Entropion: Have I made the right decision?

Doenut · 08-09-2015, 06:03 AM

Hi guys, I apologise for the wall of words!

Dax is a white short-haired dominant spot Syrian who I adopted from a not very nice home in February of this year. He was between 11-15 weeks old when I got him (he's between 6-9 months old now). He is a delightful little character and I absolutely adore him!

Dax has a genetic condition called Entropion which causes his upper left eyelid to fold inward, this causes a tuft of 'naughty fur' (vet's words) to irritate his eye. Dax's eyelashes currently cause no issues and are where they should be. He has good eye days (some great ones) and not so good eye days. It looks red, inflamed and a little squinty on bad days.

The vet (exotic pet specialist) said the only way to correct the Entropion is by having a surgical procedure but due Dax's size (130g) the surgery would be very tricky to perform and his chances of surviving it are about 50/50. She said long-term the condition may lead to a Corneal Ulcer, loss of vision or removal of the eye but given the lifespan of the average hamster it may not come to this.

Dax has been to the vet three times, he has had one Uveitis eye infection as a result of the Entropion which was treated with Fucithalmic Vet (antibiotic eye drops) and Metacam. Up until recently he was having Metacam (0.01ml) when he looked particularly uncomfortable (this has since been discontinued to prevent kidney issues-long-term). He had a Corneal Ulcer test yesterday (see photo, felt so sorry for him when the orange dye was put in) and there is no ulcer, no eye damage and eye lashes are behaving. He has been put back on Fucithalmic Vet (twice a day for 10 days) as his eye is looking quite inflamed at the moment. I have been taught to lift Dax's eyelid to readjust the tuft of fur and I do this regularly which seems to help. So at this point the condition is managed at home under guidance of our vet.

Dax seems to really enjoy life and is a very content and happy hamster (even on bad days), he loves playtime and cuddles and has a huge appetite (especially for sunflower seeds and broccoli).

My decision at this point is that I am not willing to risk his life for something that doesn't appear to bother him too much, especially as he has periods of time when it's looking good. The vet told me she doesn't believe he is in pain and that it's more of an annoyance for him. I guess I am asking for reassurance that I have made the right decision.

(If circumstances change and his quality of life becomes severely impacted either by the Entropion or a health implication of it I would reconsider surgery as an option).

Thanks guys!

Piebald · 08-09-2015, 07:35 AM

That's the kind of tough decision most caring pet owners have to make at some point. Unfortunately it's your decision-- you know him best and love him too. I would ask a bit more about the surgery option in the context of different scenarios. For example, at what age will the vet no longer consider him for surgery at all? If the eye becomes infected will surgery be more risky? Is it best to operate while his eye is having a good week? Will any of the medications he is on be counter-indicated if he needs urgent surgery? In my experience, and I am not trying to put words in your vet's mouth it's just something possible to consider, when they say 50/50 it means they really don't know, there is not enough information to make an informed guess. So, that's by way of saying his chances might be considerably better, but also worse.
Also as a strictly anecdotal observation it's not the surgery that causes the death directly in most cases, it's the recovery. So asses your guy for how well he would take to recovery. How mellow is he with being in situations he can't control? Will he be ok in a recovery bin cage without his wheel? You seem to be able to treat him which is a good sign.
Anyway, think about asking your vet some more to get all the information you can. But even then, you're stuck with having to decide I'm afraid!
The good news is any decision you make with love will be the right one. It just can't be any other.

Doenut · 08-09-2015, 07:53 AM

Thank you Piebald. That's been extremely helpful. It hadn't crossed my mind to ask those kind of questions. Will definitely be having a more detailed chat with the vet about things when I next see her.

I didn't know that it was recovery that was the more risky bit but it makes a lot of sense, especially with such small animals. I think Dax would cope extremely well with recovery. He is a real trooper with situations that are out of his control. He allows me to manage his eye and lets me do what I have to do. He takes everything in his stride and if he is on the rare occasion feeling sorry for himself he bounces back very quickly.

I wish I could ask him and have him tell me what he would want. It would make everything much easier!

racinghamster · 08-09-2015, 08:43 AM

Hi Doenut. The only `cure` for this condition is surgery. The other treatments are creams, drops and any other avenue your vet feels is right. Your doing the right thing by having him seen and working closely with your vet due to any ongoing concerns this may have. It must be like having something in your eye constantly. It`s difficult, but looking at surgery to put this right is a 50/50 choice and although he`s not an old hamster, its always a worry that they may react to the anaesthetic. He does sound healthy otherwise though and strong willed. You get the feeling he would be a fighter!

He`s a gorgeous colour. x

Piebald · 08-10-2015, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doenut

I wish I could ask him and have him tell me what he would want. It would make everything much easier!

I know! But I find if I relax and just be with him the answer will come. xx

(Just to clarify I have no statistics to back up my observation about recovery vs surgery it is just something that arises. The vet may actually have numbers on this.)

Thin Lizzy · 08-13-2015, 08:43 AM

Hi Doenut,
Dax is a young hamster, they say that young hamsters deal with surgery and aftercare better than an older hamster. They recover quicker. I think you should think about surgery, speak to the vet, find out if he's operated on hamsters before, ask about the procedure, how long, how long will he be under anaesthetic for. Don't be afraid to ask questions, a good vet will happily answer them.
I totally understand your concerns, I too would be exactly the same.