively one way or the other based on whether the swelling in his eye reduces.[/*:kusoh679]
There is no guarantee that he will have eyesight in his left eye, anymore. Any salvaging of his eye may only be aesthetic.[/*:kusoh679]
His eye has been replaced. Sutures and stints are being used to hold his eyelid closed.[/*:kusoh679]
He has two oral medications and one topical medication that we will need to give him. Hilariously, the doctor himself could not administer the topical medication and doubted that I could. ("Yes, doctor, I'm aware that he has made a habit out of turning his quills into weapons not legal in the Commonwealth...")[/*:kusoh679]
He will be able to come home tonight. We'll have to stop in after-hours since our official working hours end at the same time.[/*:kusoh679]


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## BlaineC (Feb 10, 2011)

this is terrible.......I'm almost in tears reading this...I cannot imagine what ur going through.....Thinking of you guys and sending lots of positive vibes <3


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I'm so sorry you guys are going through this. It's wonderful that you'll be able to take him home. I'm sure he'll feel so much better there.
Welcome to HHC, I'm sorry it was because of something so scary. We're here to help & encourage. Please let us know how things progress. We'll be hoping he feels better soon.


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

Sending positive vibes and loving prayers you all's way. Please continue to keep us posted.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

More positive thoughts being sent your way! Please keep us updated on the little guy.


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## patch (Mar 11, 2011)

Suffice it to say that life has its way of ruining itself.

At 4:45PM (just 15 minutes before the end of the work day), one of my bosses told me we had to get something done, "before we leave." He spent 30 minutes just telling me what this task required. Needless to say, being held over at work while the wuffler is in Roanoke pushed me from worrisome to agitated. After work, my wife picked me up and drove us back home to pick up our dog (he was crated for reasons I'm not 100% aware of at this time). On the way there, I finally broke down and cried for about 10 solid minutes. My wife started comforting me, telling me something that hadn't really sank in until then. Snuggles was *already* okay, especially compared with the night before. It was not a matter of "he _will be_ okay;" he was already there. Thanks to her, I didn't need to order a milkshake when we stopped to pick up dinner.

After picking up the dog, we made our drive out to Roanoke. My main task was resting, getting myself ready to drive back; my secondary task, make sure the dog didn't eat anything. When we arrived in Roanoke, the doctor met us inside the clinic, and brought out the medicines first, followed by the little guy. I had prepared for much worse than what I saw. The doctor's done a great job with his eye.

In the doctor's opinion, cancer is not a real worry at this stage. He's young and healthy, even in spite of the eye issues. Essentially, one of three things happened to our poor little guy.

He may have injured his eye, physically, and a blood clot in the globe of the eye forced it out[/*:3e3zrfy3]
He may have physically prolapsed his eye, and a blood clot formed in the globe of the eye afterwards[/*:3e3zrfy3]
A tumor formed in the globe of the eye, forcing it out of the eye. This, of course, is the worst case scenario for him. If it has a tumor, it will be removed, no doubt. If the swelling does not recede or it swells more before our next appointment, this will be assumed.[/*:3e3zrfy3]

After getting him back home, we took him out to hold him. He would not be held. Thankfully, it occurred to me that he might need a restroom break. After he took said break, he quickly settled into a demeanor more fitting of himself. We put his tub back into order, taking out a few somewhat abrasive tunnel toys and lining the floor of his house with a t-shirt. (He slept under the shirt last night, so I rearranged it to make that impossible.) Other than being a bit dozy from the anesthesia, his night was just fine. He ate, he drank, he relieved himself, and *he did not scratch his eye*. In fact, we watched him scratch his back on the other side of his body. Would it be appropriate to say, "like a boss?"

This morning, I administered his first dose of oral medication. Method #1 not working, I tried Method #2. He took it this way and immediately went to wash it down with a good gulp of water.

Later, I'll try to get some pictures up of him, both before all this mess and as he is right now. I'll post the pictures of the latter as links. The sutures are not gross, they are just a little frightening at first glance.

So, from here:
In 3 (business?) days, the biopsy results come in.
In 5 days, he's off one of the two medications.
In 10 days, he will have another appointment to see how his eye has recovered.
If he starts scratching at it, we need to get him to the doctor, ASAP.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Thank you so much for keeping us updated!! I'm so glad he's back home with you & doing well!! It's obvious that you love the little guy so much. I hope he keeps doing better & better. 

I've been thinking of you guys. Please keep us updated!


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## patch (Mar 11, 2011)

Finally, we just got a bit of good news. As I mentioned before, the vet found a tumor at the back of Snuggles's mouth/in his throat. The tumor itself was located on a mere coincidental basis. The doctor removed most of it and sent it out for a biopsy.

