# Can't figure out what's going on with his eyes...



## Ava99 (Jul 6, 2011)

Yet another Westley problem from his concerned mommy.

While I was at the vet the last time, the vet informed me that Westley has some sort of eye problem. I didn't fully understand what he was saying, but this gist is that one of his eyes (his left) either has a lose muscle, or something like that, and is therefore not held in as well as his right and actually protrudes ever so slightly further out than his right. The vet said he noticed while he had him knocked out because his left eye came a bit further out than it should have (why I wasn't told this the other 3 times he's been there, and gassed each time, I don't know). At this point, I'm almost thinking my vet is either crazy or money hungry because every time I go in, it's something different. So my first question is: has anyone heard of this happening, or had this happen before? The vet basically explained that I really had to watch that eye because (this is where I'm confused) it could easily fall out :shock: That's the part that kinda made me not trust him, however, I thought I'd ask you guys.

My second question arises with the fact that Westley has now (one week after the vet appt.) had this weird thing with both of his eyes. You know how sometimes you'll wake up too early and the light is really bright so you keep blinking and don't really want to open your eyes? He's doing that. And I would probably think that's what was if he had been doing it for a while, but it's only just started. He also does it even if the lighting is very dim or completely off (using the light on my phone to see him, but it is barely bright enough to see him, so wouldn't bother him). He always does it when I wake him up, but continues for quite a while afterwards, and whenever he eats. Any idea what's going on?

I would call the vet and ask them about it, but the first thing they'll say is "bring him in so we can see" and a 4th vet visit is not in my budget right now with another in two weeks unless it's absolutely necessary.

By the way: Westley is 3 months old, on fleece liners and his entire cage and all it's contents have been fully washed down twice in the past week (with dish liquid) due to his bacteria funniculus (sp?) (I think that's what the vet said it was, some bacterial infection on his skin that he said MAY be the cause of that yellow crusty stuff I previously asked you guys about...


----------



## Guest (Jul 19, 2011)

Hedgehog eyes can pop out I've even read stories where scruffing incorrectly can cause their eys to pop out so its not that far fetched and its possible his eye wasn't a bit further then another, they nose with their face through everything. 

All in all that is a lot of things happening to your hedgehog, but I would hope that your vet isn't just reaching into your pockets and is actually thinking of his health


----------



## Ava99 (Jul 6, 2011)

Ok, well good to know it's not ridiculously unheard of, but I still don't want to see it happen (for his sake and mine... his vet trip would likely be delayed a bit...).

I'm sure hoping he is actually concerned about him. He's one the higher rated vets in the area (at least for exotics, but the pickings are rather slim...). I was actually a bit worried that you guys would think I was making this stuff up, 'cause it's something new every week, but this is what I'm being told. I'm going to ask around and see if there's another vet in the area for a second opinion if my vet's most recent diagnoses doesn't work out.


----------



## rivoli256 (Mar 1, 2009)

one of my hedgies has the same thing. & it came up suddenly. he will be 3 this October. i was taking him in to the vet for another reason & as we were in the waiting room i noticed one eye bulging out just 1 mm more than the other. i mentioned it to my vet & it is so slight it took him a split second to see it & then *WHAM*...very obvious. so far it seems to be holding steady. & he runs around like a terror! :lol: 

as for the blinking...hmmm...i am thinking off the top of my head here...perhaps the lax muscle feels a bit odd at certain times? you never know. :? maybe he has become even more light sensitive? i have had a couple guys do this...one was a young 'un, one older. both had chronic conditions (unrelated illnesses), though that may be coincidental. it's something i see when they seem to be tired but want to stay awake - just like a little kid. in this case, it tends to be more of a slow blink, though. 

make notes of when it happens - see if you can find a pattern or something that links/triggers it. maybe something in your notes/observations will become a lightbulb. 

keep us posted on Westley.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

It is common and hedgehogs can proptose an eye for many reasons. Also, some hedgehogs, when they are scared their eyes will bug out more than normals. Some hedgehogs have eyes that protrude more than others. I also bet if I went up and looked at my gang, of the 8, there would probably be one who has an eye that seems to protrude more than the other one. 

If a hedgehogs eye is going to proptose, there really isn't a great deal you can do about it except for being prepared to have it removed, or whats left removed and the lids stitched shut. To be honest, I wouldn't worry about it as nothing may ever happen. 

