Squinty eyes

[Cimredopyh]

Yesterday evening when i woke the girls up for their dinner, i noticed that Angel was eating with her eyes closed. When i picked her up to get a closer look, she opened them up and looked completely normal, so i thought she was just being a funny girl and falling asleep at the food bowl.

This evening she is doing the same thing again, but she is also walking around with them squinted.

What i think happened is this, on Tuesday evening i gave her the usual ear massage but this time i decided to try doing it with a bit of flax seed oil instead of the usual Vaseline. She was very curious about the flax seed and kept trying to lick my fingers. I think it is possible that during all that squirming and my oily fingers near her face that she got some oil in her eyes

They do not appear watery or inflamed, she is not blinking more than usual.

I will be taking her to the vet tomorrow morning, just in case it isn't the oil and is an infection.

Anyone ever had something similar happen?

 

[shetland]

I am hoping of course that all is well with little Angel. Please let us know as soon as you have anything to report. A hug for Angel.

 

[pricklesnquills]

There is a chance it was just the oils or a slight reaction to something. But it's good that you're taking her to the vet. I hope everything is ok with her! Keep us updated!!

 

[Melissa]

Oh my! Keep us updated with her. Im hoping its something very simple and she just had you worried for a sec.

 

[AlbertaGirl]

Good luck at the vet! Let us know what you find out.

 

[hedgie_kid]

I hope all goes well at the vet. I doubt it is anything major but it's a good thing you are going to the vet!

 

[Cimredopyh]

Hi all, so sorry for the late update, some personal issues came up and life has been a little crazy for me

As mentioned in my previous post her eyes did not appear watery or irritated , no discharge or redness whatsoever just 'squinty' The vet pretty much said the same thing, but she felt the skin on her face and ears looked unusual and took a skin flakes with a piece of sticky transparent something to examine. As well as skin scrapings along the side of her body ( poor Angel )

It turns out she has yeast infection of the skin around her eyes and face, and well pretty much everywhere and it is thought that the oil made it worse around her face.

We now suspect that Barley had more than just an ear infection back when i just got her. And that since it was never detected and treated ( her skin appeared perfectly healthy and no skin scraping was ever done ) it was passed between them when i ended Barley's quarantine.

So both the girls are to be treated topically with Surolan twice a day just on the underbody and face for now, and baths with seboleyse clear foam once a week ( a antibacterial wash containing clorohexadine and miconazole nitrate ). In two weeks we will return to the vet so she can see how they are taking to the treatment.

The girls are otherwise perfectly normal acting, and seem completely oblivious to their yeasty situation. Angel decided to entertain me while waiting for her meds by tasting the part of my top that was just over my boob and annointing...... OUCH....

I hope the treatment will clear them up fast, and would love advice on what other things i can do to aid this. Should i change anything about the regular water and vinegar routine that i use for their liners and homes during this time?

 

[hedgie_kid]

I don't really have much advice but I would just like to say good luck and I hope your girls will make a quick recovery!

 

[shetland]

I will let the experts provide the advise. I will offer best wishes to Angel and Barley for a rapid and uneventful recovery. I also offer a peaceful recovery time for their Mom also!

 

[Amy]

Boob anointing just shows they're well on their way to being healthy. :thumbs:

 

[pricklesnquills]

Is there any concern of them ingesting this cream that they're being treated with? I don't have experience with it, I was just curious

 

[Melissa]

Im glad to hear its something minor and treatable. Keep us updated. I hope the girls get better in no time!

 

[Philogirl]

I would think that the water and vinegar would be good to keep up. Vinegar isn't toxic and doesn't leave a residue like harsh cleaners. However, yeast is a fungus and might be able to leave behind spores (the dormant version of yeast) in liners and stuff. The spores are insensitive to heat and cold and can survive for quite a long time.

I wonder if a diluted bleach solution would be preferable... followed by another rinse cycle of course... to ensure that no yeast remains behind. Any thoughts?

 

[Cimredopyh]

As far as i know white vinegar works on yeast just as well as bleach can. but i could be wrong, hopefully someone will be able to give some confimation. I didn't know that hot water would not work on fungus spores however, thanks for letting me know that.

Is there any concern of them ingesting this cream that they're being treated with? I don't have experience with it, I was just curious

Indeed there is! thanks for asking i forgot to mention this. Understandably if they ingest too much Surolan it will cause liver damage. In small amounts it will cause a little stomach upset. The vet cautioned me to watch very closely and if they express any interest in 'tasting' the Surolan to immediately discontinue usage.

I knew Barley had no interest in tasting it as i had already used it on her during her ear infection. But i was concerned that Angel might as she is really big on anointing. I watch her for hours after applying the surolan on her ( due to my personal problem i need something to occupy my mind anyway lol ) and she does not appear to show any interest. Even during the first application to her face she was not interested.

She is not terribly fond of the foaming wash however, and is noticeably upset with me when i lather her up, and relived when i rinse of. I wonder if it stings.

 

[pricklesnquills]

Oh, ok. Good to know! I'm glad you're not having problems with it

 

[Jeanette]

Boob anointing just shows they're well on their way to being healthy. :thumbs:

ROFL

I too am wishing a speedy recovery for your lil hoggies!

 

[Cimredopyh]

The girls have started to have some quill loss. Angel is only loosing one or maybe 2 a day so nothing to worry about yet, but Barley is losing them in large amounts (which makes it seem even more likely that she has had it for longer than Angel )
She lost 15 overnight and 4 more during the day when i handled her. Shes looking a wee bit sparse across the shoulders . However i spotted 2 new quills poking their way up, so im optimistic that she will regrow all the ones she is losing once the problem has cleared up.

One thing that has me confused and worried is twice i caught her chewing and crunching on the quills she dropped... Its not the taste of the medication, as that is not being applied in the quills yet, just on the under body and face.
I have started removing any quills i see ever since i caught her munching them, but im wondering why she is doing this?

 

[Vortex]

One thing that has me confused and worried is twice i caught her chewing and crunching on the quills she dropped

When my hedgie and a fungle infection she was loseing quills alot and at first i didint notice her chewing on them, but when i took her to the vet for a recheck they looked in her mouth and found a quill stuck at the roof of her mouth! the vet thought that maybe she was just trying to ich herself with her teeth, but when we got home i wathed her for awile, and sure enough.. she picked one up off the floor and started chewing on it! i dont know why though... very weird

 

[shetland]

As ususal I don't have any answers for you, only hopes that the girls will be better soon.

 

[Philogirl]

Vinegar can be used to cure intestinal yeast infections topically, but for washing liners, the vinegar will be too dilute to do anything. But not white vinegar... I've heard apple cider vinegar used for candida and stuff like that.