# Fusithalmic eye ointment.....



## merlinsquest (9 October 2007)

Does anyone have a spare tube going????

Willing to pay for it obvioulsy, just need it quickly


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## miller (9 October 2007)

Believe it's a POM - my vet posts it to me or leaves it out so I can collect as I've had it before - may be worth a go.

would be suprised if anyone has one as once opened they're useless after a few days and it's not the kind of thing you have unless you need it


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## brightmount (9 October 2007)

I used Optrex Infected Eyes on my horse earlier in the summer. It worked a treat. You can get it over the counter, it's chloramphenicol.


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## Shilasdair (9 October 2007)

It's a POM and I think that's because it can make your horse blind if the surface of the eye itself is damaged (I'm sure vets will rush to correct me if not 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 ).
The trouble is, you need a vet to check the surface of the eye, with the correct equipment and dyes.
You'd be safer with tamster's idea...
S


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## wizzi901 (9 October 2007)

if its due to shavings etc use cold tea....I have just used my last tube and now using cold tea for general eye bogginess but obviously if its something else get vet assistance.  Try ringing your vet most will post if they agree with your diagnosis!


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## merlinsquest (9 October 2007)

Sorry...didnt mention its for a guinea pig!!!!!  She has an ulcer on her eye which my neighbour (vet) used to give me fucithalmic ointment for (so dont think its bad for eye injuries... infact merlin had a microscopic ulcer three years ago and that is what i was given).

I do begrudge paying the vet to tell me she has an ulcer and charging me shed loads for that info!!!!  And they wont sell it to me unless they see her. But can understand that they are pom for a reason 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Think that the chloramphenicol eye drops that you can buy over the counter will do the same thing though.

If it was a horse eye i certainly would not hesitate to call a vet!!


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## Box_Of_Frogs (10 October 2007)

Aren't guinea pig eyes the same as horse eyes only smaller?


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## star (10 October 2007)

eyes are not all the same by any means.

fucithalmic is POM and also is not meant to be used in cases of ulcers - we never ever prescribe it if there's any damage to the cornea which we check using fluorescein dye.  by the time we've done this, examined the eye with an ophthalmoscope and picked the most appropriate ointment i dont think £17 for a consult is too bad.  You're paying for our expertise.


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## merlinsquest (10 October 2007)

Hi.... sorry for any confusion.... its my guinea pigs eye that has the little ulcer. 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I know thats the problem as have kept, bred and shown piggies for over 35 years and have dealt with many poorly eyes in that time....   Luckily my neighbour was a vet and used to let me buy Fucithalmic  from him..... sadly he has moved now and I'm no longer able to get it.

Horse was definately treated with the same when he had a tiny weeny ulcer 3 years ago (have just checked the receipt).  He was diagnosed by vet with the green flourescent (sp) dye and actually wrongly diagnosed with Uveitis.... and treated with some other cream for it initially... until upon loading him back in the trailer I saw the miniscule ulcer in the bottom of his eyeball.  Vet actually said that what she had put in his eye could have made the ulcer break down and had to spend ages flushing it out again!!!!  Then gave me Fucithalmic ointment.

So not sure why i have been given it on these occasions if its the wrong stuff....... really confused and worried  myself now..

I suppose what I object to is taking a piggie to the vets to be told what I already know.... yes vets have trained for years to qualify etc but I have also had many years experience of what an eye ulcer in a guinea pig looks like.  Anything that spends all day with its head in a box of hay is bound to get hay awns etc in its eyes also not sure that the design of scratching ones eyes, very quickly with a hind foot with sharp claws on it is a good one 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Never mind, I will sort it out somehow....


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## star (10 October 2007)

i understand it's your guinea pig.  we're still now taught not to give fucithalmic in cases with any corneal damage such as an ulcer.  unfortunately the way the world works is that we have the qualifications to be able to dispense meds.  the number of times people bring me in stuff thinking they know what the problem is and they've got it completely wrong is amazing.  yes, you might have lots of experience, but you're still not a vet.  i quite often had to take my animals to vets as a student and knew what was going on with them, but i didn't begrudge paying them.  as for your neighbour being a vet and selling you meds - the RCVS could be very interested in that one - it's definitely illegal unless he is the boss of the practice and is examining the animal each time as well.


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## Dougie (10 October 2007)

lets not be overly anal about the whole thing


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## merlinsquest (10 October 2007)

I only pointed out that it was a guinea pig as a couple of posters had got the wrong end of the stick and thought it was the horse.

