Baby chipmunk EYE problem -- ideas?

[doina]

Hello everyone,

I am rehabilitating a baby chipmunk. The details:
--3 weeks old, male
--no signs of external trauma when found, but some sensitivity to the touch on his right eye (closed at the time)
--has been with me for 3 days and eating/doing great
--started to open his eyes 2nd day
--on the 3rd day (today) the right eye started swelling and appears cloudy

I am attaching pictures I took today that show the issue. Please pm if you can diagnose or have any leads on treatment.

Thank you SO MUCH!

Doina

[doina]

Hello everyone,

I am rehabilitating a baby chipmunk. The details:
--3 weeks old, male
--no signs of external trauma when found, but some sensitivity to the touch on his right eye (closed at the time)
--has been with me for 3 days and eating/doing great
--started to open his eyes 2nd day
--on the 3rd day (today) the RIGHT EYE started swelling and appears cloudy

Please reply on this thread, or contact me at if you can diagnose or have any leads on treatment.

Thank you SO MUCH!
with gratitude
Doina

[Bravo]

This could be trauma, infection or birth defect. There is also a chance that it is not permanent, but it's difficult to say for certain. Meantime, it sounds like you're familiar with rehabbing squirrels. If this little one is accepting his formula and appears otherwise healthy, that's a good sign... otherwise the eye could be the first symptom of a larger problem.

edit - I took out your phone number, members here can private message you so that your personal information is not compromised.

[island rehabber]

I have not encountered this rehabbing squirrels, but I have while rescuing kittens. Usually an infection has begun inside the eye and that causes the swelling. Steroidal ointment/eye drops usually gets it under control; they contain Dexamethasone.

[island rehabber]

I replied to your other thread.

[Bravo]

I just merged the two threads so there's no confusion...

[Nancy in New York]

I just merged the two threads so there's no confusion...

I was just going to do that!

[doina]

Thank you for merging the two threads, one of them was by mistake!

I was just going to do that!

[doina]

Thank you for taking out my number

Yes, he is doing great in all respects except how he presents with the eye. I will try a erythromycin (as I would in kittens) on the eye.

This could be trauma, infection or birth defect. There is also a chance that it is not permanent, but it's difficult to say for certain. Meantime, it sounds like you're familiar with rehabbing squirrels. If this little one is accepting his formula and appears otherwise healthy, that's a good sign... otherwise the eye could be the first symptom of a larger problem.

edit - I took out your phone number, members here can private message you so that your personal information is not compromised.

[doina]

Yes, I have also encountered this rescuing kittens (but not other mammals). I'm wondering if he was a cat attack, but showing no visible trauma -- and this type of bacteria traveled from the cat to him (the cat probably picked him up in their mouth). I will try a erythromycin (as I would in kittens) on the eye. Thank you for your input!!

I have not encountered this rehabbing squirrels, but I have while rescuing kittens. Usually an infection has begun inside the eye and that causes the swelling. Steroidal ointment/eye drops usually gets it under control; they contain Dexamethasone.

[island rehabber]

That's the stuff . Good luck with that little cutie!

[lovesmice]

There is a very good eye problem section at RatGuide you can look at (no pun intended). Normally I would PM links because I am uncomfortable posting them on here from other rodent sites; however, I recently sent articles from RG to 2 people and I do not think they went through. Folks are very courteous on here, and I am sure they would have acknowledged the information if they had received it (or at least the majority of people would have).

http://ratguide.com/health/eyes/

[doina]

Thank you so much for this information!

There is a very good eye problem section at RatGuide you can look at (no pun intended). Normally I would PM links because I am uncomfortable posting them on here from other rodent sites; however, I recently sent articles from RG to 2 people and I do not think they went through. Folks are very courteous on here, and I am sure they would have acknowledged the information if they had received it (or at least the majority of people would have).

http://ratguide.com/health/eyes/

[Kristi S]

The phone number is in the second post still.

[island rehabber]

The phone number is in the second post still.