Eye Problem. Health

Discussion in 'Beagle' started by CaroleC, Mar 14, 2020.

  1. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    Eye Problem.

    Although Eddie was expected to develop Dry Eye due to the drugs that he takes for his bowel problem, it has never really happened. Occasionally he has a little inflammation in his conjuntivae, but a few days of general comfort drops usually clears it, and he has never been short of tears. However, last week, his conjunctivitis was looking much more red than usual, and he wasn't responding to his usual drops. His vet examined him and gave him some chloramphenicol drops and a lubricant gel called Optixcare, but although he had some better days, on the bad days he was worse than ever. Though he is a very good boy, he hated the Optixcare.
    Yesterday we returned to the vet and he was examined under a local anaesthetic. He now has a corneal ulcer - and there is a possibility that he may have a minute tumour of some description in the conjunctival pocket below his eye. He looks as if he has a tear drainage problem too - though he never has any eye-staining. He came home with three eye medications, Clinagel-ve gel, (gentamicin), ExOxin drops, and Viscotears gel. He has to have one the three, each in rotation, every hour that we are awake. He is due back at the vet tomorrow morning, and she has said that if he is no better she is going to remove the outer film of his cornea. I have a lot of faith in Eddie's vet, and she does have an additional opthalmic qualification, but I'm really hoping that he doesn't have to have this done!
    Poor boy, as if he didn't have enough problems with his other end!
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  3. Malka

    Malka Member

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    Poor Eddie - he is such a good and patient boy, putting up with everything he has to have done - my mini horror would have my fingers off if I tried to put drops in her eyes.

    It is good that his vet has ophthalmic qualifications and I do hope he will be OK.

    Please give him a hug and ear twiddle from me if he would like it - and for Merry too - must not leave her out.
  4. GsdSlave

    GsdSlave Member

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    CaroleC likes this.
    Poor Eddie ,here’s hoping it's good news
  5. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    The good news is that Eddie's corneal ulcer has gone a little smaller, and we are continuing the once an hour eye drops and gels for another few days. However, his tear ducts are still blocked, and his vet is concerned about the small growth in his lower conjunctiva. If the situation is still the same at his next appointment, she is going to take a biopsy.
  6. Malka

    Malka Member

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    Good for the good news, with hopes that Eddie's tear ducts and the conjunctiva problems do not require any possibly invasive action.
  7. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    Ed's eye was not improving so he was admitted this morning to have the underneath of his third eyelid examined, and the tiny growth removed for biopsy. I had starved him in anticipation as he looked so bad last night. They have also taken a sliver from the edge of his third eyelid, and he has had an ultrasound examination done on his eyeball. He is still spaced out, but seems much more comfortable already, and has not tried to rub his eye at all since he came home.
    We will have to see what the lab report on the two samples says, but my vets think that it could be nodular episcleritis. Friction from the nodule causing the inflammation to the conjunctiva and sclera. Continuing his eye drops for the time being, but I'm feeling much more upbeat about recovery.
  8. Malka

    Malka Member

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    Hopefully the lab report does not find anything nasty - I know about episcleritis as it sometimes tends to occur during a Crohn's flareup but had to look up nodular episcleritis, which sounds more painful.

    Anyhow, gentle hugs for Eddie [and Merry of course] xx
  9. who owns who

    who owns who Member

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    CaroleC likes this.
    Hope you get good news
  10. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    Ed has been a strange mixture of good and naughty today. He was angelic on his walk, doing lots of, 'Aren't I being a good boy', heelwork, and passing other dogs as if he only had eyes for his Mum, - or at least, his Mum's left pocket. So loving and cuddly with his Dad, but he has dug and thrown his bedding around all day, and has prodded and nagged at me for - food, his walk, to be let out, or just for attention, all day. When his water dish was almost empty, he stood in it with his front feet, and scratched at the bottom for service!
    (You would think that he had never heard of positive training methodology).
    Of course I'm glad that he is feeling so much better, though his eye is still not looking pretty all the time, but he had better start learning some manners.
  11. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    We have the first of Eddie's biopsy results - for the nodule - and there was nothing suspicious. We are still waiting for the one taken from his third eyelid, but I am concerned about the way that Eddie's eye looks post op.
    When he is outside, unless you look closely, you wouldn't think there was anything wrong with him, but indoors, his eye gets more and more inflamed, and even hangs open like an ectropion. He is still having his eye drops and Viscotears gel. I would be even more concerned if he was uncomfortable, but he has spent most of the afternoon running in and out, squeaking his toy. He is far more likely to instigate play than lazy Merry.
    I have spoken to the vet, who says they could collect him from the car and take him in for an examination, but we would not be allowed in the surgery with him, otherwise I could email a photo - hence the attached, which were taken just ten minutes apart, after Ed had had a couple of minutes in the fresh air! I think recovery is going to take much longer than I expected.
    IMG_20200326_184638.jpg IMG_20200326_192022.jpg
  12. Malka

    Malka Member

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    That eye does look sore in the first picture but so much better in the second one - I hope his vet has some encouraging news when she sees the emailed pictures. It is good news about the nodule though.

