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Recovering After Having Eye Taken Out

2.4K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  pricklyprincess620  
#1 ·
It's been a busy few days for my poor Jojobee.:(

My hedgehog (Johanna) is almost a year and a half. The other night, I heard her scratching around, but I thought she was just moving her bedding. When I got up, there was blood in her viv. I checked her, and her right eye was swollen and bloody. Apart from looking like something out of Donnie Darko she was her normal self - alert, inquisitive, etc. Didn't seem to be nervous or in pain.

I took her to the emergency vet earlier, who removed the eye under anaesthetic and has sewn the lid shut. She was scratching at her stitches a bit and hissing at the nurses when she woke up, but once I got her home and away from noises and new smells, she calmed down. Staying up late to watch her now; she ran on her wheel a bit, and she's a tiny bit more subdued than normal, but she seems relaxed and not obviously afraid/in pain. I distracted her earlier by giving her my dressing gown and an empty chocolate wrapper which she likes to anoint with. I also gave her a quick bath, just to get the blood off. Part of her eye was still caught on her back paws, that was pleasant.:/

I need to take her to my regular vet for a check-up tomorrow since they'll be dealing with her aftercare. They specialise in exotic pets, so they can offer more specific advice.

For now though, what's the best thing I can do for her? She's a runner; not interested in toys at all, and not too interested in treats. She loves things that smell like chocolate, so I'm planning to get her a warmable chocolate-scented cuddly toy to curl up on. Other than that, I'm at a loss.:(
 
#3 ·
If you weren't given any, ask for a few days of pain meds and she should be on an antibiotic to prevent infection. If they are in pain is often when they will scratch at the area so the pain meds will help with that.

She will be fine and other than keeping her feet clean, if that's possible :lol:, in case she does scratch at her incision, there really isn't much you need to do. Of course spoil her rotten. :)
 
#4 ·
They said they gave her enough anti-biotics and pain meds to last 24 hours, and then my normal vet can take over. They seemed a bit uneasy about treating a hedgehog, since they'd not come across one before.

I'm in the UK, and it was a bank holiday weekend - every business acted like Monday was Sunday, so a bit tricky to get anything done!
 
#5 ·
My little girl lost her eye a few months ago. I am pretty sure she scratched at it, when I took her to the vet they gave her antibiotics and said to wait a few days. The eye fell out by itself. Other than looking like a zombie, Zelda is doing great. My kid's want me to make her an eye patch ;) Hope your hedgehog is doing well!