Regarding his winking and blinking when he first wakes up, it sounds like something is possibly irritating his eyes. Try either using vinegar in the rinse water, or double rinse, or both and see if that helps.


----------



## Ava99 (Jul 6, 2011)

Alright thanks guys!! My vet kinda made it sound like it would happen any time, so that kinda freaked me out...I guess I'll just have to keep an emergency number on me at all times for an e-vet.

@Nancy: With the rinse water, do you mean when I was him or his cage? I didn't think strong smells were very good for hedgies. My vet also told me not to give him a bath until after his next checkup because of the bacteria, so I'm trying not to...but he kinda forced me to by somehow covering himself (especially his face :shock: ) in poo yesterday... :roll: 

I was thinking maybe his eyes are dry? But I wouldn't know what to do to help that... (water? eye drops?) I do think it's just coincidental that it started after the vet told me about his left eye, but I don't think they are related at all because he does the weird blinking thing with both eyes, not just his left.
I'll call the vet tomorrow (they're closed every Tuesday) and ask him about it as well as to see if they got the fungal tests back yet that he did to check for ringworm.

Also: IF (and dear lord I hope it never does) the eye pops out, other than get his butt to the vet asap, what should I do? Should I try to keep the eye wet, or just let it be and run for it? The vet is (HEAVILY depending on traffic) about 30 minutes away, faster if it isn't a rush hour.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I mean the rinse water from his bedding, not him. If he could happen to be allergic to the laundry soap, having a bit of vinegar in the rinse water will cut any soap residue. 

Two things can happen with his eye. It could either protrude enough that he can no longer blink. When this happens, the eye dries out and gets a film over it. If caught early enough, sometimes the eye can be saved but it also depends on the reason it was protruding in the first place. If this happens, using a lubricating eye drop will help it and human eye drops are fine to use. If it's something like an infection that is causing it to protrude, giving antibiotics asap might help save the eye, but if it's a tumour or from an injury it's unlikely. 

The other possibility is that once the eye starts to protrude he will dig at it and dig it out. Once they start to scratch at it, it would be impossible to save the eye. It's not a panic situation, but as you can imagine, digging out their eye has to be painful so getting on pain meds quickly is a good idea. Also you have to watch that it stops bleeding. When our Emma dug her eye out Jess rushed her to the vet and she (vet), sewed the eye shut and gave her pain meds until the next morning when she could do surgery to properly remove it.


----------



## Ava99 (Jul 6, 2011)

Ok, I'll try the vinegar. I switched what I was using to wash his bedding after the vet said he may be allergic to something and put him on Benardyl, but I'll try the extra rinse function with the vinegar.

He's on antibiotics now (Clavamox I think...) for the bacteria thing on his skin, so if it is an infection, hopefully that will clear it up. I'll have to go get some eye drops just in case...I only have ones for contacts and those sting all to *&^%^&* without contacts in.

Say he does dig it out, I have Metacam left over from when the vet said he had teeth problems (good grief...too many medicines). If I think the Metacam is still good, would it be ok to give him some (same dosage as previously given) before I rush him to the vet? Especially if it's after-hours? (how long does Metacam stay "fresh"?)

Thanks for all the help Nancy, and everybody else who has pitched in. I really appreciate it  I wasn't expecting so many things to happen in the first month!! :shock:


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Usually Metacam has quite a long shelf life. Do you have the original bottle or did the vet put some in a smaller bottle for you? If so, then you wouldn't have the expiry date but assume at least 6 months and probably more from now. Just store it in a cool dry place and it will be fine to use. Yes it would be okay to give him some if he does happen to dig his eye. 

I've used polysporin eye drops with my gang on occasion. 

Vinegar in the rinse will cut any soap residue and it also helps keep the bedding smelling fresh. I use vinegar in the rinse all the time. Vinegar in the rinse also cuts any laundry soap smell. 

Hopefully, he won't have any eye problems but good that you are prepared. I wouldn't loose sleep over the possibility of something happening.


----------



## Ava99 (Jul 6, 2011)

He put it in an itty bitty little bottle (more like a test tube the size of a syringe with a little cap on the end) and just wrote what it was on the side of the bottle and put it in a bag with the instructions on a sticker.
I'll put it in the fridge to make it last a bit longer  

Alrighty!! thanks a bunch Nancy! I really appreciate it!


----------

