Kobi...Kevin's New Rescue

[ozzi]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to introduce you to Kobi! He is a 3 month old Golden Retriever/Australian Shepherd mix, born blind, and rescued from Alabama. Before I go on, you have to see his pics!! LOL

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4937535107_d3b03d9c63.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4937695737_992332dbe4.jpg

Does it get any cuter than that??? Sorry, I'm just so happy to have this little guy in my life, and of course I think he's the cutest puppy in the world, but that's par for the course when you're a new Dad I guess!!

Life without Ozzi has been difficult, and I miss him terribly. It is two weeks ago today that I lost him. This house has just not been the same. I realize that we all grieve differently, and for many, a new dog isn't a consideration for months or maybe years. After a week, I couldn't stand it, and started searching for a dog.

Taking Abby's age into account, I was specifically looking for a senior dog, and given my successful, albeit bumpy, experience with diabetes, I wanted to get a senior diabetic. I searched the internet and all of the shelters I could find in New England, and came up with nothing. There were absolutely no diabetic dogs of any age to be found. I contacted a woman in Indiana who shuttles an overpopulation of unwanted rescue dogs monthly to New England where they are adopted, and she tried all of the shelters she deals with in the midwest, and came up with nothing. Then I realized that sadly, diabetic dogs probably do not make it to the shelters. So I wrote to some local vets asking that they contact me if they were going to euthanize a dog just because of diabetes and the family would consider giving him up to me. My own vet said she would let me know if a situation arose that fit the bill.

I had gone to petfinder.com several times, and realized that there is a check box for "special needs" dogs, but never found a diabetic. So I figured I needed to broaden my search. I was committed to getting a special needs dog, and if it wasn't diabetic, it still needed a home where it would be loved. After putting in my zip code, the first special needs dog on the list was a 3 month old puppy who was born blind. I wasn't even considering a puppy, so I moved on, but kept going back to him.

Since Ozzi had become blind from cataracts I figured I had some experience with that, and this could work out. That puppy's face just melted my heart. I contacted the shelter in NH and the owner sent me a very lengthy application on Monday, and I was approved on Tuesday. Kobi (formerly named Bly) was being fostered in a home about 2 hours from where I live, so I had to wait until the foster Mom contacted me. It was hard waiting for her to call because I really wanted to get him asap.

On Tuesday evening about 6pm, I was making spaghetti sauce when the phone rang. It was the foster Mom. She was a very nice person and she said that Bly (now Kobi) needed to get one more set of shots the next day. I asked her if I could pick him up that night, and I would bring him to the vet the next day. She spoke with the owner of the Rescue, and the long and short of it is that the stove was turned off, and I was on my way up to get him.

It was a horribly rainy and windy night. As I got closer to the foster home, I became more enveloped in the mountainous terrain of NH. Mind you, it was now dark, and the very back roads of NH are only a bit wider than a sidewalk! No lights, no cars, few houses. I absolutely could not find the street, and called the foster Mom. She knew where I was, and it turns out I had passed the street....their street was the dirt road with no sign!! Go figure! LOL

I got there, and the family was so nice. Two golden retrievers, three cats, Mom, Dad, and two teenagers. I saw Kobi and fell in love. The rest is history! He is AWESOME! I am having so much fun with him. He will never replace Ozzi, but it sure is nice to have Kobi around!

I brought him to the vet, and she determined that his blindness is not from cataracts, but has to do with the cornea. She suspects exposure to a virus as the culprit. She checked him out and did a cotton test, and believes he sees nothing. I have an appointment tomorrow at 1PM with an ophthalmologist at Angell Memorial in Boston. I'll let you know how it goes.

Kobi has learned to go up the stairs by himself in just two days, and I found some baby stuffed animals that play music for about 30 seconds at a yard sale yesterday, which I'll use to teach him to fetch. He LOVES to run, and here is the result of coming home from the park after running around like a nut:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4937576009_fcfffd2885.jpg

Kevin :)

[Dollydog]

Hi Kevin,
Your new baby is adorable and I'm sure that you two are going to have an awesome time together!! I don't remember posting to you before but I've followed along on your thread a little bit. Your compasson is boundless and I know Ozzi would be so pleased that you are sharing your life with this little bundle of joy!

