Sounds like the build up of pressure in the eye is a factor that can contribute to glaucoma.
http://www.glaucoma.org/glaucoma/
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a complicated disease in which damage to the optic nerve leads to progressive, irreversible vision loss. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness.
CavyHouse, did the vet determine that this guinea pig was blind already?
For humans, the risk factors of glaucoma are (from Talishan's link):
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-cond ... n-20024042
Risk Factors:
"Elevated internal eye pressure (intraocular pressure). If your internal eye pressure (intraocular pressure) is higher than normal, you're at increased risk of developing glaucoma, though not everyone with elevated intraocular pressure develops the disease.
"Medical conditions. Several conditions may increase your risk of developing glaucoma, including diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure and hypothyroidism.
"Other eye conditions. Severe eye injuries can cause increased eye pressure. Other eye conditions that could cause increased risk of glaucoma include eye tumors, retinal detachment, eye inflammation and lens dislocation...
"Long-term corticosteroid use. Using corticosteroid medications, especially eyedrops for a long period of time may increase your risk of developing secondary glaucoma."
Wayne - Glaucoma in both eyes
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CavyHouse
- Supporter in '11
MY vet said that glaucoma can be caused by the eye not draining properly so pressure builds up. He numbed Wayne's eyes and then did a pressure reading. I don't know what units the pressure is read in but the vet said normally you want pressure less than 15. Wayne's pressure readings were in the 20-25 range. Something caused Wayne's lenses in his eyes to detach so things would be very blurry.
Apparently the pressure can vary. Wayne is thin for his build and it could be because of the pain that Glaucoma can cause. Interestingly enough, Wayne started gaining weight the week before the surgery, so perhaps the pressure wasn't as great then.
My vet felt that Wayne had very little sight left. Wayne didn't react at all to waving a hand right in front of his face. But his vision was good enough to maneuver around the cage - so he could hide out under his log tunnels without running into them. I've removed the tunnels and just have some towels/fleece hanging part way down from the top of the cage to create cave-type areas so that Wayne's buddy can feel like there is somewhere to hide.
I haven't seen any swelling under the stitches (knocking on wood) so I'm hoping we'll avoid infection. I've had lots of surgeries done with this vet and can't remember any infections resulting from any that he's done.
We had another guinea pig (Freckles) get one eye removed the same day as Wayne. Her eye was removed after an abscess caused by a tooth growing into the roof of her mouth pushed her eye out. There was a lot of infection behind that eye. My vet flushed it a ton and is hoping we won't have problems with that one.
Apparently the pressure can vary. Wayne is thin for his build and it could be because of the pain that Glaucoma can cause. Interestingly enough, Wayne started gaining weight the week before the surgery, so perhaps the pressure wasn't as great then.
My vet felt that Wayne had very little sight left. Wayne didn't react at all to waving a hand right in front of his face. But his vision was good enough to maneuver around the cage - so he could hide out under his log tunnels without running into them. I've removed the tunnels and just have some towels/fleece hanging part way down from the top of the cage to create cave-type areas so that Wayne's buddy can feel like there is somewhere to hide.
I haven't seen any swelling under the stitches (knocking on wood) so I'm hoping we'll avoid infection. I've had lots of surgeries done with this vet and can't remember any infections resulting from any that he's done.
We had another guinea pig (Freckles) get one eye removed the same day as Wayne. Her eye was removed after an abscess caused by a tooth growing into the roof of her mouth pushed her eye out. There was a lot of infection behind that eye. My vet flushed it a ton and is hoping we won't have problems with that one.
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CavyHouse
- Supporter in '11
I've been real pleased with Wayne's progress.
Wayne walks around the cage fairly slowly, but he did before the surgery too. I haven't seen him bump into any walls or anything.
I've been amazed at how quickly he found the water bottle and knows right where the end of the spout is to put into his mouth. He eats and drinks in the same manner as before.
What I found really cute is how he treats his "hoarding vegetables". (My son and I always refer to veggies as either "hoarding" or "social" veggies. Social veggies are the ones they'll eat in a group nicely, while hoarding ones are the ones they turn around with and go to a corner and eat it). Well - Wayne still knows how to hoard veggies. When he gets his bell peppers or other favorite, he still does a 180 and retreats a ways back to eat the veggie by himself.
