Viktor my shih tzu needs eye surgery

[Dry then Catch]

This blows I just got back from the animal hospital...
While I was in Phx with my parents and grandma (i couldn't bring the dogs as grandma is scared of dogs).  My roommate called yesterday and said his eye was shut and there was goop all over it.  I came back today tried to wash the eye out, and noticed his cornea was blue. 

The hospital vet said that he has descemetocele,  an erosion through the epithelium and stroma to the level of Descemet's membrane.

i guess im posting to see if anyone has had a dog with that issue.  The surgery is $1500 for eye repair, $1000 for eye removal (and a cool glass eye), and the third option is a ointment treatment.  THe ointment treatment does not always have great sucesss and its a pain the ass.  I'd have to apply ointment like every 4 hours.  I'll probably just pay for the surgery, as its $1000 for eye removal anyway.  But even the surgery might not be sucessful

[eo000]

sorry to hear that catchr.

[Gamplayerx]

Poor doggy.

[Jessie]

Poor doggy.

We all know you hate dogs and are secretly rejoicing.

[dazie]

ooo Catchr.  I'm sorry to hear about poor Viktor's ojo. 

If it were me I'd start with the ointment, but that's just cuz I don't have $1000 to spend, let alone $1500. 

[DownSouth]

I hope your puppy gets better Catchr.

[Jessie]

This reminds me that my neighbors piss me off.  They had their pug tied up outside all weekend, as best I could tell.  Poor baby was out in the cold and the rain, tied to the stairs.

I hope your puppy is ok, Catchr.

[dazie]

This reminds me that my neighbors piss me off.  They had their pug tied up outside all weekend, as best I could tell.  Poor baby was out in the cold and the rain, tied to the stairs.

I hope your puppy is ok, Catchr.

You can call Animal Control in situations like that... pugs are NOT outside doggies.

[Jessie]

I wish I could just take him into my apartment, but I'm not allowed.  Plus, that's like stealing and stuff.

[dazie]

I wish I could just take him into my apartment, but I'm not allowed.  Plus, that's like stealing and stuff.

Are they in the same apartment complex?

[Jessie]

They're in the building next door.  The pet policy where I live is dependant upon the age of the carpet in each individual unit.

[meredith]

not a pretty GIS

catchr is there a risk of recurrence after surgery?  after a bit of reading, it seems this will permanently impair visibility through affected parts of the cornea.   cuddles has only had minor corneal ulcers, and I received a small tube of goop to put on her eye for it.  in her case the indicator was excessive eye discharge.  it cleared up after a few days of treatment.

[meredith]

http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/corneal.html

[Alice]

Poor thing.  Bruce and I will say a prayer for you guys tonight.

[nishi]

a good friend of mine had a very similar situation with her dog (although it was glaucoma-related, but the treatment approaches were similar). after speaking with her vet, who felt fairly certain that the problem would re-occur, even with the surgical treatment, they decided to enucleate. angie did first try the much less expensive eye-drop treatment - similar to your ointment - but it didn't help and required several people to facilitate, since she couldn't get away from work during the day.

the dog eventually had the same problem with her other eye, and they did the same. so now sweet lucy is a blind dog, and i have to say - she is awesome. she is actually a nicer dog than she used to be, and much more social. she has acclimated beautifully, and - i know people think about this with the idea of removing an eye - she is still a very pretty dog. she does not have glass eyes; her eyelids are permanently closed.

while eye removal is kind of horrible to think about, it is actually a very good option to consider, especially if the problem might come back after an initial surgery. while not all vets will answer this question, i generally say "if this was your dog, what would you do?"

[Dry then Catch]

Thanks for the well wishes guys...

I didn't end up going to the dog opthamology specialist... my friend tracy's dad (the one i went to europe with) is the owner lead vet at his general clilnic.  When I called her yesterday she said she didn't think they did eye surgery. 

She called me back today like 10 minutes before I went in the expensive speciality place and said they could probably do it for under a $1000.  The other place's lower estimate was $1500.  Her dad wouldn't be doing it (he just got in his 3rd bicycling-car accident and can barely walk).  But I guess he has enough sway to convince his colleague.  I go in at 2 but they can't do the surgery today. 

i had dick over the other place i made an evaluation appt with.  I called and said I couldn't make it right then.  I felt bad, but i'd rather have the $150 instead of do-nothing visit, thank you.   anyway thanks again for listening to me.

[nishi]

good wishes for viktor today!! willie sends good dog thoughts.

let us know how it goes, ok?

[Beefy]

Viktor will be as okay as he can be because he has a responsible and caring owner.  May the whole thing be as non-discomforting as possible for both of you.

[ReBurn]

What Beefy said.

[meredith]

at least you don't let your pets go humping balloons!  now that's irresponsible.  that could sting the ween

[Dry then Catch]

hey i just got back from the vet and they will put stiches on his eye and use part of his eyelid to cover the puncture.  It will "only" be like $400 as opposed to the at least $1500 quoted by the specialist.  He was yelping and thrashing when the vet and i were look at his eye.  It was pretty gross.  I pick him up tommorow, its a one night stay at doggie hospital. 

[Dry then Catch]

Oh and Nishi, I was thinking about what if he became blind one day.  I always thought blind dogs (unless slowly blinded through age) were pissed and constantly unable to cope, since they apparently lack those mechanisms a human would have..  I would have probably put him down but now you've given me something to think about.

[dc]

Oh and Nishi, I was thinking about what if he became blind one day.  I always thought blind dogs (unless slowly blinded through age) were pissed and constantly unable to cope, since they apparently lack those mechanisms a human would have..  I would have probably put him down but now you've given me something to think about.

Blind dogs function quite well.  I've met a few.  They don't view their senses in the same way we do, and adjust well. 

I remember one dog that I never would have known was blind.  He was happy and acted just like any other dog.

[Beefy]

Oh and Nishi, I was thinking about what if he became blind one day.  I always thought blind dogs (unless slowly blinded through age) were pissed and constantly unable to cope, since they apparently lack those mechanisms a human would have..  I would have probably put him down but now you've given me something to think about.

My family has had three blind dogs in my lifetime.  The one that went fully blind, Timmy, a poodle, was the happiest dog in the world.  Going blind is unfortunate, but they can still enjoy their lives.

I'm glad it's working out for the best, Catchr.

[nishi]

Oh and Nishi, I was thinking about what if he became blind one day.  I always thought blind dogs (unless slowly blinded through age) were pissed and constantly unable to cope, since they apparently lack those mechanisms a human would have..  I would have probably put him down but now you've given me something to think about.

everyone was telling my friend angie that she should have lucy put down, especially when it was obvious that lucy was having problems with her remaining eye. but a bunch of us did a whole lot of research on blind dogs - there are people who specifically rescue blind dogs, because they say that blind animals are wonderful pets, and the relationship that develops because of this different kind of reliance that they have on you makes them very special. and she didn't feel that putting her down was something she would feel ok about, and her vet helped out by saying that she would do the enucleation rather than sending lucy to a specialist, and she also let angie pay it off over a period of time because she knew that cost was an issue.

we did think about getting lucy one of these, though:
http://www.guidehorse.org/

as you look through that site, please notice all the statements about horses working inside, but being outside animals and they should be outside when they're not working, blah blah blah. and then every other picture you see is little horsie on the sofa, little horsie curled up in bed, little horsie on his own fluffy bed.. it's hilarious.

but i think viktor could probably use one. they'd look good together.