The Best Friends Santuary in Kanab, Utah has a senior female dog (spaniel mix) named Leah for adoption. She is diabetic and very far away from you but they can work wonders in getting a dog to a new home. Their website is www.bestfriends.org
Will be checking back for more pictures and updates on Kobi.
Jo-Ann

[diggydog]

Hi Kevin,

Congrats on the new fur baby - very cute.

What a very lucky pup to have u for a dad!

[k9diabetes]

Aw... what a cute little guy! I am so so so happy for you and for him! :) What a sweet spot that boy has landed.

Congrats!!

Natalie

[CarolW]

Oh, Kevin - what a LUCKY dog Kobi is! I LOVE the way you went after him - really DRIVEN - with you, literally! I'm so glad you found a new dog so very soon - it took me more than two months to land Camellia!

I LOVE the pictures! I'm SO HAPPY for you and for Kobi, too. He's a wonderful dog - how magnificent that he can manage the stairs already.

I had a weird response to your mention of his going nuts on a run in the park - worrying about glucose levels; HAHAHA! Yet I've adapted to not having such worries with Camellia, either!

Kevin - I KNOW Ozzi is up there with Kwali and Kumbi, approving your choice. He probably sent Kobi to you. These dogs of ours, you know; they do amazing things, even from the Bridge.

Tons of love and hugs to you, from all mine, those at the Bridge and the one on Earth.

Hi Kobi!

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:20:48 (PDT)

[Tikobird]

Kevin - congratulations! What an adorable little guy he is...for now:eek: Looks like he's got some big feet on him! He is a very lucky little boy to have you for his dad. Can't wait for the updates :)

[Patty]

What a cute furball!!! :D The sleeping picture definitely shows his golden genes. Totally adorable Kevin. You will have your hands full for sure. What does Abby think?

Keep us posted with Kobi stories :)
Patty

[CoolGram]

Kevin,

Congratulations on your new little pup. I can certainly see how you couldn't resist him! He doesn't know it yet (or maybe he does!), but Tuesday was his lucky day. I know that you will give him the very best life possible and I think it was so selfless of you to decide to adopt a dog with special needs. I hope you two have many, many wonderful years together; I'm just so happy for you both! :)

Carolyn

[ladysmom06]

Hi Kevin,

Congratulations!!!!! on your new addition. I am so very happy :D:D:D for you. Kobi is so adorable. Enjoy your precious puppy.

[bgdavis]

He's very cute. I'm so happy for you.

Bonnie and Angel Criss

[ozzi]

Thank you one and all for your wonderful words! This little guy has become the light of my life these days! He is full of energy and truly is a bundle of joy!! I honestly feel blessed to have him in my life.

When Ozzi passed, my cat Zakk had a very difficult time. I know this sounds crazy because I don't typically think of cats as being emotionally attached beyond having a meal ticket...LOL. But Zakk truly loved Ozzi, and the last day of Ozzi's life, Zakk would not leave his side. When I came home without Ozzi, Zakk looked for him, whined, and was generally upset for more than a week. It took about 5 days with Kobi, and now Zakk has a new bff. It's really cute.

Abby, on the other hand, did not seem any different, which I thought was weird since Ozzi always took care of her. Even when I mention his name (usually calling Kobi by the wrong name!), she doesn't respond. This bothered me and I couldn't explain it, but I found out tonight that Abby may have her own problems beyond laryngeal paralysis, which I'll post in her thread. That might explain what I am interpreting as her ambiguity.