In answer to the query about the vet, he was indeed the owner of the practice and as he was next door I was able to take said guinea pig to his door in my coat and he would say, oh yes an eye ulcer..... cue trip to his store of eye ointment and a smile.

Cant understand why he was happy to give fucithalmic and also merlins vet did the same... as I say, slightly worrying if it is completely the wrong thing to give.

Lost some faith in the normal town vet when he had to go look up in a book what the gestation period was for a guinea pig???   

I am fully aware of the legalities of selling POM without the relevant qualifications, remeber the Danilon post??? that was me!!! (not the seller though) 
	
	
		
		
	


	






Also appreciate the time and money that vets invest in their profession and totally agree that I shouldnt begrudge paying for the advice (lets face it 7K over the last 12 months for merlins arthritis isnt exactly being a skinflint), but lets face it, how many of us go to the vet when we do know exactly what is wrong..... Its not as if I was asking for anything dangerous or lethal..

Thanks for advice on not being the right product to use.... will go to see the vet tomorrow and see what they say... will be interested to see if I end up with a little tube of the dreaded F stuff!!


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## star (10 October 2007)

i only know what i've been taught by my boss who's done a lot of courses on ophthalmology - i do know that lots of people do still use fucithalmic in ulcers though - i dont have enough experience of it myself to know whether it really is harmful in cases of corneal damage, but steer clear of it on my boss's advice.

my point was just that often owners think they know what is going on and think they know what treatment is needed and maybe 90% of the time you're right, hey if you're good maybe it's 99%, but what about the other % of the time you're not and actually that simple treatment you think you need might be the opposite and might actually cause damage?  i'm simply trying to point out that the rules are there for a reason and i'm sure everyone wishes they could get hold of meds easier sometimes, but there has to be a line drawn somewhere.  I'm definitely not being anal thanks Dougie.  There are a lot of dodgy deals going on with prescription meds - the RCVS hearings each week show that!


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## merlinsquest (10 October 2007)

Agree entirely,  in this case I know I am right, but in almost every other case I would consult a vet... the only other thing i treat myself is Mange..... with 100% success (as I have been with the eye ulcers)

They are the two most common ailments that I have ever encountered with guinea pigs.... have yet to have one catch a cold/get breathing probs (cant spell respiratory) 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 which i believe is also common and of course i would not have a clue what to do then 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I always call the vet for the horse... far too complex an animal for me to self medicate!! and have every faith in my vet for merlin.

Another time I  needed advice was for my chickens who seemed to have a permanent cold, was not to take them to my vet (small animal one) as they knew nothing at all about  chickens and it would be a waste of my money!!!!!!  There was no other vet locally who would look at them.... well they would look but admitted that they probably wouldnt know what was wrong!!  

Good to know now that Fucithalmic wont blind the piggies.... just out of interest, is there a type of ulcer that would not affect the cornea of the eye???  Not being funny, just cant imagine there would be????

Thanks for your help and advice, now and past... I am not usually so opinionated


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## Shilasdair (10 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
i only know what i've been taught by my boss who's done a lot of courses on ophthalmology - i do know that lots of people do still use fucithalmic in ulcers though - i dont have enough experience of it myself to know whether it really is harmful in cases of corneal damage, but steer clear of it on my boss's advice.

my point was just that often owners think they know what is going on and think they know what treatment is needed and maybe 90% of the time you're right, hey if you're good maybe it's 99%, but what about the other % of the time you're not and actually that simple treatment you think you need might be the opposite and might actually cause damage?  i'm simply trying to point out that the rules are there for a reason and i'm sure everyone wishes they could get hold of meds easier sometimes, but there has to be a line drawn somewhere.  I'm definitely not being anal thanks Dougie.  There are a lot of dodgy deals going on with prescription meds - the RCVS hearings each week show that! 

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not disagreeing with you, but would like to point out that vets don't get it 100% right either.  My old mare, for example, is prone to leg filling...which comes and goes when she is having a slight allergic reaction to something.  But she's been diagnosed with 'heart failure' 'liver failure', you name it...then the vets return the next day and she's back to normal, to their astonishment (but not mine LOL).
Sometimes, when you are a horse owner who is really familiar with the animal, it's hard to be polite when your vet is talking rubbish...but it happens...and I still pay the bills for their opinions...
S


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## star (10 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Agree entirely,  in this case I know I am right, but in almost every other case I would consult a vet... the only other thing i treat myself is Mange..... with 100% success (as I have been with the eye ulcers)

They are the two most common ailments that I have ever encountered with guinea pigs.... have yet to have one catch a cold/get breathing probs (cant spell respiratory) 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 which i believe is also common and of course i would not have a clue what to do then 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I always call the vet for the horse... far too complex an animal for me to self medicate!! and have every faith in my vet for merlin.

