Dry Eye Problems

[MaddiesMommie]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

How far are you from the University of Tennessee? They have excellent ophthalmologists there.

Oh wow. I am only about 45 min from there. How do I go about making her an appointment? Do I need a referral, or contact thier vet school? Thanks so much for your help.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

Oh wow. I am only about 45 min from there. How do I go about making her an appointment? Do I need a referral, or contact thier vet school? Thanks so much for your help.

Ask your vet for a referral. I'm sure he will give you one.

Lady sees the ophthalmologist at the NC State vet school since we moved last year. I have found them to be very reasonable, $65 for a visit, $45 for a follow up.

Our regular vets just don't have the training and equipment that ophthalmologists do. Dogs with KCS are very prone to ulcers and infections so it is best to have them under an ophthalmologist's care IMO.

[MaddiesMommie]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

Ask your vet for a referral. I'm sure he will give you one.

Lady sees the ophthalmologist at the NC State vet school since we moved last year. I have found them to be very reasonable, $65 for a visit, $45 for a follow up.

Our regular vets just don't have the training and equipment that ophthalmologists do. Dogs with KCS are very prone to ulcers and infections so it is best to have them under an ophthalmologist's care IMO.

I agree. I would feel better for her to be under a specialist care. My delima is her vet says she doesn't think Maddie has KCS, unlike the ER vet.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

I agree. I would feel better for her to be under a specialist care. My delima is her vet says she doesn't think Maddie has KCS, unlike the ER vet.

Did either vet do a Schirmer tear test? It's simple and fast. They just tuck a little strip in their eyelid to test tear production. It only takes a few seconds. KCS is not a complicated diagnosis.

I can't understand why your vet would prescribe Cyclosporine if he didn't feel Maddie had dry eye. It's a tear stimulator.

Either way, I think you should get a referral to the vet school so you can find out what is going on.

[MaddiesMommie]

No. There has only been the dye test and light test to see any surface damage to her eye. I will ask for this tomorrow. I have found that Optimmune may also be prescribed for inflammation in superficial keratitis. Her eye was inflammed, so maybe that is why she prescribed it. not sure.

[MaddiesMommie]

Maddie went to the vet again today. The cut/scrape on her eye is healing nicely but she is still squinting. I told the vet this and we are now on Cefa-Drops, Optimmune, and now Gentak. I have given her all her meds and the Gentak seems to be helping already. She has only had two doses.
I asked the vet about the dry-eye again, she showed me evidence that Maddie's eye is making tears. However, her tear duct in this eye may not be making enough tears. This can cause her eye to become irritated. Does that sound right to you all????

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

Maddie went to the vet again today. The cut/scrape on her eye is healing nicely but she is still squinting. I told the vet this and we are now on Cefa-Drops, Optimmune, and now Gentak. I have given her all her meds and the Gentak seems to be helping already. She has only had two doses.
I asked the vet about the dry-eye again, she showed me evidence that Maddie's eye is making tears. However, her tear duct in this eye may not be making enough tears. This can cause her eye to become irritated. Does that sound right to you all????

Did your vet do a Schirmer tear test today? That is the only way to determine if Maddie is producing enough tears.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Yorkies can be born with underdeveloped tear producing glands.

Did you ask her about a referral to an ophthalmologist at the vet school?

[MaddiesMommie]

No and No. Maddie had the widest eyes in the world while in the vet's, making mommy look like a liar. After looking at pics of dry-eye on the web, I am beginning to doubt she had it. Maddie's eyes never have looked red, pink, or blood shot. I don't know. We go back Thurs. and I am not going to keep trying other med.'s if she is not better. I will ask for tests to be done. I don't want trail and error with her eyes.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

No and No. Maddie had the widest eyes in the world while in the vet's, making mommy look like a liar. After looking at pics of dry-eye on the web, I am beginning to doubt she had it. Maddie's eyes never have looked red, pink, or blood shot. I don't know. We go back Thurs. and I am not going to keep trying other med.'s if she is not better. I will ask for tests to be done. I don't want trail and error with her eyes.

The Schirmer tear test is so quick, easy and inexpensive ($15-20), why not just have your vet do it since the ER vet diagnosed Maddie with KCS? That is the only way you will know for sure.

[Ladymom]

I forgot to mention that the Schirmer tear test will tell you exactly what Maddie's tear production is. It is graded up to 15 with 15 being normal. Maddie may have decreased tear production.

I wonder if your vet simply isn't equipped to perform this test?

[kalina82]

Has maddie always had this problem with her eyes? When she sleeps do her eyes close all the way or are slightly open?

[cynsir]

I also was told by my vet, never never use Visine or any over the counter med for any of my other dogs. I was to call him and get a prescription since the problem could be something other than dry eyes.

[MaddiesMommie]

Originally Posted by kalina82

Has maddie always had this problem with her eyes? When she sleeps do her eyes close all the way or are slightly open?

When we got her she had one eye slightly closed. However, within a few days it was fine. That was July 2007. She had been great with no problems until January of this year.
At night she sleeps usually her eys are closed. However, I have seem here sleeping, lazily, with them sorta open too. She naps most of the day, I am not here so I don't know how she naps.
What you thinkin'?

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

When we got her she had one eye slightly closed. However, within a few days it was fine. That was July 2007. She had been great with no problems until January of this year.
At night she sleeps usually her eys are closed. However, I have seem here sleeping, lazily, with them sorta open too. She naps most of the day, I am not here so I don't know how she naps.
What you thinkin'?

while working as a tech i've seen some dogs that get ulcers across the center of their eyes because they don't close their eyes totally while sleeping. This also creates a drying situation. its not something that's particularly common but it can happen.

[MaddiesMommie]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

I forgot to mention that the Schirmer tear test will tell you exactly what Maddie's tear production is. It is graded up to 15 with 15 being normal. Maddie may have decreased tear production.

I wonder if your vet simply isn't equipped to perform this test?

I wondered that too after I realized how simple it was. I am going to ask for it Thurs. I just hate to appear to be arguing with a professional who gives me thier diagnosis and evidence to support it, ya know? That is why wasn't so pushy about it before. I am curious to know what it is b/c we have problems in the same eye.