In the meantime, Kobi went to the opthamologist at Angell Memorial in Boston today. He had a very thorough exam, lasting about 1 1/2 hours. He is completely blind in the left eye, and they believe he has very minimal but poor vision in the right eye. They suspect some hypoxic event en utero, perhaps malnutrition of his mother or a virus, was responsible for this birth defect. Also his left eye is smaller than the right. The concern going forward is glaucoma, uveitis, and retinal detachment. There is some pupillary response in the right eye, so his optic nerve is working somewhat, but they cannot determine retinal detachment until he is a bit older. We go back in 3 months for a follow-up.

I asked about corneal transplants since my vet thought this could be a possibility, but the opthamologist said transplants wouldn't help his condition. So there really is nothing to do to allow him to see, and I will take him to the opthamologist regularly to watch for any adverse effects that might require intervention over the years. Kobi is otherwise happy and healthy, and I don't believe he cares about seeing anyways....after all, he doesn't even know he is blind! From my perspective, he acts like every other puppy, and I'm having a total blast with him!

Kobi was a trooper today. They checked his eyes for tear production by putting a small strip in both eyes and holding them closed for a full minute. Then they stained his eyes with flourescein and checked them with a black light. And they checked his eye pressures which involved tapping a small instrument on them after using a topical anesthetic. Finally, he had multiple tests with bright lights and lenses and who knows what! Throughout it all he was great, very cooperative, and very well behaved. As usual, the techs swooned all over him...I can't take him anywhere without that happening....he's a total chick magnet!!

So that's the Kobi update. He's doing great overall, and I couldn't be happier with him. :D

Kevin

[k9diabetes]

As usual, the techs swooned all over him...I can't take him anywhere without that happening....he's a total chick magnet!!

LOL! I loved the commercials where the guy hands out dogs to guys trying to attract chicks! Even though I can't remember what it was advertising!

Natalie

[peggy0]

Hi Kevin

I was away seeing my granddaughters this week so missed the new baby . He is sooooo adorable and special. I'm so glad you found him for your sake as well as his. He's just precious!!! You have a Kobi and I have a toby :) Congratulations

[ozzi]

Peggy,

It was great to hear from you and I'm happy you had the chance to see your granddaughters!! I'm glad you liked my little guy...he is a total sweetie pie!

I always felt that Forbin and Ozzi had a connection in that they went through a few similar things, particularly at the end. You have a Toby and I have a Kobi...I had forgotten that! So our connection continues! That is comforting!!

So happy to see you back!

Kevin

[ozzi]

Kobi the Movie Star!! (Part I)

Yesterday I brought a friend of mine to Beverly Hospital for a lab test, and while he was in the hospital, Kobi and I entertained everyone going in as we sat on a bench outside of the hospital. After about 5 minutes, a guy came up to us and introduced himself as a Beverly Hospital employee and said they had a professional photographer taking pics of people at the hospital for their annual report publication. He asked if they could take pics of Kobi! He took my address and said if I agreed to allow them to photograph him, he would send me copies of the pics in about a month. I had to sign a release with Kobi as the "model" and they took a bunch of pics, including close-ups! I hope one of his pics makes the cut and is included in the publication. If so, this could be the start of something big....LOL! I may need Carol's internet savvy parrot lady friend to start looking for oceanfront homes in Hollywood! :D
Kevin

[Patty]

Gotta love it!! I hope he makes the cut :cool:

[ozzi]

Hi all,

I took Kobi for his last shots on Wednesday. He is now 4 months old and weighs 18 pounds (an increase of 6 pounds in a month!) Coincidentally on the morning of his appointment, I noticed a worm on his butt...ugh! So I brought it to the vet along with a stool sample and it showed he had tapeworms. He, along with Abby and Zakk were all treated. Otherwise, he is happy and healthy. It's been 14 years since I had a puppy, and now I realize how sedentary my dogs and I had become...LOL! Kobi is full of energy, loves to walk and really loves to run! Despite all of his toys, he prefers to bug his Daddy constantly since Abby is a less than willing play partner. He will be having surgery in Oct/Nov to remove his hind dew claws and to be neutered, and he has a follow-up with the opthamologist in November. I'm trying to decide on timing for the neutering. My previous vet (when Ozzi was a pup) felt that puppies should be neutered as soon as possible to "keep testerone from hanging around too long," and she neutered him at 4 months. Kobi's vet feels that he can be neutered at 5 months, but prefers to wait until 6 months because of anesthesia. She also said there are orthopedic benefits to waiting until 6 months, particularly in larger dogs. I have researched the right time to neuter and found many differing opinions and no clear answer. I was wondering what people here think...it always helps to hear the opinions of others, so if you have one, please post! Here's an updated pic of Kobi:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5026195504_b335817410.jpg

