quinners eye - quickie update

[temblabamomo]

Quinn is going back to see Dr. P again tomorrow. It would have been the 2 week re-check for the slight upper resp infection, but our new concern is his eye. 2 weeks ago Dr. P pointed out that the little guy's pupils were drastically different sizes. Otherwise, the eyes themselves were clear and normal.

The past few days the eye with the larger pupil has gotten very cloudy. I have pics, but can't post them from work. He's been a bit squinty with the eye, it's not bulging out or runny or porphy. I'm sure he's been rubbing at it though as the fur is a bit thin around that eye.

I don't think Dr. P has a lot of experience with ratty eye problems. He'll be rushed too, since they're full booked, expecting the normal emergencies, and squeezed us in as a same day visit (basically a scheduled emergency visit.) Fortunately Quinn doesn't seem very bothered by the eye. He's perked up a lot now that the abs have cleared his congestion. I just worry, since it got cloudy so fast. I'm kinda terrified of coming hom

 

[jorats]

Yep, sounds like a cataract. Nothing needs to be done in this case. It's fairly common and doesn't bother the rat.

 

[temblabamomo]

Yep, sounds like a cataract. Nothing needs to be done in this case. It's fairly common and doesn't bother the rat.

I hope and pray thats all it is. This evening there seems to be some redness around the eyes, and some porphy ick.

 

[temblabamomo]

By this morning the eye was looking terrible. Looked almost like it had a filmy coat over the eyeball. Still don't have access to pic posting atm. Anywho. Dr. P said it looked like he'd sustained a bad injury to the eye that had gotten infected, prescribed some eye goop thar little Quinn's been tolerating like a champ. I really hope it helps. The eye looks awful, and it's def bothering the little guy.

 

[jorats]

Did the vet put a dye in the eye to see if there was a scratch in it? It certainly can't hurt to treat for injury... hopefully that's all that it is and will be good as new.

 

[temblabamomo]

Did the vet put a dye in the eye to see if there was a scratch in it? It certainly can't hurt to treat for injury... hopefully that's all that it is and will be good as new.

No dye, but he could clearly see the surface of the eye had sustained some injury. A couple of weeks ago, when my mom was looking after Quinn for a week, she said he was squinting that eye a lot. By the time I was able to look at it, it looked normal. But I'm guessing he got a scratch or something and it's infected now. We've being doing this Tab Antibiotic ointment for since Saturday, I'm not seeing improvement. Vet said if it gets seriously worse to come back. I just figure if the eye was injured a couple weeks ago the infection at this point must be pretty bad, even if it wasn't visible until a few days ago.

I just feel bad for Quinn right now. He's obviously bothered by the eye. How long do I give the ointment? Honestly at this point, I kind of just want to have them take the eye out

 

[mamarat]

My girl had an injury to her eye, she was given Baytril as well as anti-bacterial drops. It took a good month for the eye to heal though. Good luck with your sweetie.

 

[temblabamomo]

My girl had an injury to her eye, she was given Baytril as well as anti-bacterial drops. It took a good month for the eye to heal though. Good luck with your sweetie.

Really? Ok. I guess I'm just being impatient. He's already on doxy & baytril for a slight upper resp infection, been on them for a little over 2 weeks. Hopefully we'll start seeing some improvement soon.

 

[temblabamomo]

Last night he was calmly sitting in my lap, eye looking no worse, but no better either. As I went to put him back into the cage for bed, he started freaking out - terrified of being touched, jumpy, panicky, etc. He hid under my dresser for a few minutes before I herded him into a box and got a look at him.

The eye is now completely red. Last night it looked slightly enlarged, as though filled with blood, and a few drops had come out like tears at the corner. He calmed, kept and eye on him throughout the night - still eating and drinking ok. I feel terrible because I was unable to take him in to the vet myself, but Mom took him in when they opened. Did not see our normal vet (he's off today), saw my least fav, Dr. F. He is of the opinion that Dr. P's original diagnosis - infected injury to the outside of the eye - was correct, but that it has progressed into a major infection of the entire eye.

This is the eye that had the abnormally large pupil, noted July 16th by Dr. P. I keep feeling like this is more an internal issue - something inside pressing against the eye, tumor, abscess, etc. Dr. F says he thinks we can still salvage the eye (I told Mom to tell him I don't care about salvaging the eye, take it out if that's the best thing.) Sent Mom and Quinn home with - Orbifloxacin, oral, once daily (not sure what dosage, will see when I get home), and Ciprofloxacin opthalmic eye drops, 2 - 3x daily.

