Shiloe's Medical Thread. Please help!
Usually the vet does an eye stain. Gentacin really helps if it is an eye injury. It doesn't look like a poke to me, but a vet can probably assess better.
- Barbara Osborn
- Supporter from '05 - '12
Sadie's eyes are like that. She has never been officially diagnosed but she is pretty much sightless.
She sure gets around though when she wants to. She scampers up to the 3rd floor and navigates all those ramps as well as the younger pigs.
She sure gets around though when she wants to. She scampers up to the 3rd floor and navigates all those ramps as well as the younger pigs.
-
- Little Jo Wheek
That is inside the eye. It does appear to be a clouded lens AKA a cataract. Yes, it impairs the vision. No it doesn't seem to bother them much.
The main causes of cataracts are that they can be genetic, age-related, or secondary to diabetes. You definitely should do a blood glucose/urine glucose if you are wanting to know about that. Diabetes can and should be treated.
Some other concerns include the tendency of the eye to develop uveitis (more chronic overall inflammation) and even glaucoma after a cataract has formed. A good eye exam can include pressure readings taken with a tonometer or tonopen to check for glaucoma, which is extremely painful. Uveitis is probably irritating to some lesser degree than glaucoma. There are meds to treat both conditions. Uncontrolled glaucoma usually leads to enucleation or removal of the eye.
I really don't mean to panic you, since it could just be a fairly quiet cataract, but I want you to be prepared in case the eye declines. Early detection and treatment go a long ways. It saddens me to see animals with glaucoma that the owners left for months before trying to get treatment. I can't imagine the pain.
The main causes of cataracts are that they can be genetic, age-related, or secondary to diabetes. You definitely should do a blood glucose/urine glucose if you are wanting to know about that. Diabetes can and should be treated.
Some other concerns include the tendency of the eye to develop uveitis (more chronic overall inflammation) and even glaucoma after a cataract has formed. A good eye exam can include pressure readings taken with a tonometer or tonopen to check for glaucoma, which is extremely painful. Uveitis is probably irritating to some lesser degree than glaucoma. There are meds to treat both conditions. Uncontrolled glaucoma usually leads to enucleation or removal of the eye.
I really don't mean to panic you, since it could just be a fairly quiet cataract, but I want you to be prepared in case the eye declines. Early detection and treatment go a long ways. It saddens me to see animals with glaucoma that the owners left for months before trying to get treatment. I can't imagine the pain.
- dgarriques
- Got Pigs?
Thank you all. I will watch her a couple days and if it looks worse or changes I will rush her out to the vet. She is not losing weight and is about 3 lbs now. She is eating, drinking fine and going to the bathroom even better (as normal).
They eye when I stare into it (she must think I am nuts) looks to me (the Non expert) almost like it is changing colors. Not cloudy looking to me. So thank goodness for you all that know such things. When I gently rubbed over the eye (closed) she did not act like anything hurt.
She was more upset with me that I saw it duiring dinner time and took her away from her food. She was worried the others would eat it all. Ha Ha.
Now Josephine I do have a question, you said:
How do I do that or do I have to have a vet do that?
They eye when I stare into it (she must think I am nuts) looks to me (the Non expert) almost like it is changing colors. Not cloudy looking to me. So thank goodness for you all that know such things. When I gently rubbed over the eye (closed) she did not act like anything hurt.
She was more upset with me that I saw it duiring dinner time and took her away from her food. She was worried the others would eat it all. Ha Ha.
Now Josephine I do have a question, you said:
You definitely should do a blood glucose/urine glucose if you are wanting to know about that.
How do I do that or do I have to have a vet do that?
Deb, just my humble opinion, but with Shiloe being a young pig, and a dramatic change in one eye, I'd take her in to be checked out. Too many underlying things might be indicated with eye troubles, like diabetes, the genetic condition mentioned above, etc. Also--It does look as if it is down inside the eye, but I'd probably want the flourestain done on the cornea anyway to rule out a surface injury that may have become a deeper infection.
Also, just have to say that in rabbits there are what we "affectionately" refer to as "EC lesions" in the eye--which are caused when the protozoal infection, E. Cuniculi, attacks the eye tissue itself. I know pigs can get infected with EC, but do not know of any documented and confirmed cases of symptomatic pigs.
I mention it because a course of one of the 'bendazoles (Fenbendazole, Oxibendazole, Albendazole) can often clear up eye lesions caused by EC and the animals sometimes even regain all or most of the vision in the affected eye.
Also, just have to say that in rabbits there are what we "affectionately" refer to as "EC lesions" in the eye--which are caused when the protozoal infection, E. Cuniculi, attacks the eye tissue itself. I know pigs can get infected with EC, but do not know of any documented and confirmed cases of symptomatic pigs.
I mention it because a course of one of the 'bendazoles (Fenbendazole, Oxibendazole, Albendazole) can often clear up eye lesions caused by EC and the animals sometimes even regain all or most of the vision in the affected eye.
- dgarriques
- Got Pigs?
I took Shiloe to the vet this morning. The sad news is she is blind in one eye (Cataracts) sp? He thinks she is starting to develope one in her other eye.
He took blood and the good news is no diabites. So that is a good thing. He said she weighs 3 lbs and other than her eyes she seems helathy. Dr Rambo also said that being cataracts she could sometime have pain. If she does he will give her some eye drops. The only other option is to have the cataract removed by a specialist. But he said that would run about $2000 and he didn't think I should put her trough that.
She was very good at the vets, the ladies all loved her. One even gave her a bath and trimmed her nails. She had to be given gas before the blood test as she did not want to hold still. But she is home, munching on hay and glad to be put back with the other girls.
Poor Shiloe, I feel so bad for her. The Dr did not think it was genetic and was surprised Shiloe got this at an early age. But she seems fine for now.
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Oh and also I notice some brown specks in her fur after the bath and they put them under the microscope and the Dr looked and said it was Dandruff and not any sort of mites or bug matter.
What do you do about Dandruff?
He took blood and the good news is no diabites. So that is a good thing. He said she weighs 3 lbs and other than her eyes she seems helathy. Dr Rambo also said that being cataracts she could sometime have pain. If she does he will give her some eye drops. The only other option is to have the cataract removed by a specialist. But he said that would run about $2000 and he didn't think I should put her trough that.
She was very good at the vets, the ladies all loved her. One even gave her a bath and trimmed her nails. She had to be given gas before the blood test as she did not want to hold still. But she is home, munching on hay and glad to be put back with the other girls.
Poor Shiloe, I feel so bad for her. The Dr did not think it was genetic and was surprised Shiloe got this at an early age. But she seems fine for now.
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Oh and also I notice some brown specks in her fur after the bath and they put them under the microscope and the Dr looked and said it was Dandruff and not any sort of mites or bug matter.
What do you do about Dandruff?