Thanks,
Kevin

[CoolGram]

Hi Kevin,

I don't really have an answer to your question, although around here neutering at 6 months seems to be the norm. Of course I've always had female dogs and the vet would recommend spaying before the first heat cycle.

However, I just had to say how absolutely adorable Kobi is! That beautiful face is undeniable. Can't wait to see his "professional" photos!! :cool:

Carolyn

[buddingartist]

What an absolutely adorable and expressive little face.

<You taking my picture daddy?> face is priceless.

The vet wouldn't neuter our Buddy before 6 months.

Louise

[Patty]

Like you, I've found lots of differing opinions on the timing Kevin. Most vets seems to go with 6 months. Here are a couple of articles that talk about the benefits of waiting just a bit longer.

The sporting dogs article discusses some of the orthopedic issues you brought up: http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

This second one talks about stress on the adrenals later as a potential theory: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/09/23/hormone-imbalance-caused-by-spaying-or-neutering.aspx

BTW...Kobi is sooo adorable. :D:cool:

[ozzi]

Thanks for links Patty! It's amazing that there are so many differing opinions about when to perform such a common surgery! You would think by 2010 this would be fairly standardized in the veterinary profession!
Kevin

[peggy0]

That is interesting. i've never read these points of view. I thought for a female before the first heat and male as long as the testicles had dropped. It would be interesting to see when everyones pet was spayed or neutered. Forbin was neutered at 3 months. The rescue wouldn't let us take him unless he was neutered. It had no effect on his growth for sure.

[diggydog]

Not sure when Alfie was done as he was a rescue and had been done before being surrendered but in the UK its mostly done at 6months.
I didn't get Skye spayed until she was 3 and only got her done as she was have problems with her heat cycles. I didn't plan on breeding from her but at the time I couldn't face her having to go for an operation, I had a lot going on emotionally when I first got Skye :o

If I had to do it over I would wait until around a year old unless I had to do it sooner.

[CarolW]

On age at which to neuter ("neuter" includes "spay."

Kevin, and All,

Kevin, you're right that there are many different opinions about age at which to neuter; and for some, even whether to neuter at all.

I'm doing this from memory, which means, I'm unreliable, but here's my general impression at how people arrive at decisions about age at which to neuter. This summary is very one-sided, in the sense that my knowledge of history here is very limited.

However, I get this impression: people doing rescue tend to adhere to ideas based on the principle that there's severe "overpopulation" of dogs, resulting in the need for rescue, and they promulgate the idea that all dogs should be neutered, unless owned and destined for breeding (by reputable breeders, of course).

The idea of early neutering may well have come about from the rescue organizations, SPCA organizations, and so forth. Dogs and cats have been neutered sometimes extremely early; I can't remember HOW early, but sometimes, it's a matter of weeks! (or something over a month of age - that is, I read of a kitten spayed at something like 7 weeks - sorry I can't provide a link; don't remember where I read that).

In my readings, I saw remarks about kittens spayed so early hardy noticing - they recover so fast; running around in a few days, as though they'd never had surgery.

I don't remember reading such things about puppies, but it might (or might not) be similar.

About claims that early neutering has no effect - take with a grain - or a tablespoon - of salt. (Sorry, Peggy! - hard to tell WHAT effect Forbin might have had if neutered later than he was.)

