morgan Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 One of my girls has just been diagnosed with pannus, so I'm now on a huge learning curve as I'd never heard of it before. The vet thinks it started with eye irritation from an injury, but as far as I can see it is an auto immune condition. She is getting a steroid/antibiotic cream at the moment while I wait for other remedies to arrive. Naturally I will adjust her diet away from commercial food, add cod liver oil for vitamins A and D (especially as she now can't go out in the sunshine) and am getting some herbal and homoeopathic stuff. She goes back to the vet in a week to see if the steroids are helping with the inflammation and abnormal tissue buildup. Has anyone found a really good treatment for this? I really want her to retain her vision (and finish her show title if possible). Thank heavens it isn't a painful condition, cause it sure looks horrible. Is any of the clouding reversible? The vet says not, but I have seen a couple of accounts where treatment has helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 (edited) A friend's GSD had this years ago and the dog competed well in both obedience and tracking( gained several Titles) and passed away from an unrelated illness at an old age I would definietley be getting an opinion form a Veterinary opthamologist and also look at things like Macuvison and LuteinVison which they give to people who have macular degeneration Edited January 30, 2008 by InspectorRex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Thanks - hadn't even thought of those supplements - my mother takes them for her MD. Might add eggs to her diet for the zeaxanthin too - this is good for eyes as well. From what I've seen on the net it is more common in GSDs and greyhounds than other breeds. Just a major shock to the system - in over 30 years of showing dogs I've never had one with eye problems of any description or auto immune problems. For both to happen to my favorite dog is upsetting so soon after losing her precious father. Did your friend's GSD retain his sight to the end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 No advice Morgan, just wanted to wish you all the best for your girl. Jodie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 yes friend's GSD had "normal " eyesight for an older dog, from memory she was over 10yrs when she passed away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula- Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 My friend's grey has pannus and gets drops and a cream (which was relatively new when he was first diagnosed). Quite pricey but it lasted for some time. I had him living with me for 7 months - after a few visits to the eye specialist, the treatment was scaled back - and the specialist said that the treatment did seem to have reduced the problem, not just halted it's progression (and also stated that he'd never seen that happen before). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 Don't suppose you can remember the name of the cream? Am feeling a bit more hopeful now, if I can reduce some of the redness and the swelling of the third eyelids I will cheer up a bit! She looks like she has the worst hangover in creation atm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula- Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Not off the top of my head but I've emailed my friend, will let you know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniek Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 This is what pannus looks like and I think cyclosporine drops are the treatment. annieK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula- Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 The cream is Tacrolinus - it wasn't approved when I was using it so was only available for 'experimental use' via the doggy eye specialist who visits every few months from Sydney (he was getting it made up at a pharmacy in Vic). An article I found on the cream, though not about doggy pannus: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/07/19/...main54955.shtml It's expensive ... from memory about $160 for a very small tube, however the first tube lasted a couple of months and once the dose decreased... so did the cost per day. I can't remember if it was required with the drops, but I had to wear gloves with the cream as it has been shown to cause cancer with prolonged exposure. The amount we had to use decreased dramatically after a couple of months (both drops and cream). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted February 1, 2008 Author Share Posted February 1, 2008 Thanks for that - will speak to my vet and check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytmate Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 My greyhound Sam had Pannus. It is a genetic disease, and the sad thing is that it doesn't usually show up until after the age that a dog would be bred from, so it continues to be passed along the lines. Exposure to sunlight can make the condition worse, and all the dogs that I know of with the condition need varying amounts of medication to control it, depending on the amount of sunlight that is around at the time. I had Sam on Prednefrin Forte for the most part, although I did have him on a non-steriodal cream for a while as well. The most he ever needed to keep the condition under control was two drops a day in each eye, the least was one drop in each eye every three days. The 'cloudiness' is actually a growth on the eye surface rather than inside the eye, and if you are diligent about the treatment, it will clear up considerably, and the eye will look fairly normal. Watch out for the other eye, it may develop the condition as well. It is really important that the pannus medication be discontinued if there is any injury or ulceration in the eye, as the medication inhibits healing. If it is noticed in the other eye, it should be checked by the vet for any ulceration before being medicated. If you do not treat, the eye will eventually be covered by a thick white growth, the dog will go blind and be in pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted February 2, 2008 Author Share Posted February 2, 2008 It is in both eyes, one more than the other. She is now indoors all day and only out first thing in the morning and the evenings to avoid sunlight. She had always been an indoor dog anyway, am now just letting her go outside later in the day than before. The vet very carefully checked her eyes, staining them with a liquid checking for any damage to the eye surface, even right down under the lids before putting her on the medication. He said that if there had been the slightest bit of damage she would have had to have a different, slower acting type. She goes back in a couple of days to check on her progress, so will ask about medication then. There has already been improvements in the appearance of the eyeball and third eyelid in the bad eye. Thanks for the advice everyone - this is all totally outside my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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