Posted By: gryphon214
Red Swelling Above Eye. Possible Causes? - 03/19/10 05:09 PM
Hi, all,
First let me start by saying that this glider is currently being treated by my vet for this condition. In fact, I am awaiting a call from the vet today to find out if I need to bring this glider in again today. However, I would just like some opinions on possible causes of this condition.
My glider, Bruno, has developed this red, round swelling above this eye.
Here is a picture showing how it looks today
Notice the protrusion of the swelling out of the corner of the eye. It's hard to tell from this picture, but he has about a pea-sized swelling next to the upper corner of his eye.
It might be easier to see the size of the swelling in this picture
This did not happen overnight. This all started two weeks ago today (Friday). Two weeks ago, during the day Bruno was fine. Later that night I packed up my sugar gliders and headed out of town with them to visit my parents for the weekend. When I went to feed them Friday night I noticed Bruno did not come out to eat like the others. This is when I noticed the swelling on his face. Unlike the picture above, this swelling was more diffuse, along the entire side of his face, with no redness.
By the following Sunday morning the swelling had not gone down so I called my vet. Due to the sudden apperance of the swelling this looked like an infection so my vet called in a prescribe of antibiotics to a nearby pharmacy (remember, we were out of town, hours away from home, and this was Sunday, when the office is closed anyway).
Here is how it looked two weeks ago
Notice how the whole right side of his head is swollen, both the side of his face and above his eye This picture does not quite capture how bad it was. He looked quite monsterous! The lower corner of his eye is reddened, might be the third eyelod exposed and irritated. Interestingly, though, the only part of his face NOT swollen was the area at the corner of his eye where the swelling is now (in the first picture).
Once on antibiotics, the swelling began to go down and Bruno was getting his energy and appetite back and seemed to be on the mend. By a week ago Friday the swelling was almost completely gone. Then Saturday he started to get this little red swelling in the upper corner of his eye. The skin is red and there is also a bit of a protrusion of red skin/membrane at the corner of his eye.
Here is what it looked like last Saturday (almost a week ago)
By Monday, even though he was still on antibiotics, this had not changed so I took him to the vet on Tuesday where the vet examined him. After a good look at his mouth and teeth, he found nothing there to explain it. He thinks it may be a gland that has swollen up and gave Bruno a shot of penecillin that it supposed to last about 5-6 days, with instructions that I call him today for an update on his progress. He also said he would likely need another shot.
So, I have called and left a message at my vet's office to let him know that the eye has actually gotten worse since Tueday. I am waiting for a call back from him.
In the meantime, I was hoping there may be some of you who have seen something like this before and if so, what was the cause? How was it treated? How long did the treatment take?
Thanks in advance!
First let me start by saying that this glider is currently being treated by my vet for this condition. In fact, I am awaiting a call from the vet today to find out if I need to bring this glider in again today. However, I would just like some opinions on possible causes of this condition.
My glider, Bruno, has developed this red, round swelling above this eye.
Here is a picture showing how it looks today
Notice the protrusion of the swelling out of the corner of the eye. It's hard to tell from this picture, but he has about a pea-sized swelling next to the upper corner of his eye.
It might be easier to see the size of the swelling in this picture
This did not happen overnight. This all started two weeks ago today (Friday). Two weeks ago, during the day Bruno was fine. Later that night I packed up my sugar gliders and headed out of town with them to visit my parents for the weekend. When I went to feed them Friday night I noticed Bruno did not come out to eat like the others. This is when I noticed the swelling on his face. Unlike the picture above, this swelling was more diffuse, along the entire side of his face, with no redness.
By the following Sunday morning the swelling had not gone down so I called my vet. Due to the sudden apperance of the swelling this looked like an infection so my vet called in a prescribe of antibiotics to a nearby pharmacy (remember, we were out of town, hours away from home, and this was Sunday, when the office is closed anyway).
Here is how it looked two weeks ago
Notice how the whole right side of his head is swollen, both the side of his face and above his eye This picture does not quite capture how bad it was. He looked quite monsterous! The lower corner of his eye is reddened, might be the third eyelod exposed and irritated. Interestingly, though, the only part of his face NOT swollen was the area at the corner of his eye where the swelling is now (in the first picture).
Once on antibiotics, the swelling began to go down and Bruno was getting his energy and appetite back and seemed to be on the mend. By a week ago Friday the swelling was almost completely gone. Then Saturday he started to get this little red swelling in the upper corner of his eye. The skin is red and there is also a bit of a protrusion of red skin/membrane at the corner of his eye.
Here is what it looked like last Saturday (almost a week ago)
By Monday, even though he was still on antibiotics, this had not changed so I took him to the vet on Tuesday where the vet examined him. After a good look at his mouth and teeth, he found nothing there to explain it. He thinks it may be a gland that has swollen up and gave Bruno a shot of penecillin that it supposed to last about 5-6 days, with instructions that I call him today for an update on his progress. He also said he would likely need another shot.
So, I have called and left a message at my vet's office to let him know that the eye has actually gotten worse since Tueday. I am waiting for a call back from him.
In the meantime, I was hoping there may be some of you who have seen something like this before and if so, what was the cause? How was it treated? How long did the treatment take?
Thanks in advance!