So - most of my anxiety about what life would be like for Wayne was unnecessary. Wayne seems to have weathered the surgery much better than I did.
Wayne walks around the cage fairly slowly, but he did before the surgery too. I haven't seen him bump into any walls or anything.
I've been amazed at how quickly he found the water bottle and knows right where the end of the spout is to put into his mouth. He eats and drinks in the same manner as before.
What I found really cute is how he treats his "hoarding vegetables". (My son and I always refer to veggies as either "hoarding" or "social" veggies. Social veggies are the ones they'll eat in a group nicely, while hoarding ones are the ones they turn around with and go to a corner and eat it). Well - Wayne still knows how to hoard veggies. When he gets his bell peppers or other favorite, he still does a 180 and retreats a ways back to eat the veggie by himself.
So - most of my anxiety about what life would be like for Wayne was unnecessary. Wayne seems to have weathered the surgery much better than I did.
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Talishan
- You can quote me
"Wayne seems to have weathered the surgery much better than I did."
This has happened several times at our house. I'm always immensely relieved when the pig comes through just fine, even if I end up a basket case. I'd much rather take a xanax than have a sick pig. ;-)
Ours regularly sniff the tips of sipper tubes, sometimes right before they drink, sometimes not. I'm sure they can smell water. Depending on the shape of their face and their coat type, a lot of guinea pigs actually can't see what they're eating. Smell plays a much larger role when it comes to eating for them than it does for us.
I'm very glad to hear he's doing so well.
This has happened several times at our house. I'm always immensely relieved when the pig comes through just fine, even if I end up a basket case. I'd much rather take a xanax than have a sick pig. ;-)
Ours regularly sniff the tips of sipper tubes, sometimes right before they drink, sometimes not. I'm sure they can smell water. Depending on the shape of their face and their coat type, a lot of guinea pigs actually can't see what they're eating. Smell plays a much larger role when it comes to eating for them than it does for us.
I'm very glad to hear he's doing so well.
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CavyHouse
- Supporter in '11
It's been a year since Wayne's glaucoma. He was gaining weight after his surgery but lately has been losing a lot of weight, so I took him back to the vet.
The vet felt unusual things in his abdomen so did an ultrasound. He found multiple lesions throughout his liver and some in his kidney too. Without doing a biopsy, he said we won't know if it's cysts or tumors. Apparently, the lesions are so widespread that if it were cancer, he wouldn't be able to operate. So basically, surgery would just tell us what it is but offer no treatment options. So I declined the surgery.
I'm just wondering what I might expect in either case, whether it's cysts or cancer. Wayne is 4 1/2 years old. I don't want Wayne to suffer but the vet said he didn't seem painful when he was palpating his abdomen.
The vet felt unusual things in his abdomen so did an ultrasound. He found multiple lesions throughout his liver and some in his kidney too. Without doing a biopsy, he said we won't know if it's cysts or tumors. Apparently, the lesions are so widespread that if it were cancer, he wouldn't be able to operate. So basically, surgery would just tell us what it is but offer no treatment options. So I declined the surgery.
I'm just wondering what I might expect in either case, whether it's cysts or cancer. Wayne is 4 1/2 years old. I don't want Wayne to suffer but the vet said he didn't seem painful when he was palpating his abdomen.
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bpatters
- And got the T-shirt
I agree with what you've done, CavyHouse. Even if the masses are cysts rather than tumors, it would probably be such an enormous surgery to get rid of them that he wouldn't make it.
If he were mine, I'd just watch him carefully, and let him go painlessly when his quality of life declines. You'll be able to tell when he's in pain, or when he loses interest in food. Just give him everything he loves to eat, and enjoy him for the time he has left.
If he were mine, I'd just watch him carefully, and let him go painlessly when his quality of life declines. You'll be able to tell when he's in pain, or when he loses interest in food. Just give him everything he loves to eat, and enjoy him for the time he has left.
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