The eye this morning didn't look quite as irritated as last night, but still. It's kind of awful. I really hope Dr. F is right.

 

[temblabamomo]

I just keep thinking, wouldn't a major infection result pus and other ick leaking out, rather than blood? I was looking at pictures of retrobulbar abscesses, and while Quinn's eye isn't bulging much at all, I just keep thinking it's more likely to be an abscess or tumor rather than a "major infection" like the vet says.

 

[lilspaz68]

he is bleeding into his eyeball, it does happen for lots of reasons. It can resolve on its own, as long as it doesn't swell and become a problem.

Can you post a pic?

I have pics in my medical folder for you to compare to, but sadly cannot access photobucket from work.

if you want to look...

its under Photobucket, rattiluv - medical - eyes, skip to the end, look for Sebastian and especially Maya (beige girl, red eye) in the last couple of pages I think? Avoid the first pages, there are some gross pics in there LOL

 

[temblabamomo]

he is bleeding into his eyeball, it does happen for lots of reasons. It can resolve on its own, as long as it doesn't swell and become a problem.

Can you post a pic?

I have pics in my medical folder for you to compare to, but sadly cannot access photobucket from work.

if you want to look...

its under Photobucket, rattiluv - medical - eyes, skip to the end, look for Sebastian and especially Maya (beige girl, red eye) in the last couple of pages I think? Avoid the first pages, there are some gross pics in there LOL

Thanks. I can't get on photobucket from work either, lol. Don't have internet at home, but may borrow the public library's this evening to post a pic.

Last night the eye seemed to be slightly swollen after it filled with blood, but by morning it was back to it's normal size. A few drops of blood seeped out like tears would, and I found him several times in the night grooming the eye vigorously, probably grooming away more seepage. I'm assuming that relieved the pressure and allowed the eye to be normal size by morning.

 

[lilspaz68]

I found this quickly...Maya had a seizure and this happened (she had PT), but I have seen it in other rats who survived...Sebastian, Eli, etc

 

[temblabamomo]

He's actually perkier tonight than he has been over the past couple weeks. Either some sort of pressure was relieved when it started bleeding, he's feeling a bit better, or suddenly not being able to see in one eye makes his whole world look different and new and exciting.

 

[lilspaz68]

That is a lot more like Sebastian's eye...keep it moist, do NOT let it dry out. Ointment lasts longer than drops.

I would prepare yourself and your vet for a possible enucleation, if it starts to swell up quickly.

 

[temblabamomo]

That is a lot more like Sebastian's eye...keep it moist, do NOT let it dry out. Ointment lasts longer than drops.

I would prepare yourself and your vet for a possible enucleation, if it starts to swell up quickly.

Yeah, I looked at the eye pics in your medical album...you've seen some pretty icky things. Yikes.
Is there another sort of ointment or drop, something OTC, that will keep the eye lubricated in between applications of the drops? I will ask the vet at our re-check if the cipro is available as ointment rather than drops. I assume it's not good to put the antibiotic drops in every hour, but is there something else I can use to help the eye stay moist?

I'm away from the house from 730 am to almost 6 pm...So there's no way I can put anything in the eye to keep it moist on weekdays between those hours

Quinn really has been a perky turkey since yesterday evening. The eye looks the same, but his energy levels are back to their pre-eye issue norm.

 

[lilspaz68]

I have used polysporin ointment for eyes...its human grade OTC...I am not sure what you have as an equivalent in the US?

 

[temblabamomo]

I have used polysporin ointment for eyes...its human grade OTC...I am not sure what you have as an equivalent in the US?

I am sure we probably have something like that. Would it be much different from the original ointment Quinn was prescribed? Originally the doc gave him TAB eye ointment, which is mostly or all bacitracin.

 

[lilspaz68]

I have used polysporin ointment for eyes...its human grade OTC...I am not sure what you have as an equivalent in the US?

I am sure we probably have something like that. Would it be much different from the original ointment Quinn was prescribed? Originally the doc gave him TAB eye ointment, which is mostly or all bacitracin.

Most likely. Just make sure there's no steroid in it.

 

[temblabamomo]

I have used polysporin ointment for eyes...its human grade OTC...I am not sure what you have as an equivalent in the US?

I am sure we probably have something like that. Would it be much different from the original ointment Quinn was prescribed? Originally the doc gave him TAB eye ointment, which is mostly or all bacitracin.

Most likely. Just make sure there's no steroid in it.

Could I apply that in between applications of the drops? He gets the drops as soon as I get home, around 6, then again around 1130 before bed. Put the ointment on in between those times?