Another time I  needed advice was for my chickens who seemed to have a permanent cold, was not to take them to my vet (small animal one) as they knew nothing at all about  chickens and it would be a waste of my money!!!!!!  There was no other vet locally who would look at them.... well they would look but admitted that they probably wouldnt know what was wrong!!  

Good to know now that Fucithalmic wont blind the piggies.... just out of interest, is there a type of ulcer that would not affect the cornea of the eye???  Not being funny, just cant imagine there would be????

Thanks for your help and advice, now and past... I am not usually so opinionated 
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]

you spell respiratory perfectly correctly  
	
	
		
		
	


	





all ulcers affect the cornea, but some are superficial, some are deep and some are melting (bad bad kind) - it is important to distinguish between them and if fucithalmic is appropriate it's definitely only for the superficial kind.  according to the data sheet it's actually only licensed for conjunctivitis, but there is no licensed vet medicine for ulcers which means we end up using whatever our experience has dictated is successful - i just have to obey my boss - i'm moving practice soon - it will be interesting to hear their thoughts on fucithalmic for ulcers.

i have to say i know bog all about chickens too - we try and make sure they come in when the boss is here


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## merlinsquest (10 October 2007)

Agreed there Shilasdair....

As mentioned earlier in the post I had merlin wrongly diagnosed with Uveitis about three years ago.... only because i saw the little green spot in his eye was the treatment rather hurridly changed to eye ulcer!!!!

I got charged for both lots of eye ointment!!!!

Also had locum examine my horse for fetlock lameness, we knew what was wrong with him and it was a follow up exam..... basically no notes were read and locum didnt listen when i said he was on 2 danilon a day.  Examined him and then asked again if he was on any meds.... when i explained about the danilon he actually said 'well that was a waste of time then coz the danilon would mask the lameness issues anyway!!!!

Still got charged for full exam and hospital stay (all of five mins in an empty box... not even any bedding).... total bill... best part of £100 and like a muppet I paid it!!!


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## star (10 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not disagreeing with you, but would like to point out that vets don't get it 100% right either.  My old mare, for example, is prone to leg filling...which comes and goes when she is having a slight allergic reaction to something.  But she's been diagnosed with 'heart failure' 'liver failure', you name it...then the vets return the next day and she's back to normal, to their astonishment (but not mine LOL).
Sometimes, when you are a horse owner who is really familiar with the animal, it's hard to be polite when your vet is talking rubbish...but it happens...and I still pay the bills for their opinions...
S 
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]

we do try not to talk rubbish!  some cases are baffling and we dont know what goes on - we're only human after all.  my point is simply that we are the only people qualified to make diagnoses and assess what medications are needed.  yup, sometimes we get it wrong, but no doubt a hell of a lot less than if you tried to do my job with no training!


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## Shilasdair (10 October 2007)

Star, my vets agree with your boss regarding ulcers (big practice in Tewkesbury 
	
	
		
		
	


	




S


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## brighteyes (10 October 2007)

I will watch this with interest as one of our piggies had an eye ulcer and I have just checked what we were given to clear it up........ wait for it..... fucithalmic cream in a teeeeeeny squeezy tube.  It was gone in three days.

I am fairly convinced this elderly creature is also suffering - and I use this term guardedly - with CHF, but can I gat a vet to even consider this?  No.  One even wanted to jab her with oxytetracycline, which is on the list of inadvisable things to inject gp's with.


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## merlinsquest (10 October 2007)

Thanks Star.... would be interested myself to know 
	
	
		
		
	


	




  Thanks for help./... off to bed now


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## Box_Of_Frogs (11 October 2007)

Star, I meant aren't guinea pig eyes as IMPORTANT as horse eyes then? Aren't piggies as deserving of proper veterinary attention as a horse???


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## star (12 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Star, I meant aren't guinea pig eyes as IMPORTANT as horse eyes then? Aren't piggies as deserving of proper veterinary attention as a horse??? 

[/ QUOTE ]

oh right - thought you just meant are they the same because they're not.  but they definitely are equally worthy of proper veterinary attention - i dont think i ever suggested otherwise?


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## Shilasdair (12 October 2007)

Star,
Can I ask you a vet question about colic?
Feel free to say no...after all, I don't work out of hours unless I'm paid 
	
	
		
		
	


	




S


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## kildalton (12 October 2007)

Haven't you gone to bed yet ?


