Poor Poor Cassie
 

I took our sweetie little, Cassie, to the vet last night. Her left eye is all bloodshot. She also has cataracts but they haven't been bothering her as far as I could tell. Cassie turns 12 next month so I figure I'm going to have to deal with age-related issues from now on but WOW.:littleang

She has glaucoma in her left eye and the cataract in her right eye is so bad she probably can't see out of it. If we can't manage the glaucoma (so far only in that one eye) then we will have to have the cataract removed. I don't have a problem with that other than I'm not keen on putting her through surgery. Poor little girl.:cry:

I had to get her eye drops and pills at Walgreens Are you ready for this?
$156.00.:shocked7q The vet visit was ony $22.00! And before anyone asks: No I wasn't smart enough to get insurance for her. Sigh

It's hard when our babies get older and we have to face age related things with them. Sending hugs to you and Cassie!

We have 3 dogs at age 10yrs and a 14yrold. I so understand! I purchased meds for the old man of the bunch yesterday two perscriptions, $85.00 then picked up monthly meds for me and the hubby four perscriptions, $40.00. We have insurance,he does not.

Poor Cassie, glaucoma is very painful. Sometimes the meds work but they did not for my old girl & she lost that eye but boy when she woke up from surgery she was like a puppy again. That just proved to me how painful it was for her as she had not acted like that since she woke up one morning with her eye all bloodshot & swollen & we were at the vet when they opened the door that same morning. We tried a couple of diff meds but they did not work & even with pain meds she was still shaking so I had get rid of that pain & I was very happy to see my little Gracie back to her happy little self again. She never acted like she even missed that mean ol eye after it was removed.

I'm sorry. The senior years can be so hard on them and us. Little Cassie is a lucky girl to have you loving her and looking out for her. Please give her a huggin from me.

I just hate to see a dog have to get older and start to have age-related problems! Bless her heart. I hope she comes through the surgery just fine and feels better. I'll keep you both in my prayers.

It is so nice of all of you to show concern. Thank you.
Sometimes I wonder if my non-pet loving friends really understand what I feel about my little furry kids.

Cassie Report:
After only two days of treatment I can see a marked improvement in her behavior. Her "happy dog" seems to have kicked back on. I never realized how differently she was behaving. She is such a shy and quiet little one most of the time. Both dh and I agree that the redness has decreased and last night I noticed she was looking at me with that eye. (It points outward and she has always had to use one eye or the other to look at things up close.)

So, hopefully no surgery in the future. Since this is a life-long illness I know I may still have to face it but for now the situation is looking better. :)

Keep praying thinking good thoughts for her. She deserves it for all the happiness she has given me. We say she is the heart of the household.

Cassie was a puppy mill rescue and I got her when she was only 6 weeks old. I think the quiet shy side of her is a result of that but I don't think she remembers much from those days so long ago. It took me most of her life to bring her up to 13lbs. She has always been a picky eater and small. somewhere around her 8th birthday she started eating like a normal dog. (I think Adie coming to live with us might have had something to do with it.)

Anyway, if things change I'll post it but suffice it to say we are doing great!

Glad to hear of this rapid improvement! I'll be keeping your little Cassie in my prayers.

I'm so happy she's doing better! :)

I'm glad to hear she's doing better :)

I am so glad she is doing better. It is so hard to see them age.

Thanks for the great update. Happy dance for Cassie!!!

I'm just catching up with your post. I'm glad Cassie is doing better on the medicine. I hope she continues to do well. I know it's hard to see them get older and start having problems. It is heartbreaking. Sending prayers for sweet Cassie.:)

Cassie is about the same. She is so good about taking her pill and getting her eye drops! It may be my imagination but I think that eye has actually come in a little. When we first got her it pointed outward just a tiny little bit and as she grew older it pointed out more. I just wonder if the pressure from the glacoma is what made it point out more like that. I guess I will never know.

She is 12 at the end of next month. Does anyone know the life expectancy for shih tzus? I so want to keep her around for a lot longer. It nearly killed me when we had to put Ivan down and he was dh's dog. Cassie is mine and I don't think I can remember sleeping without her in her lttle bed next to mine.

As shy as she is with people you'd think she would be that way with dogs too but she is a little alpha around here and the yorkies tow the line. Heck the big ol 120lb Ivan was afraid to anger her. LOL He bugged her a bit too much when he first came to live with us and she clamped on to his lip and he carried her half way across the room before she let him go!

She has been mamma to the puppies too and every face in the house stays clean under her rule. They love it. Skeeter will come and sit down in front of her and beg her to wash his face.

Life expectancy for ShihTzus is approx 16 yrs but I had a Shih/Poo who lived 24 yrs so I think it depends on the dog & the owners treatment of the dog. I'm so happy that the meds are working for her & I pray they keep working & also that she lives a very LONG time.:)

I hope your little girl continues to improve. It is so difficult to see our babies age and have more difficulties, but I absolutely loved that stage of Ashley's life, too. Cassie knows she is truly loved, and she will thrive on your love. I am sure the love she returns to you is priceless. I hope you have many healthy,loving years ahead with her. You are both in my prayers.

With the care you give her, she very well may live to be a very old lady.:) I don't consider life expectancy that much. To me, it's based on the individual doggie.

Cassie Bug is about the same. She is a chipper little sweetie and I'm sure she is enjoying life more now. The only problem we are having in the house is with the rest of the crew. Now that Cassie gets a pill three times a day in cheese or peanut butter the others think they need to get a bite too. With the weight war we have always fought with Skeeter (and are beginning to fight with Adie) that may not be a good thing. :rolleyes:

Thanks for your continued support and prayers. It is really comforting to come on to this message board and not be criticized for caring about my furbutts as much as I do. I hate that I have friends that don't understand my feelings for my little darlings!

I am glad Cassie is doing better and hope she continues to improve. Can I ask how they diagnosed the glaucoma? Did you have to go to a specialist? Nikki is about 17 and has cataracts in both eyes and very limited vision (motion only) and the vet never mentioned glaucoma. It is amazing how much the medicines cost for our babies.

The vet just looked in her eye with tha thing-a-ma-bob and told me what it is. She really peered into both eyes. I thought it was kind of funny that it is only one eye but she said it isn't unusual and it is really easy to diagnose.
We won't need a specialist unless the meds and eye drops don't work.

I hope the eye drops help and her eye doesn't get any worse. They have some miraculous drugs these days.

Update on Cassie and a Question!
 

Once again, thanks for all your good thoughts and encouragement.

Cassie is doing really well but has a bad day now and then when her eye gets red and she draws back if we act like we are going to touch it. She still lets me put in the drops with no complaint or resistance. She is such a sweet and good girl.

Question: Cassie LOVES that cheese in a can and that is what I have been putting her pills in. She gets about 3/4 t. three times a day. Do you think that is too much and is getting the canned stuff bad for her?
She weighs about 12 pounds.

Are you talking about Cheese Whiz?

I do think that's too much to be giving her everyday. How big are her pills? I use Cheese Whiz to get mine to take their meds, but I just put a tiny dollop out and then smush the pill down in the middle of it. It doesn't take very much at all.

Yeah, it is Cheese Whiz. Her pills are tiny so she doesn't really need that much. She just loves it!
I'm also lazy. We have a can reserved just for her and I put the pill on the tip of the spout the squirt it into her mouth. LOL.
I guess I'd better be a better mom from now on.
Thanks for the advice.

I know what you mean - Alexander luuvvved his Cheese Whiz. :rolleyes: I never thought about just squirting it in his mouth, I always just put a teeny dab on my fingertip or on a saucer or something. He was happy to get it no matter how little it was. :)