hopenfox Posted November 28, 2005 Share Posted November 28, 2005 Poor Nicky has just spent the last few months, struggling to recover from an eye ulcer. At 12 years old healing is taking forever. Already partially blind, the massive ulcer has permanantly ruined his sight. It all started with the simple pleasures of skink hunting in the garden. Slow reflexes and dimmed sight caused him to scratch his eyeball on a twig and by the next day an ulcer was developing. Off to the Vet, given some eye drops and antibiotics. A week later no improvement, maybe even a little worse, back to the Vet. Different drops and stronger antibiotics. A week later the ulcer is massive and the eyeball is red, inflamed and swollen Back to the Vet and this time his eye is sewn shut to help protect it. 10 days later the stitches are removed to expose an even more massive ulcer that the Vet is worried will burst at any moment. Home with more antibiotics and eyedrops. A few days later the ulcer begins to clear up, but the eye is still cloudy and the eye socket is swollen and red. Today's visit to the Vet left us with the knowledge the eye has been permanantly ruined and to leave it, so vulnerable and painful, would be asking for trouble. So Nicky's off to the Vet on Wednesday to have the eye removed, so there'll be no more pain for him and no more wory for us that he'll impale himself again. I can't wait for his pain and discomfort to be over, and now all I have to worry about is the anaesthetic risks during the op. And then I'll worry about the empty socket getting infected and how he'll learn to cope with only one eye. Poor Nicky... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted November 28, 2005 Share Posted November 28, 2005 Poor old Nicky. Sounds like he's had a tough time with his eye. You have done everything you can to try and fix the problem, It's not your fault. Don't feel too bad about it. Once he is over the surgery, you will be surprised at how well he will learn to cope. In no time at all, he will be getting around as good as new. It never ceases to amaze me just how well dogs adapt with situations like this. Good luck with the op. Julie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerJack Posted November 28, 2005 Share Posted November 28, 2005 He will bounce back quickly and amaze you. My little one, Irial had an eye removed just before she came to me from Cordelia's canine rescue. She had been found with a badly injured eye that was beyond help and so it was removed. The loss of the eye was not a problem for her. If another little dog approached on her blind side she might be startled but she never bumped into anything and managed to race around and leap on and off furniture with great agility. There was a neat little dent where the eyelids were sewn closed over the empty socket and it healed very well with no ongoing infection problems. She had very poppy out eyes and the white line down her face was crooked after the surgery as the bulk of both eyes kept it stretched neatly down the middle. With one missing, her white line skewed to one side. She is sadly missed. Jo picture is Irial who was forever rolling over and asking for her tummy to be rubbed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbesotted Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 been thinking of Nicky all day...any news yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouiseBrooks Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Hopenfox, You will have more trouble adjust than Nicky believe me. I was worried about my mothers elderly dog who had the same op. Not one problem the only problem was everyone fussing over him and him hamming it up for all he was worth. It will be much better when he is painfree believe me. Please let us know as soon as he is home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fido666 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Poor Nicky has been through a lot but she will cope I'm sure. Better to have 1 eye thne be in constant pain from an infected one. I hope all goes well and Nicky is back to her old self before too long . Regards, Corine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopenfox Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Thanks everyone for your concern. It's nice to be able to share this with people who care. And even though I'm sure he'll be fine, its nice to be reasured! Well, Nicky's home now...The op went well. He's still a little shakey from the aneasthetic (his age maybe) and his 'eyeless area' looks pretty horrific at the moment - shaved all around with thick dark red ooze coming from the corner of the stitches, which the vet said was normal and to leave there...He also has blood smears on his head and muzzle which you'd think the vet could have cleaned up a bit...He's sleeping a lot now, which I'm glad of. It's so sad that he can't understand why these things are happening to him. My brother took a photo of Nicky's face, so when he gets around to emailing it to me, I'll post it here so you can cringe with me... Thanks for posting the pic of Irial, TigerJack; the area looks very neat and she looks very happy...My only experience with a missing eye was with a one eyed cat who had lost the eye to an injury and there wasn't enough skin to sew the area shut, so the empty socket always looked pretty gorey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbesotted Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Delighted to hear Nicky is home! I think you will be surprised at how quickly he heals up....and when the fur grows back which happens rapidly he will have a cheeky wink! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteLight Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 And how is our little patient this morning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopenfox Posted December 2, 2005 Author Share Posted December 2, 2005 Nicky is heaps better today. He's much happier and his 'eye' looks very good...I think he'll look quite cute when it's all healed up! He seems to be having no problem adjusting - he's pretty much acting exactly as he did with 2 eyes (no crooked walking or bumping into anything). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippi Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Poor Nicky :D Actually it doesn't look as bad as I had imagined. I have no experience with dogs losing an eye, but I believe they cope very well and it is us that don't. I'm sure Nicky will be fine and heal up quickly - at least he won't have to cope with pain and constant trouble with the eye, and maybe you won't need to visit the vet so often. Lots of hugs to you and Nicky . BTW enjoy herding next time you go. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteLight Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Nicky is heaps better today. He's much happier and his 'eye' looks very good...I think he'll look quite cute when it's all healed up! He seems to be having no problem adjusting - he's pretty much acting exactly as he did with 2 eyes (no crooked walking or bumping into anything). I think Nicky is going to look very rakish and rascally with a man of the world look. Very good for his age too may I add. By the sounds of it he may have been seeing out of one eye for nearly a month and has adjusted already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopenfox Posted December 2, 2005 Author Share Posted December 2, 2005 Thanks, Pippi, I will enjoy herding (if I don't get lost on the way!)...only 8 more days... And I aggree L.B., he probably hasn't seen properly out of that eye for more than a month. I think Nicky is going to look very rakish and rascally with a man of the world look. Yes, and maybe even more so if he wore an eye patch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbesotted Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 sounds like Nicky has himself well on the way to recovery. These guys never cease to astonish me how they get on with life.. Give him a special tummy rubs from the pack up here in queensland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteLight Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Thanks, Pippi, I will enjoy herding (if I don't get lost on the way!)...only 8 more days...And I aggree L.B., he probably hasn't seen properly out of that eye for more than a month. I think Nicky is going to look very rakish and rascally with a man of the world look. Yes, and maybe even more so if he wore an eye patch! :p I was going to mention an eye patch but was not sure if you would be able to handle it. Black one, a chic velvet maroon, he could make a fashion statement. :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordelia Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 I've rescued several dogs who've needed an eye removed and all coped perfectly well. Their depth perception can be a bit off for a while until his brain gets the new message that there's only eye. Help him by using a fave toy or something and getting him to fetch it from short distances at first, gradually increasing until he's got it He'll be fine....... from one eyed Cav to another..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopenfox Posted December 9, 2005 Author Share Posted December 9, 2005 (edited) Nicky's doing so well! His stitches come out tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to seeing how he looks without them. Thanks for posting that photo Cordelia! Here's an updated photo of Nicky...we're all looking forward to his bath next week...so good to wash out all those stains. Edited December 9, 2005 by hopenfox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2tollers Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 I've only just seen this thread. Poor little fellow. Lilli recently had an eye infection from doing the same thing but only minor thankfully. We've got another little Cav at the dog club who's only got one eye. He/She's just fine. Good Luck Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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