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## Shilasdair (12 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Haven't you gone to bed yet ? 

[/ QUOTE ]

No, I'm still waiting to find out what gender I am.
S


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## kildalton (12 October 2007)

Why should that stop you , and why are you using "gender" instead of "sex"?


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## star (12 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Star,
Can I ask you a vet question about colic?
Feel free to say no...after all, I don't work out of hours unless I'm paid 
	
	
		
		
	


	




S 

[/ QUOTE ]

you can try, but i'm not a horse vet.


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## Shilasdair (12 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Star,
Can I ask you a vet question about colic?
Feel free to say no...after all, I don't work out of hours unless I'm paid 
	
	
		
		
	


	




S 

[/ QUOTE ]

you can try, but i'm not a horse vet. 

[/ QUOTE ]

My inconsiderate 3yo had a non-strangulating infarction of the small colon, was operated upon, recovered.    Do you know of any studies into this, especially the likelihood of recurrence?
My vet did say my horse was 'special' as it is unusual in a grass kept, wormed youngster...
What do you specialise in?  I assume you're a vet who has horses 
	
	
		
		
	


	




S


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## star (12 October 2007)

i'm a small animal vet - i love surgery and aim to specialise in soft tissue surgery.  i dont have any ambitions to work with horses though.  they're my ultimate love and my hobby, but not my work.  i dont know much about the type of colic your horse had - you could try searching the pubmed website for studies on it.


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## Shilasdair (12 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
i'm a small animal vet - i love surgery and aim to specialise in soft tissue surgery.  i dont have any ambitions to work with horses though.  they're my ultimate love and my hobby, but not my work.  i dont know much about the type of colic your horse had - you could try searching the pubmed website for studies on it. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Very wise to keep horses your hobby, as the fun can wear off if you combine work and pleasure.  I've tried the usual sources of info, but didn't find anything much.
I'll log the number of colics my horse has over the next few years and advance science LOL 
	
	
		
		
	


	




What sort of surgery do you enjoy?  I'll bet it's not spaying/neutering...
Thanks for replying....
S


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## star (12 October 2007)

i dont mind neutering at the moment, but the novelty is slowly wearing off.  exciting things do it for me though - we had a GSD with a ruptured spleen this morning, white as a sheet, collapsed - now that's more my cup of tea.  Unfortunately owners decided not to put her through surgery.  instead I ended up removed a cat's ear due to skin cancer and opening up a cat with the hugest tumour in its belly - unfortunately too big to remove.  I love the unusual.


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## brighteyes (12 October 2007)

I bet the owners aren't so keen!


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## star (12 October 2007)

probably not - but there would be something wrong with us if we didn't enjoy what we do.  we still find a lot of it sad though - we're not complete emotional rejects.


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## Dougie (12 October 2007)

nothing beats a GDV or spenectomy


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## Dougie (12 October 2007)

other than a good old colic surgery!!


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## brighteyes (12 October 2007)

Quote "we're not complete emotional rejects."

Never thought so for a minute!


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## star (12 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
nothing beats a GDV or spenectomy 
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]

i dont get to do colic surgery  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 so kicks definitely come from emergencies, but only if I can save them - I hate losing patients.  My first GDV surgery lived to tell the tale and I was on top of the world, the 2nd one we lost to post-op complications - mid you, he did have a liver shunt as well - it's gutting though.  This job turns you mad - I'm at the end of a bottle of Pinot Grigio and a box of Heroes from a grateful client at the moment - bit tipsy after a mad mad day!  Still love my job though.


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## Dougie (12 October 2007)

gdv's are buggers though.....the ones u think are defo going to die live and the ones u think arent too bad croake it when ur scrubbing them.

colics kick ass...even at 3am...well not as much.

i got milk tray from a client who's horse had a suspeyed navicular bursa sepsis...17hh beast lent on me all the time it was getting its radiographs(upright naviculars) and its navicular tap. i was knackered...it wieghed 9 times more than me


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## star (12 October 2007)

my back cant deal with big beasties - i struggle enough with the Mastiffs and St Bernards - and our xray table aint big enough for them either!


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## Shilasdair (13 October 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
other than a good old colic surgery!! 

[/ QUOTE ]

Funny, the vets lost a bit of enthusiasm when they saw the size of my youngster...she's Shire cross and you can tell.  I think they were hoping she'd be a light little racing yearling.  They did seem quite pleased she was more 'special' than the usual...in terms of the problem though. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




S


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## Dougie (13 October 2007)

haha bless the poor little girlie not her fault. but yeah the little raing yearlings are a dream compared to an 18hh shire


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