Me again, new problem

[Oscar's Mummy]

When I took Ruthie out of her pen this morning, she wouldn't open her right eye. She had a lot of 'sleep' around her eye and I wiped it with a wet, warm cloth, but she's still wanting to keep it closed. When I checked her eye it looks a little redder than her other eye and the eyelid appears to be swollen. There's a small amount of discharge (slightly yellow) coming from that eye. I think it's safe to say that she's got an eye infection in that eye, but being that it's sunday, our vet is closed. Is there anything I can do to help the infection until I can get to a vet (I'm hoping it will be open tomorrow - it's a civic holiday though). All she has done is sleep since I got up this morning (about 2 hours ago) - is that just because of the infection - because her body is trying to fight it? Also, she did have a runny poop during the night - do you think this is related? I haven't tried to feed her anything yet - just letting her rest. I did give her Nutrical and Pedialyte though.

Any advice would be much appreciated. What would have caused the infection? I gave her a bath yesterday around 4pm and I wondered if maybe I had gotten soap in her eye... I'm very careful about that, but maybe? If that was the case though, I would have thought that it would have started bothering her sooner, if not immediately. Maybe she was playing too rough with Oscar and she got scratched?

BAH! I don't know! Help please!

[chattiesmom]

It does sound like Ruthie might have a bit of an eye infection. Warm compresses are a VERY GOOD plan of action until you can get her in to the vet.

About the eating, does Ruthie normally eat as soon as she gets up? Depending upon how much nutrical and Pedylite you gave her, she might not be hungry. When my little ones are "fussy" and don't want to eat, I give them a green pea size ball of nutrical and it almost always stimulates eating.

The runny poop could be caused from any number of things from her body trying to fight off an infection, to have eaten a "no-no", over excitement, etc.

Since you have some valid concerns, I would go ahead and make an appointment with your vet and take her in for a checkup. I always err on the side of caution.

[LuvMySissy]

Poor little Ruthie!! Warm compresses are always a good thing. Since she isn't keeping the eye open, it sounds like there may have been some kind of trauma (a scratch or something) to the eye. Sounds like a visit first thing in the morning to the vet will be needed. Keep an eye on her and if anything changes between now and then, off the ER vet. Keep us posted, we hope she feels better soon.

[Patti]

Poor Rutie and poor Mom. I know how stressful it can be when they are not feeling well. I woyuld definaley get her in to the vet tomorrow. Hope she's better soon.

[fannie]

I agree with taking her to the vet. I know if they have pink eye, the light really bothers it. So that could be why she wouldn't want to open it. When our goats get pink eye, we put triple antibiotic ointment in them. I don't see how it could possibly hurt a dog, but I'd definitely check it out first.

Good luck and I hope she gets to feeling better!

[Oscar's Mummy]

Well I ended up taking her to the er vet pretty much right after I posted this thread. Because of the civic holiday tomorrow my vet wouldn't be open until tuesday and there's no way I would wait that long to get her taken care of. The vet said it is just an eye infection, only in her right eye, and gave me drops to put in every six hours. She said she probably is feeling more lethargic because her little body is trying to fight the infection. Hopefully it should be cleared up by wednesday and she'll be good as new. She looks so pitiful with her little pirate eye looking at me. Still giving kisses though and wiggling her little tail (when she IS awake).

I HATE going to the ER vet - it cost me $160 to have her checked and get a little bottle of eye drops! I was there for 2 hours and in the the examination room for all of 5 minutes. But, I did get a tube of Nutrical for free... I just looked at my bill and they didn't charge me for it

Thank you for all the advise! I hate seeing my babies in any discomfort whatsoever - you guys are the only ones who understand and feel the same way!

[Pipersmommy]

Hope Ruthie will be alright. Hopefully she didn't get bit by something. A spider bite would close an eye.

[yougetthesmiles]

awww I sure hope Lil Ruthie starts feeling better, I know these babies can get you so worried, we just love them so much!!! give that baby a hug and a kiss from us!!

[chachi]

Aw I hope Ruthie is feeling better soon. Chachi had an eye infection once and the eye drops cleared it right up

[Oscar's Mummy]

Ruthie slept ALL day - which I think was good for her since when she did wake up, she was playing and chewing her bone and ate some dinner. I cleaned her eye with warm water and put the eye drops in around 3:30 and they seem to have helped already - she has already started to open her eye again and there's very little discharge now. Poor Oscar was wanting to play with her sooo bad today - kept laying down beside her with his bone or a toy while she was sleeping - squeaking the toy to try and entice her into a game of tug.

*sigh* I just love them so much!

[baby03]

Poor Ruthie !!! I hope she feels better sounds like an infection!! Good Luck!!!

[simonandhallie]

Awwwwwww I just saw this and I've been in the same situation with Simon. He gets eye infections quite a bit and it's so pitiful when they can't open their little eyes

I'm glad the drops are working, kisses to Ruthie for a quick recovery so she can get back to playing with her brother!!!