Blind chinchilla? Very lost

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Anyway,
Just got back from the vet.
She just has a chronic infection in her eyes. He told me he didn't think we should xray her at the time due to unnecessary stress and he was also able to feel her teeth under her jaw and said they felt normal. That this sort of infection doesn't seem to be one to spread into her skull or blood stream. That they can, but this one looks like a local infection if it's been going on this long -- that eye infections can stay local. If by next week something still doesn't look right, we will of course take an x-ray. Head x-rays aren't easy awake he told us, so the stress wasn't necessary.

He rinsed her eyes and put an antibiotic drop in them. I have this and have to give it 3 times a day for the next week then we go back in to see him again. Also use a warm compress to help with cleaning the drainage and crust. (The antibiotic is Ciprofloxacin Opth Drops) I was told to raise the eyelid as much as possible and get on good drop under the top lid.

He told me we need to get rid of the infection first so we can then go in and see if she has eyes/if they are functioning/etc because right now they're sort of a mess.

He told me he sees this in leopard geckos as well.. that the owners will keep them in the sand and when they get an infection, it stay for so long that when they're brought to the vet, he has to first clear the infection up and then he can nearly pull a 'plug' of dirt,sand, and what not out from behind the eyelids..then low and behold..there are eyes.

Other than that, he looked her over and she's fine. She weighs 430 grams. (I'm sure switching from Zupreem to the Mana Pro Show Formula will put some weight on her. He really wants me to let him know about the feed as he was very leary about me feeding rabbit food.)

Funny though, when we were standing and switched subjects to our dogs..Baby decides to pee on me. Time to get cleaned up.

Here's a picture. (Before the drops were put into her eyes)
IMG_8307-1.jpg

Will see how this goes over the next week until she gets another check up.
 
Just for discussion purposes ..........


Mandy said:
She just has a chronic infection in her eyes. He told me he didn't think we should xray her at the time due to unnecessary stress and he was also able to feel her teeth under her jaw and said they felt normal.
Click to expand...

Gross examination of the lower jaw didn't show any significant root abruption (the roots pressing into/through the jawbone)....... what about upper roots, peridontal pockets or abscesses etc?


That this sort of infection doesn't seem to be one to spread into her skull or blood stream. That they can, but this one looks like a local infection if it's been going on this long -- that eye infections can stay local. If by next week something still doesn't look right, we will of course take an x-ray. Head x-rays aren't easy awake he told us, so the stress wasn't necessary.
Click to expand...

Whilst I appreciate the intention not to unduly stress the chin, I'm don't agree with the statement "looks like a local infection if it's been going on this long" - if the infection has been there for a long time then there is an increased risk of it spreading.
The longer an infection is present, the higher the risk of it spreading into bone and/or the bloodstream (septicaemia). That's part of the reasoning behind getting an x-ray - to make sure there are no pockets of infection in the bone or bone destruction caused by long-term infection.

The vet cannot determine what kind of infection is present without further tests. Did he take swabs (to determine the type of bacteria you're dealing with) at all?



He told me we need to get rid of the infection first so we can then go in and see if she has eyes/if they are functioning/etc because right now they're sort of a mess.

He told me he sees this in leopard geckos as well.. that the owners will keep them in the sand and when they get an infection, it stay for so long that when they're brought to the vet, he has to first clear the infection up and then he can nearly pull a 'plug' of dirt,sand, and what not out from behind the eyelids..then low and behold..there are eyes.
Click to expand...

I will be interested to know if this is the case with your chin. In my experience with microphthalimia/anophthalmia it has not though.

I can't tell from looking at the photos - are the eyelids sunken in or bulging out?

Hopefully antibiotics will clear the infection enough for the vet to perform further tests.
Please do keep us updated.
 
No, he did not swab her eyes.
I'm sure we'll get X-rays next visit (6-7 days). I was a bit dissapointed that an X-ray wasn't taken, but I can only go by his word.

I just got done cleaning and putting meds in baby's eyes.
I have to say I can be pretty strong when it comes to animals. With volunteering frequently at a pound, shadowing a vet, and reading stories online of other experiences.. it now takes a lot to upset me with an animals injury or illness.

But, I just want to cry right now.
This chinchilla must have so much will to live.
I put the warm compress (am using cotton balls and q tips for direct contact) on her left eye.
When I pulled back, there was a bit of blood on the cotton.
So, I stopped and called the vet as there was no mention of any blood and I see no way that I irritated theceye that much that quickly. He was in surgery, but should call back soon.

I can gently lift both top lids (as I have to to drop the meds in)
if I then bring the (barely) parted lids down, in her left eye I see nothing but white. It's like opening a sleeping persons or animals eyes and seeing the white..but hers have no red veins/lines and there's no real pink or red.
Her left eye feels pretty sunken in and no little bulge or anything to give me any hope that there's an eye - and if there is one it must be extremely small.

Her right is kind of the same, but there's a little bump like thing. If I bring the lid down however all I see is the white film stuff behind the lids.
Can't get a real good look as it seems the lids are nearly completely sealed together, just a little opening.

Hope this all makes sense.
Im trying to get my thoughts straight.
She also grinds her teeth so I hope she's not in pain..
The dr said she isn't drooling and since she's eating and chewing like there's no tomorrow we don't have to worry about dental problems right now. (even thought I don't like the thought of it getting worse before we check, you know?)

Surprisingly, I'm able to burrito wrap her and clean/get her meds in without putting up a fuss.
 
I administered her second dose for the day and got more blood from the left eye. (this time it was a bit more)
I was able to get a lump of (look I don't know what to call it so well just call it junk) off the eye lid that uncovered a red spot. I think removing the clump of junk made a little spot in the eyelid irritate and open..and that's what's bleeding each time.
I'll still let him know when he calls..
 
She looks very sweet in that last picture :) I wish her (and you) the very best.
 
So, while cleaning her eyes tonight, I noticed her left eye had a slight change.
The white behind the both eyes' lids seem to be a sort of mass of..heck if I know.
It looks like it's slowly breaking up with help of the antibiotics and is coming out little by little.
However, the one in the left eyes seems like it would completely come out as a whole if I continued to wipe at it. At one point, it was on her lid and I was able to wipe a bit away with my finger. (It has a very sticky texture to it.. I'm sure this is just the infection we were trying to get out in the first place. I suppose I can only go back to the 'plug' theory the vet was originally talking about)

Here's my concern..
I put the antibiotic in it and let her be. She has one more dose tonight.. if this white clump decides to stick to the lid again..should I try removing it all?
I'm worried whatever is behind the whites is going to cause a problem if I really was able to get it all out.
Maybe my mind is running wild and I'm afraid I will wipe it all out..then there will be a black hole that randomly starts pouring blood. lol..that's too extreme, but for it being Saturday night with the vet closed tomorrow - it'd be my luck.

I could ring the vet to see what he thinks..
What do you all think?
 
Guess I should've checked hours. They closed at 2pm today and it's 5pm now.
I guess I'll try not to mess with it too much until I can get ahold of the vet.
 
Just got back from baby's second (follow up) visit.

Well,
Baby has lost both of her eyes.
The vet pulled out two mass like things of gunk. He said they were probably her eyes that the infection dissolved and the mass was the result. (this is what I've been trying to describe)
He even showed me. It looked like cotton. (white fluff part with a tiny grey tail like end)
He said he didn't want to sew her eyelids shut at that time, but to keep putting the antibiotics in and see if the sockets begin to heal up/do well, or if they seem to become infected again and then he will go in and close them up.
She will visit him again in a week unless I see more drainage and or puss and then we will go sooner.
 
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