Five days after finishing antibiotics and his eye still isn't better...

[peachydays]

It’s been 5 days since Ralph finished his antibiotics, and his eye still doesn’t look much better. He is still not holding it open all the way, and this morning I noticed crusty stuff around his eye which isn’t usually there. I need to get this figured out.

He was on the antibiotic “Tobramycin”, which was administered via eye drops. Is there a stronger non-steroid antibiotic that he could be on? When I took him in originally (on January 28), the vet that saw him prescribed the antibiotic “Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates and Dexamethasone”. After I got home I found out that this has a steroid in it, which isn’t good for chins. I called the clinic back, and spoke with another vet who doesn’t usually see chins, but sees rabbits and knew that steroids should be avoided if possible. He’s the one that prescribed the Tobramycin.

The only other thing that is out of place with him right now is that he’s not as interested in chewing on things. Everything else is fine (eating, pooing, peeing). He has lost weight since his eye problems, but he’s gained some weight in the past few days.

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

Poor Ralph! I would take him back in to be checked and possibly have some tests (blood chemistry if your vet is good at drawing blood from a chinchilla) run to see if anything else is amiss. Possibly even radiographs to make sure there isn't an underlying teeth issue? I will be hoping the best for Ralph!

 

[peachydays]

I've made an appointment for Saturday morning with his regular vet. The receptionsit that answered the phone went and asked the other vet if he would feel comfortable seeing Ralph for a possible dental issue, and he said that while he had heard of dental issues in chins, he would rather defer to Ralph's regular vet because she knows more.

So, I'll know more on Saturday.

 

[Stackie]

When I was battling an eye infection with Neeko, the first med they put him on were the tobramycin eye drops. It didn't clear up the eye infection so he got switched to terramycin gel which did the job.

 

[peachydays]

Thanks for the info, Stacie! Terramycin was suggested to me by people from the forum, as well as the second vet, but I went with the Tobramycin because drops are easier. When you say the Terramycin was a gel, were they like eye drops? Or was it something you had to rub on Neeko's eye?

 

[Stackie]

It was an actual gel. I put some on my fingertip and kind of put it on the inside of his eyelid. When he blinked it got the rest of the eye. Gel can be very messy..I believe they make it in a drop form as well. I actually just bought it at a feed store, didn't get it from my vet.

 

[Megan]

Shayna, I've used the Terramycin. It's not drops, but an actual 'gel' like substance(ointment). I just took the tube, and squeezed some onto the eye--as he blinked, it worked itself into the eye..never actually touched the eye myself.


You do not need a vet for it, and can get it over-the-counter. My small petstore has it, as well as the feedstores.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9674

 

[Chinmama]

ZZ was on drops for 8 long months before his eye healed completely. I was bringing him to work with me so I could give them every two hours.

 

[Jenn]

I was going to suggest either a different med. or possibly the vet will just redose the same med for a bit longer...Good luck!

 

[peachydays]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

I thought I was definitely going to have X-rays done on Saturday, but now I don't know if I should put him through the stress of that, if it might just be a stubborn eye infection. The only thing that is wrong with the eye that I can see is that he won't hold it open all the way, and sometimes there's gunk.

Arrrrrgh I wish he could talk.

 

[Chinmama]

ZZ started out on ointment. It was bacitracin-neomycin-polymyxin with hydrocortisone acetate 1% ointment. It was a royal pain trying to get it on/in his eye and it was VERY greasy. Since I had problems with it, she gave him drops instead. That was Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride Opthalmic Solution. You have to give the drops more often than the ointment, but it was a lot easier.

Initially, ZZ just has a URI and conjunctivitis. But, it wouldn't heal so the vet did a stain and he had scratched the cornea. I felt so bad for the poor little guy.

 

[oxchincerelyxo]

When Lena had an eye infection so badly it wasn't even open she was put on the gel that has been suggested. I was told to squeeze a small strip of it about 3/4 of the way across her eye and then rub it in. I was very easy after the first two or three times (do it three times daily)-they just get used to it and it went away perfectly...


You are not letting him have baths etc. are you??? You should also disenfect his cage (especially if there is fleece etc.) because it will hold the bacteria.:thumbsup:

 

[peachydays]

Wonderful points made, guys. I've decided to hold off on the X-rays until I've completely eliminated the possibility of an eye infection. This is what I'm going to do:

Bedding - switch to carefresh for now, and then aspen once the infection is gone (he's on KD pine right now)
Cage accessories - remove all fleece items until the infection is gone (I saw more gunk yesterday, and I think if the fleece wasn't in there, I would have seen it a lot more often)
Dusting - cut down to once every two or weeks or so, and most likely do it by hand

Poor Ralphie is going to be so confused about all these changes! I'll let you know what the vet says tomorrow.

 

[Chinmama]

You should notice a difference just after cutting back on dusting. Hopefully!

 

[starleomach]

sometimes if just topical medication doesn't work an oral medication is needed too.

 

[peachydays]

Just a quick post-vet update:

The vet was actually able to see some of the gunk today since there happened to be some while we were there. She said she DOESN'T think it's an infection because the gunk is sort of a white/clear color. She said if it was an infection, it would be more of a yellow or green color.

She recommended changing his dust bath to a different brand if I can. Well, I can't really do that...unless there's another good brand besides Blue Cloud and Blue Sparkle (Ralph uses Cloud). I didn't tell her that, but I asked if she thought the bedding could make a difference, and explained that he's on KD pine right now. I told her I was thinking of switching it to Carefresh, and she said she thought that would be a good idea.

So, I just go home and switched his bedding to Carefresh. Ralph thinks his cage has been filled with yummy treats. He used to eat the pine bedding too, though. I'm considering fleece liners as well. The vet also said to continue the Tobramycin for another week.

ETA - So basically I just paid the vet to confirm what all of you told me.

 

[Chinmama]

Kaytee dust is not as fine as Blue Cloud, so you may want to give it a try.