esky Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 (edited) Hi all, I rarely post preferring to stay in background but have posted twice today already for different urgent needs!! Just wanted others opinions on what they would do in this position...............my little pekingese, Elroy (10 yrs 5 months old) was taken to the vet on Sunday for a couple of "gunky" eyes that were a bit mucky & red. They found a small ulcer in one (the eye already had a very small cataract we had seen a specialist about who said it was too small to warrant an op back then but to watch it)& prescribed drops etc. Suddenly, last night, the eye turned quite bad & we raced him to the vet again. Luckily, the eye specialist was visiting from Sydney & squeezed him in today to save us a long trip down to him. Here is the question: the specialist has said his eye has ruptured (he is in pain) with the cataract being a double whammy problem. Our choice is to make an extremely quick decision on racing him down to the specialists for an op to try to save the eye & regain some vision (at the moment he has none in that eye) or have the eye removed by our local vet. I would find the money no matter what but the specialist said it would be $2500 to $3000 dollars with a 20-30% chance of vision returning but he may also go through that only to have to have the eye removed anyway His other eye is inflammed at the moment too but the specialist said it is ok with fairly good vision. I don't know what to do as I am not"good at working out risks versus outcome etc. I am worried if something happens to the other eye eventually but just don't want my boy in pain. I know it is my decision in the end but I would appreciate knowing what others would do as it may help me to not feel so guilty whichever way I go. Edited January 16, 2013 by esky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 In all honesty, if it was me I would try to save the eye first if there is ANY chance he could regain some vision in it. If it didn't work out, then I would have it removed. Poor little guy, it is so hard when they are unwell. They can't say it hurts and most of the time they don't cry, they just get quiet and hide out somewhere safe. Good luck Esky - I am sure you will do the very best for him no matter what you choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I'd have the eye removed. Good luck making the decision- we will have to make some decisions about one of our dogs soon so i really do sympathise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy82 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 If money isn't a big issue, I would definitely try to save the eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 (edited) How old is Elroy? If he had to have surgery again on the eye would it be hard on him? Personally I'd just remove the eye and be done with it. 20%-30% isn't a high enough percent for me. Good luck with whatever you decide. Edited January 16, 2013 by Bjelkier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 How old is Elroy? If he had to have surgery again on the eye would it be hard on him? Personally I'd just remove the eye and be done with it. 20%-30% isn't a high enough percent for me. Good luck with whatever you decide. I agree here, was also going to ask his age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 (edited) I'd remove the eye as well. My parents had a peke who had an eye removed and coped very well with it. Edited January 16, 2013 by Rebanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle Mum Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I would go for the eye out as well. They are very small odds of vision returning in a ruptured eye. Plenty of animals manage with one eye, they bounce back very quickly after the op....of course depending on the age of the animal. It sounds like he has been only using one for a while. Good luck with your decision......Don't forget the E-collar after the surgery. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosetta Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Personally, I think I also would have the eye removed as the percentage is not high enough for the vision to be restored. The thing is if you are confident that your regular vet has the skills to remove the eye competently? I would be tempted to get the specialist to do it. I am sure the little fellow would adjust OK. Good luck to you - its a very difficult decision to be made quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Having had a dog go through double cataract surgery and every complication under the sun I would now say very strongly consider having the eye out. I don't know if I would do things differently if I had my time over. But it sounds like it is a low chance of having vision. I know a dog that had his eye removed quite young and he does really well (he chased a motorbike and came off second best). In your situation if it were my dog I think I probably would go for removal of the eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esky Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hi, Thank you for your replies so far - much appreciated! I should have said his age.........he is 10yrs 5 months old. He also only had a dental 2 weeks ago & made it through ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esky Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Thank you all for your replies so far - I also posted in Health as I wasn't sure which one would be best. I forgot to say he is 10 yrs 5 months old so I will edit the original post also. I have two pekes over the years with an eye removed & they did cope well. I just would hate to live with the "guilt" I didn't try for him with an operation but I am also not wanting to put him through complicated surgery to end up at the same place. We are not well off people but would do anything to find the money - I lost 3 pekes last year all after big hospital stays & another in intensive care for 5 days (still with me) so have had to find around $10K to get through that. It is tight but I don't want that to be the decider. I guess evryone out there at one time feels the same way but I would just love even a one month period where all was quiet & well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerJack Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I would have it removed. With the amount of damage you describe and only a 20 to 30% chance of vision, I wouldn't put a dog through that recovery and pain. I have had two dogs who had eyes removed and they had a short uneventful recovery and coped just fine for the rest of their lives. good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 From our experience of grooming dogs with bad ulcers i would say remove the eye. A number of the dogs we groom have had owners try & save the eye & after a year or more it had to beremoved & yep it is very painful.,In a number of cases the eye specialist recommended eye removal as the better option but not everyone can deal with a one eyed dog We could see the dogs where not happy & once the eye was removed the dogs went back there happy old ways. Ulcers are very painful & at its age i would vote for comfort Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I would probably say remove the eye, I dont envy your situation though. I know a lady who rescued a poodle cross dog. Not long after she got her, she had to get one eye removed. The dog coped fine, then a couple of years later the other eye had the same problem so she was faced with euthanasing the dog, or removing her other eye. She chose the latter and several years on, the dog is coping well. She potters around her property with no problems and even goes up the park on a lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 (edited) What's the procedure discomfort and recovery time for each? Assuming you have the money for it, I'd be inclined to try to save the sight - provided the pain/discomfort level of the procedure to do so didn't weigh too heavily when put up against the other option of having the eye removed. But one way or the other I guess, if you went in for the "saving sight" , you'd need to go in with the attitude of being willing to risk the $$$ for the sake of chance. It's a tough choice. It is similar (although different health problem) to one I had to face years ago with my girl "Kal" (bhcs). However that choice was taken out of my hands when other complications occurred. Good luck with whatever you choose. Either way, you're looking after your dog and I don't think any decision you make is a wrong one. Edited January 16, 2013 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkhe Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I also would remove the eye - it may seem more "drastic" but dogs adjust to these things far better than humans do, and it will probably cause more distress and angst for you than him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle Mum Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I think most pet owners have felt how you are feeling.....I know I have! You can only do the best that you can at the time.....don't beat yourself up. Considering the age of your peke would def go for the removal, not think " what if"! and treat the good eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disintegratus Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I agree, out with the eye. It eliminates the risk of the inflammation returning, and I think you'll find he adjusts quite well. My parents little jack russel copped a swipe to the eye from their cat, when we went to the vet we found out that he'd been blind in his other eye probably since he was a young pup, so was now completely blind. They opted not to remove the eye, but it settled down in terms of inflammation etc. He's never regained vision, but he gets around really well. He doesn't even have a problem going out and about to unfamiliar places. Admittedly he now walks a little oddly, he holds his nose down to avoid bumping into stuff nose first, but he's happy and healthy :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I would remove the eye, given the dogs age, much faster recovery time with less discomfort for the dog. Having been through the wringer with one of mine at a much younger age when the choice between surgery and long painful recovery or removal as an older dog we didn't hesitate to remove the eye. I groom a few one eyed and also some totally blind dogs, they do just fine and with most of them you wouldn't realise if you were not told about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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