Grey squirrel with an irritated eye? [Archive]

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IrishSquirrel

10-12-2021, 07:42 AM

Hi,

I'm from Ireland. Grey squirrels are considered pests here, so it's not easy for me to find a vet. I'd appreciate any thoughts or tips you might have.

There is this grey squirrel who visits me daily. I've known her for over 2 years now. Back in August she had what seemed to be an irritated eye. She kept the eye mostly closed and tried to scratch it every now and then. I bought an off-the-counter eye ointment called Ophtosan (https://www.vetsend.co.uk/ophtosan-eye-ointment/) (vitamin A). Not sure if the ointment helped or not, but the eye recovered within a few days.

How her eye was closed in August: photo (https://i.imgur.com/gjLokNe.jpeg), video (https://imgur.com/JqOPJxc).

10 days later: video (https://imgur.com/URGASI5)

Fast forward to the last couple of weeks: I've been noticing some white discharge in the same eye. Over the past couple of days, the eye isn't as open as the other one. Photo of the white discharge (https://i.imgur.com/bXNCbVq.jpeg).

The squirrel seems to be healthy otherwise. She's energetic and eats a lot. She takes a lot of nuts in order to bury them every day. Here is a video of her eating (https://imgur.com/wkjJz65) earlier today. Note how the left eye isn't as open as the right one.

Not sure what I can do to help her. I've known her for a long time, and she means a lot to me. Anything I need to look out for? Any medication you recommend?

olorin19

10-12-2021, 08:49 AM

Were you able to handle her to apply the ointment?

I had an NR Ziggy who would get irritation in his eyes from time to time. (Ziggy would only pee and poop outside on the ground, and being unable to sit or stand, this meant lots of "face time" with the ground.)

I used an OTC ointment that was designed for livestock and intended for safe use in the eyes:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/pfizer-terramycin-opthalmic-ointment-1-8-oz

IrishSquirrel

10-12-2021, 09:06 AM

olorin19

10-12-2021, 09:22 AM

Yes, I can handle and apply ointment for her. She is very used to me and let's me apply when she is distracted eating.

Do you think it's serious? Did Ziggy's eye irritation improve? Anything I should be looking for besides the ointment?

Thank you so much!

While it does not look serious to me, I would certainly defer to a more expert opinion.

If it were me, I would use the ointment, as discharge suggests infection, and that is what the ointment is meant to treat. (Again, I am not an expert.)

Ziggy certainly responded well to the ointment. While he had minor discharge, I do not remember the eye ever being shut. (This was 3-4 years ago.)

I have seen both wilds as well as previous releases where they would have an eye shut or partly shut, with the situation resolving on its own.

Charley Chuckles

10-12-2021, 09:33 AM

:Welcome wow I've always wanted to visit Ireland ☘ :dance
The photo of her eating, I think her eye looks good. Just keep checking her I know you will.
What a special bond :grouphug

IrishSquirrel

10-14-2021, 07:27 AM

Thanks everyone for your replies.

My squirrel's eye seems to be better today. The left eye is as wide open as the right one. However, I've noticed that when she eats, she tends to close her left eye slightly. From what I've gathered on other threads, this might be indicative of a teeth problem. While comparing with old photos, I've noticed that her upper teeth are a bit longer than they used to be a year ago.

Would you please have a look at the photos and let me know if her teeth look normal?

Teeth right now:
https://i.imgur.com/xVoxlee.png

Teeth from a year ago:
https://i.imgur.com/GtLnKHP.png

Her upper teeth seem to be a bit longer, while lower ones are shorter. I don't know if it's normal for squirrel teeth to vary in length over the seasons.

Note that it's hard for me to inspect the inside of her mouth. She does trust me, but she's a wild squirell after all. I can't just hold her mouth open.

Thanks again.