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03-11-2017, 01:28 AM | #1 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Canada
Posts: 212
| My experience with enucleation (removal of eye) I just wanted to share my experience of my eldest dog, Bijou, who recently had to have one of his eyes removed. Bijou is a senior at 16.5 years old. He developed cataracts in both eyes a couple years ago. The doctors figured it was just due to aging. A decision against surgery was made. And it hardly seemed to affect him. He never walked or bumped into things. All was good. You wouldn't even know he had cataracts by observing his behavior. Fast forward to four months ago, and Bijou developed a very small growth on the tip of his lower eyelid of his left eye, right in the middle. I got it checked out and the doctor figured that it may be causing some irritation to the eye, so an eye drop for that was prescribed as well as another eye drop to reduce pressure in the eye so glaucoma doesn't develop. This was the only eye that was a problem and his other eye seemed fine and didn't need any medication. Unfortunately the doctor only made a passing comment about removing that little growth on the eyelid, and instead the focus was on administering the eye drops and always coming back to the clinic to check the pressure of the eye and examine the eye as well. And that seemed to work fine. There wasn't any issue and the medicine seemed to work like magic. Just 6 days ago Bijou was whimpering and squinting his left eye. The following day puss developed in his eye. I got him to the clinic first thing Monday and was told he had a corneal ulcer and that it most likely was from that little growth on his eyelid based on the staining test on the eye. The first step was to give a whole bunch of different types of eye medicine, which I did. I got Bijou in the following day for a recheck, and his eye condition hadn't improved but didn't get any worse as well. So he was booked for surgery for the next morning. The little growth was to be removed and a corneal scraping done as well, plus his teeth cleaned. I got a call from the doctor while Bijou was in the clinic and I was told that she was able to get a really good look at his eye while he was under anaesthesia, and that it was worse than expected. The two options at that point was for either the eye to be removed or to see a specialist but that the procedure to save his eye with the damage it had was a process that had many steps and that he'd have to be put under multiple times. With considering his age and also the fact that we figured he had been completely blind in that eye for the last couple months, I decided that it'd be best for the eye to be removed. And the doctor agreed that that was the best course of action for Bijou. So now Bijou only has one eye. He's actually doing really well, and thankfully his right eye is good and he doesn't seem to have much of a problem seeing. Looking back I'm frustrated that the growth on his eyelid wasn't removed as a preventative measure. But I didn't know that this would happen, and I guess the doctor didn't either. Maybe it was an unusual case. I'm not too sure. I'm thinking maybe it was cause everything was fine and then literally overnight Bijou got the ulcer on his eye. That seems really quick to me, and I was surprised by it cause I was told it was just making his eye a little bit irritated. It was made out to be not a huge deal or a potential serious issue. And of course I tended to agree with that cause it was just a tiny little bump on his eyelid that seemed to be hardly even actually touching his eye. The point I wanted to make was just to be aware that I guess in some cases ulcers on the eye can happen very quickly. Maybe they always do though. Who knows. I don't know anything about the science and medical aspects of the eye. But it's just something to be aware of. And also that having an eye removed isn't really that bad. Bijou is gonna be completely ok without his left eye. I can already tell that this is going to have a minimal affect on his quality of life. Speaking to some friends, I've heard many comments about putting him down. I don't know why people have a bias towards that type of mindset. Of course if Bijou had a health condition that was painful and couldn't be treated or was taking away any quality of life, then of course I would have to consider that. But it just seems to me that a lot of people think that's the best thing to do without even thinking it through or considering everything. I find it a little bit upsetting that people have suggested that to me just because he's had his eye removed. I know eye removal sounds like an absolutely horrible thing, but I'm certain he'll adjust just fine. It actually seems like he's already adjusted. Of course though there's the cosmetic issue, and maybe I'll get Bijou a cool eyepatch or something like that. |
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03-11-2017, 05:31 AM | #2 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: USA
Posts: 4,285
| Thank you for this post and education. Sorry he had to lose an eye, but certainly you are a great Yorkie parent as you care for him.
__________________ . Cali , and Cali's keeper and staff, Jay No, not a "mini" Yorkie - She loves to motor in her Mini Cooper car |
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