How to give chinchillas eye drops?

[JamaisVu]

Hello!

I come here once again looking for advice.

A couple of days ago, I noticed that Susu's left eye seemed a little squinty and irritated. She was definitely a bit teary-eyed and the eye was definitely bothering her. The very next morning I called her vet. However, they're fully booked for the remaining of this month and are only taking emergency appointments. I do not mind paying for a more expensive appointment, but based on the fact that there is no change in eye color, there are no secretions, and she's still eating, drinking, pooping, and playing as normal, they don't think it is an emergency at the moment. Still....she's squinting a lot and I am not too happy about having to wait until June to get her checked.

Her eye has improved a bit since I first noticed it, she is able to open the eye more and is no longer teary. I have been watching her like a hawk and have noticed she opens it more (almost fully) if she's playing or if she thinks she's about to get a treat, but most of the time it is half-lid or even blinking and that's just not normal. The vet recommended I could use non-medicated eye drops once a day and see if that helps.

However, I can't even imagine giving eye drops by myself. Susu is a very chill chinchilla...until you try to handle her. She will fight every second until she returns to her cage and even just holding her is a full-time job, as she will try to launch herself into oblivion if given half a chance. I have tried to burrito her before and she absolutely freaks out (although I will admit that maybe I don't have the wrapping technique down very well).

I looked up some videos and the chinchillas in those videos are so calm and just lay there as the medicine is applied. That is definitely not my chinchilla.

Does anybody have any experience with eye drops and a very feisty chin?

I haven't decided if I'll go that route yet but I might if I can figure out a way to effectively apply eye drops if that might help her until I can get her to the vet.

Thanks!

 

[UnhappyRefrain]

Oh yeah. My chin is always getting his eyes gunked up and I have to apply eye drops a lot. He acts like a mad man, so I have to hold his head still while my mother applies the drops. Unfortunately, you have to use a tiny bit of force to keep the chin in place which can be tricky. You have to be forceful enough, but also gentle enough so you don't hurt the chin. My advice is to get somebody to help you. Your chin sounds a lot like mine, so you'll need both hands to hold the chin still.

BTW, I highly recommend Bausch + Long eye wash. It works like a dream for my chin. i hope this helps.

 

[JamaisVu]

Oh yeah. My chin is always getting his eyes gunked up and I have to apply eye drops a lot. He acts like a mad man, so I have to hold his head still while my mother applies the drops. Unfortunately, you have to use a tiny bit of force to keep the chin in place which can be tricky. You have to be forceful enough, but also gentle enough so you don't hurt the chin. My advice is to get somebody to help you. Your chin sounds a lot like mine, so you'll need both hands to hold the chin still.

BTW, I highly recommend Bausch + Long eye wash. It works like a dream for my chin. i hope this helps.

Thanks!

She's having a general checkup next week and if the vet thinks she needs eye drops I'll definitely get help.

The eye has started to look better on its own so I've just been watching her. Hopefully by next week it'll be back to normal and we'll just have a normal vet visit.

 

[Mel]

Hello!

I come here once again looking for advice.

A couple of days ago, I noticed that Susu's left eye seemed a little squinty and irritated. She was definitely a bit teary-eyed and the eye was definitely bothering her. The very next morning I called her vet. However, they're fully booked for the remaining of this month and are only taking emergency appointments. I do not mind paying for a more expensive appointment, but based on the fact that there is no change in eye color, there are no secretions, and she's still eating, drinking, pooping, and playing as normal, they don't think it is an emergency at the moment. Still....she's squinting a lot and I am not too happy about having to wait until June to get her checked.

Her eye has improved a bit since I first noticed it, she is able to open the eye more and is no longer teary. I have been watching her like a hawk and have noticed she opens it more (almost fully) if she's playing or if she thinks she's about to get a treat, but most of the time it is half-lid or even blinking and that's just not normal. The vet recommended I could use non-medicated eye drops once a day and see if that helps.

However, I can't even imagine giving eye drops by myself. Susu is a very chill chinchilla...until you try to handle her. She will fight every second until she returns to her cage and even just holding her is a full-time job, as she will try to launch herself into oblivion if given half a chance. I have tried to burrito her before and she absolutely freaks out (although I will admit that maybe I don't have the wrapping technique down very well).

I looked up some videos and the chinchillas in those videos are so calm and just lay there as the medicine is applied. That is definitely not my chinchilla.

Does anybody have any experience with eye drops and a very feisty chin?

I haven't decided if I'll go that route yet but I might if I can figure out a way to effectively apply eye drops if that might help her until I can get her to the vet.

Thanks!

I have a very feisty chin. He has a chronically runny eye that they finally diagnosed after ruling out teeth etc as a probably clogged tear duct.
We did different drops and a warm compress on his eye for a long time. The only way was to burrito him up tight in a blanket and get it done fast. That wrapping them up tight takes a bit of practice. It does help though.
It took 2 people. One to hold and the other to put the drops in. We stopped a few weeks ago and he is still disgruntled at us lol!

 

[Renier]

Yip. Four hands if he is feral chin - like mine