    And Eddie looks as handsome as ever, Bless him. xx
  13. GsdSlave

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    Bless him, reminds me a bit of Heiko's eye when he had pannus
  14. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    Well, another month further on with only minor progress. After stopping Eddie's sulphasalazine last week, as it could be delaying healing, his eye is much less inflamed. He does still have the ulcer though, and it isn't much smaller - if at all.

    Yesterday's stained-up photo. I am still waiting for his vet's comment.
    IMG_20200424_093806.jpg

    It doesn't stop him enjoying his walks and toys though. Chas took these in the wood at the end of our road today. I think you might just be able to tell that his lower eyelid hangs a little looser on the left side, and the third eyelid is more prominent.
    (Maybe not, I can view them enlarged).
    IMG_20200426_115903.jpg

    IMG_20200426_115601.jpg

    I would love him to be better by the 6th. of May, and his twelfth birthday photo!
  15. Malka

    Malka Member

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    Picture #1 - I think that Eddie's eye definitely looks better and nowhere near as inflamed as it had done, but I cannot say whether the ulcer is getting smaller or not as it has not shown as clearly in previous pictures. [I keep going back and enlarging them to the maximum, to try and make a comparison].

    Picture #2 - does not show his eye clear enough even when the picture is enlarged to the maximum, but just as Eddie is as handsome as ever, Merry is such a pretty little girl. :)

    Picture #3 - [apart from being a gorgeous picture - I do so love pictures of dogs sitting in wild flowers] does show that Eddie's lower eyelid hangs slightly looser on that eye, with a more prominent third eyelid, but on the whole I think there has been an improvement. Not as much as you had hoped I know, but an improvement all the same.

    [Incidentally, you have lovely fingernails!]
  16. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    Thanks Juli. It is exasperating, the way the redness has come and gone, but I have to say that it has been much better this week, and his other end has not flared up - yet. I don't understand why the ulcer isn't healing though. One of the practice vets said that a simple ulcer should heal in a week! I'm sure it must be affecting his vision - even though it isn't distressing him.

    Thank you, but my nails are a bit ridged and dry in close up. All this hand washing doesn't help, and as soon as I put hand cream on - I need to wash them again.
  17. Malka

    Malka Member

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    Two of my Griffons had eye ulcers, one was a fabulous little smooth bitch that I was intending to keep for showing [my mentor had arranged for a handler to help me train her] and that ulcer did heal in about a week. I have no idea how it happened but Griffs having rather bulging eyes it is always a risk.

    The other one was a newborn I was hand raising from birth, who somehow managed to scratch his eye with a nail while he was in his little nest at night [I used to carry him around tucked in my bra during the day] and his eyes had only just opened. It was not healing so my vet, who was a family friend, referred him to an ophthalmologist at the Royal Veterinary Hospital in Hertfordshire. I remember taking him in a little carrying crate, tucked up with his little stuffed cuddly which he refused to let go of! They gave me different ointment and drops for him and the ulcer did heal very well although it took a bit longer than expected. He was a rough and developed into quite a good looking little puppy.
  18. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    At least they did heal, and that gives me hope. It may have been caused by friction from the original nodule rubbing against his cornea.
    My only other experience was a Cavalier I bred, who lived with a former neighbour. Her dogs were always 'well fed' and they shared a box of Maltesers every Saturday night. The Cavalier eventually became diabetic, had to go on insulin, and then developed an ulcer in her eye. The vet treated it for ages, and because it still wouldn't heal, he stitched the eye closed, saying that it offered the best chance of it healing. However, it didn't work, and in the end she had to have her eye removed.
  19. Malka

    Malka Member

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    Oh yes, they did both heal although the ophthalmologist did think at one stage that there was a possibility that tiny one was going to lose the sight in that eye. I think it was because he was so very young and so tiny that they had to be very careful with the strength and dosage of the ointment and drops. I honestly cannot remember what they were as it was such a long time ago, but once healed there was no sign that there had ever been a problem with his eye.

    Tiny? I thought Tikki was tiny when I brought her home but that little one probably only weighed a couple of ounces at birth, Griffs, of course, being a toy breed.

    Such a shame about that Cavalier, having to lose her eye.
  20. GsdSlave

    GsdSlave Member

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    His eye looks a lot better, here's hoping it keeps improving.
  21. Andrew Sheldon

    Andrew Sheldon Member

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    Lovely Bluebells in the woods...looks wonderful….

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