[Murmel]

Hey everybody,

Over the last few months I've been to the vet a few times because of a sticky eye Murmel had. He was a little over a year old when that condition started, 1 year and 2 months to be exact, that was in February. I was in and out of different vet offices numerous times back then, got 2 different kind of eyedrops, one cream and even antibiotics to treat his eye at some point. The antibiotics and the second eyedrops I got worked for a while, but his condition always came back. After weeks of vet visits, there was nothing more I could do, and so I started to observe him. His condition didn't seem to bother him, and he'd always be able to open his eye again after a while following waking up. It was then that his eye would be crusted. I also changed the type of bedding numerous times, but that didn't do anything either overall.
I thought of sticky eye, but it always seemed weird to me that only one eye would be sticky, not both.

Then, a few weeks ago I started noticing something that looked a little like a scar around his eye (I posted pictures, but I don't know if you can see what I mean, he wouldn't hold still for the most part). I mentioned it to my friend, he agreed, but we both were not sure. So I kept observing.
Today though I have noticed it again when giving him baby food because of the heat, and it could be my imagination, but it seemed as though it had gotten more visible? it looks a little silvery(?) in the light, really a little like a scar. Additionally though, I saw something in his fur that looked a little like a dead skin flake?
He has never been hurt at that spot, I would've noticed because I was watching him the last few months like a hawk. The rest of his body is okay, too. He had a little hair loss, but that was because of a head injury and the cortisone he had to be given. It was a strong version and in addition to metacam and antibiotics it was a lot for the little guy to handle. But it was the only thing I could do for him then. He had a 50/50 survival chance, but he powered through. I sat with him in the vet office and at home waiting for the mobile vet unit twice thinking I had to say goodbye to him, I have never cried so much in my entire life.. but that's another story. All the fur he'd lost grew back in a few days.
He doesn't have red skin either, it's normal, he doesn't scratch himself too much. Also, his other eye isn't affected, it's just that one eye.
I honestly don't know what's up anymore. It's just that one eye. He drinks fine, eats fine, runs around fine, and when his sticky eye gets too bad I give him eyedrops (which I think has led him to be chronically a little pissed at me, but that is most likely due to the heat really and not myself). I have thought I'd let it rest because like I said, the eye doesn't bother him. But this weird line looking like a scar is really bothering ME. I don't know if I am imagining it getting worse, I don't know if I am overreacting and it is just sticky eye, but I thought I'd lose him so many times the last few months that I just want to get any opinion I can on this, even if I might be overreacting. The vets around my area, specialists, too, couldn't really help me, but maybe if I went and ask them to check for something specific it would be different.

Does anyone have any idea here or something I could ask my vet to check for? No mites, we tested that, no teeth problem, we tested that, no wound in the eye or around the eye, we tested that and I watched out for that. I read something about a condition called Entropion, but I couldn't find any pictures on it.
And does anyone have any idea how I could sooth his dry area around the eye? Because the eye is a tricky spot, I will not just put anything on it I don't know is absolutely 100% safe.

Kind Regards,
Sasha

PS: I know the bedding is low in the picture. That's because he spends most of his time after monthly cleanup pushing half of his new bedding out to the sides until it is this height again. After witnessing and having to clean that up 5 times, I am now saving the bedding he doesn't use for my other boy. He's weird, but I love him nonetheless. So if anyone has a similar experience, please share it! 💛