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TheSquirrel
02-16-2016, 05:04 AM
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Hi, there is a wild squirrel visitor who appeared this morning with a puffy eye -I have attached a couple of photos taken through the window of him. The puffiness is covering most of the eye. I didn't notice any sign of that yesterday. I have given him a 0.005ml drop of ivermectin in a bit of peanut butter spread on a nut which he took, in case it's a parasite infection that has caused his eye to swell.

If anyone knows what else it might be, please let me know. Many thanks

Carol Lynn
02-16-2016, 07:47 PM
If you didn't notice the swelling on the squirrel yesterday, is it possible that it is some sort of injury?? Not sure if Ivermectin is the way to go with this or not, but let's bump this up to the top of the list so that maybe one of the rehabbers will see it and advise you. Good luck!

TheSquirrel
02-17-2016, 06:14 AM
Many thanks Carol Lynn. Yes maybe it could well be an injury. I saw him again today. It doesn't look any worse - but will keep a check and keep you updated on how it goes.

It may just be a question of waiting and seeing how it develops, but in the meantime if anyone does have any advice on this please let me know.

Thanks

Carol Lynn
02-17-2016, 07:26 AM
Have you seen him again today? Is it possible to get any more pictures of that eye? If so, it might be helpful.

In the meantime, try to make sure he has a steady supply of food of clean water. That will at least help him keep up his strength if he is fighting any kind of infection.

Hopefully some people with more experience with this sort of thing will comment soon.

Sending good thoughts his way!!

TheSquirrel
02-17-2016, 12:21 PM
Many thanks again, Carol Lynn, for your reply and good wishes for him. I actually now think he has lost the sight in that eye. You can't tell from the photos I posted but the bit of black showing beneath the lid is flat and lifeless, not shiny. He must have been injured. I have seen him several times today and he is behaving completely normally, moving around normally, eating fine etc

Since this realisation (I should have known really, seeing the way the black of the eye looked) I have read a few posts on this board about wilds and squirrels released by rehabbers with one functioning eye who are coping well and doing fine, so I hope he will be too.

I will keep you posted. (Was about to take another photo when he came close to the door to take food but he moved away as I was reaching for my camera)

Carol Lynn
02-17-2016, 12:57 PM
Many thanks again, Carol Lynn, for your reply and good wishes for him. I actually now think he has lost the sight in that eye. You can't tell from the photos I posted but the bit of black showing beneath the lid is flat and lifeless, not shiny. He must have been injured. I have seen him several times today and he is behaving completely normally, moving around normally, eating fine etc

Since this realisation (I should have known really, seeing the way the black of the eye looked) I have read a few posts on this board about wilds and squirrels released by rehabbers with one functioning eye who are coping well and doing fine, so I hope he will be too.

I will keep you posted. (Was about to take another photo when he came close to the door to take food but he moved away as I was reaching for my camera)

Glad to hear that he's been around and appears to be acting normally, although I do hope he hasn't lost his sight in that eye. I've also had a few with eye problem. Mine have all had a whitish-greyish filmy look to their bad eye. They do seem to do all right even with one eye, but it always makes ME very nervous!!

Does the swelling seem to have gone down at all? Do you notice any other injuries on him? If you can at some point get any more pictures, it might be helpful.

Please do keep us posted!

TheSquirrel
02-21-2016, 10:34 AM
Thanks carol Lynn for all your replies and good wishes!

UPDATE

Squirrel's injured eye has started to open up more and has healed, with the eye now shiny and convex again and vision seems to have been restored. Loss of vitreous fluid caused by the injury caused the black of the eye to become flat and lifeless with no vision, but the loss of sight was temporary and now that the eye has healed it has produced more vitreous fluid and restored vision.

Hope this helps if anyone is concerned about a wild squirrel with an eye injury.

As long as the cornea itself is not damaged, the flat, blinded, lifeless look of the eye can heal once the wound is healed and when it does it will reproduce vitreous fluid. Sometimes only time will tell if this is the case. In this case it took less than a week to heal.

Carol Lynn
02-21-2016, 11:34 AM
Thanks carol Lynn for all your replies and good wishes!

UPDATE

Squirrel's injured eye has started to open up more and has healed, with the eye now shiny and convex again and vision seems to have been restored. Loss of vitreous fluid caused by the injury caused the black of the eye to become flat and lifeless with no vision, but the loss of sight was temporary and now that the eye has healed it has produced more vitreous fluid and restored vision.

Hope this helps if anyone is concerned about a wild squirrel with an eye injury.

As long as the cornea itself is not damaged, the flat, blinded, lifeless look of the eye can heal once the wound is healed and when it does it will reproduce vitreous fluid. Sometimes only time will tell if this is the case. In this case it took less than a week to heal.

So glad to hear that the eye is looking better!! Wonderful news!! :serene