The results came in today, and the tumor was benign/non-cancerous. We had expected it to have been benign, so there was no surprise with this result, it's just good to hear as a matter of fact, not opinion.

As for the hedgehog himself, he's taken to his new house arrangement well. (I failed to mention that we moved the entrance to his house into a position where he can only enter it from his right side, giving him a clear view of the entrance with his unhurt eye.) He's taking his medicines, now, with little difficulty. Most of the time I've spent administering his medication, now, is in preparation (getting the medication, loading the oral syringe, etc.).

His eye has held steady, showing expected amounts of drainage and no signs of damage. He's still scratching everything but his eye, mostly a particular spot where the doctor administered the anesthetic. Hopefully, he'll continue to keep off of his eye past this point. He gets his last prescribed dose of Metacam today. That being his pain medication, I'm a bit worried about how he'll react to the change. The last thing I want is for him to need more of it and start walking around with a cane, diagnosing people with Not-Lupus. ... You get the idea.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Thanks so much for the update...he's obviously in good hands. Kudos to you for thinking of things like rearranging his environment because of his reduced vision...very thoughtful.

I hope everything continues in this way: meds are taken...news is good...healing continues.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Wonderful news! And that was such a good idea to move his house. Don't think I would have thought of that.
I hope he keeps getting better! Yay!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

That's wonderful news.


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

patch said:


> That being his pain medication, I'm a bit worried about how he'll react to the change. The last thing I want is for him to need more of it and start walking around with a cane, diagnosing people with Not-Lupus. ... You get the idea.


 :lol: :lol: :lol: Too funny!

So glad to hear he is feeling better!


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## RalphsMum (Oct 14, 2010)

wow, i really feel for you.
I am so glad that the news is positive.

Big hugs and hope for a speedy recovery for your lil guy from Ralph and I.


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## patch (Mar 11, 2011)

I'm writing this briefly because we're making arrangements for a dog-sitter while we go on a two hour drive to-and-from Roanoke as we take the hedgehog on an early-evening excursion back to the vet.

... I think that gives you all the impression you need.

If you just ate dinner, read this part later.

His sutured eye had two components: a rubber/plastic thing to keep the eye from tearing and the threading to actually bind the eye. This evening, the plastic was gone, and the globe of his eye has started to swell out of one corner, averting the stitches. We called the vet, and he wants to see him before the night's over.

There is no redness, seemingly no discomfort. He's a hedgehog with an unsightly eye issue.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Poor little guy. I'll be thinking of you.


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## patch (Mar 11, 2011)

Alright, so here's what's up in no technical terms, mostly because I couldn't retain any of the new ones thrown out there today.

The eye's swelling, in general, had reduced, meaning it was a clot. However, a portion of his cornea had weakened at some point in all this madness. When they sutured it up, my understanding is that it put pressure on that spot, causing the bulge.

So, now, we're on plan B: enucleation. Either that, or we can continue our attempt to save his eye and risk him further damaging his eye, getting that infected, and then having a massive mess on our hands. ... Again, enucleation.

He, again, is with the doctor. His eye removal is tomorrow morning. Hopefully, this ends our crisis, here. I'm honestly sick of crises. They seem to have stockpiled themselves one on top of the other like this, and not only with this whole situation, but with other things that have been going on... Several short stories unsuited to discussion here, so we'll leave it at that.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Thanks for the update. From what I understand, hedgies can get along fine with just 1 eye - or completely blind, for that matter. The good thing is that this will hopefully soon be one less thing to worry about. Hopefully he'll heal very quickly & will never notice his missing eye.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

I second what PJM said: from what I've heard, hedgies get along just fine with no eye-sight...so hopefully, after some readjustment time, your string of crises will be over. Jeesh.


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## patch (Mar 11, 2011)

Well, it's been a few days since Monday. I've been taking a break from stress for a few, but I thought I'd give an update, probably the last one in this thread (in a good way, of course).

The surgery went as expected. While we had the option of getting some of Virginia Tech's finest involved to take a look at his eye or to even perform the surgery, we opted to let the vet do the surgery and not submit the eye for ... whatever you call a post-enucleation-investigation of an eye. It would have been just added cost, as all signs pointed to the eye being swelled from a blood clot and not a tumor. Moreover, the doctor seemed more than capable of the surgery. The doctor re-prescribed his pain medications and his antibiotic.

Snuggles was, again, doped on his anesthetic for the rest of Monday, and came back to himself in a day or so. He's showed no sign of problems since. Another good sign, and probably the last before he gets the stitches removed on April 1.

... His second birthday. What a life he's lived, already.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I'm glad the ordeal is over. Hopefully he heals well without any further problems. You're a good hedgie-daddy. Thanks for the update! Hope the next thread you start includes nothing but Snuggle's adventures & pictures of the little guy.


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