Even Kumbi, neutered at 8.5 months, grew longer tibias than most of his breed (intact ones). Note, though, that Kumbi suffered CCL - cranial cruciate ligament rupture, in 2004 - rare in Australian Terriers.

Kwali had been spayed when I got her at the age of about 1.5 years. Probably spayed a little before she was 6 months old.

Camellia was spayed on 23 April, 2010 (born 4 March, 2007). So she was a bit over three when spayed.

My medical insurance on Camellia will cover mammary cancer if she gets it; I checked. So I need to keep an eye on things, so as to catch any such thing as early as possible.

Humane societies in general, along with the rescue organizations, REALLY urge neutering, based always on the "overpopulation" idea. And surely, it's just as much negligent human behavior that results in "overpopulation." Regardless, a neutered dog or cat cannot generate young of theri species (duh)

These concerns, seems to me, are general ones applying to entire populations. But our concerns, as Human DogParents, are for our OWN animal companions - and that is different from the kinds of theoretical concerns we might share in for an entire species.

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 07:34:55

Interrupted; back later

[pgcor]

KEVIN - I can't offer much about neutering as my rescues were all neutered before they came to live with me! But I just had to post this - THAT'S THE CUTEST PUPPY EVER!!!! OMG! I wish I could come over and play!

Congratulations!

Pam

[CarolW]

kevin - I'm back, to finish my post about neutering.

Here's a link I took very seriously; it made me reconsider WHETHER I would neuter another male dog if I were to get an intact one. Probably I would, as I think intact males probably suffer more around females in heat, if they can't reach them, than do neutered ones. Sopme people also seem unaware that dogs can tie through fences, and sometimes do.

Did you know that a neutered dog can tie with a female, if she will stand for him?

I hadn't known that, but certainly Kumbi, neutered and all, could have tied with Kwali, if she'd stand for him. Which she wouldn't. Haha!

I'm so short of sleep still that I'm mostly incompetent, and I haven't finished re-reading the link (read it some years ago) I'm including here, but will re-read it when I'm able. For now, I'll just provide the link!

http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

The article purports to be for the canine athlete, but I'd surely use the information it contains for any dog.

I'm off for a long nap, and will be watching here when I can!

Love and hugs, licks and wags, to you, Abby, and Kobi!

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:48:06 (PDT)

[ozzi]

Thank you Pam! I think he's the cutest puppy in the world, but I know I'm biased...LOL!

And thank you Carol for your thoughts! I had read that article, and I appreciate you posting it. I realize that there are pros and cons to neutering, and I'm committed to having Kobi neutered for potential behavioral and medical issues (mostly cancer) down the road. I'm just trying to figure out the best timing. It seems the general consensus is about 6 months, which is what my vet recommended as well.

Today I made an appointment for Kobi's neutering, back dew claw removals, and microchipping. He'll be having the surgery on November 23rd, the day after his follow-up with the opthamologist. So that will be a busy week with vet appointments and Thanksgiving!

Despite wanting to have all of this done, I'm already feeling sick about having to bring him in. I have been socializing him as much as possible and he's doing great, however he gets very nervous around a lot of noise, particularly dogs barking, and when I take him to the vet, he literally wraps his front legs around my arm and won't let go. He has an incredible locking grip! I'm worried about leaving him. I know he'll be fine, but I also know he'll be scared. I always feel this way when I have to leave my animals, but I feel extra "guilty" with Kobi because he's so young and because he's blind. I'll be glad when it's all over.
Kevin

[CarolW]

Kevin - my vet refuses to neuter males till they are 7 months old. In general, she too recommends neutering for non-breeding males. And she'll spay small dogs from 5 months up, as often small dogs go into heat early.

But males, she likes to give that extra month to allow the urinary system more growth-time before she neuters. Since she's a specialist in Internal Medicine, and took highest honors (though by personal preference, she chose general practice, as she loves to work that way with humans and their companion animals), may I suggest you go along with her preferences, for Kobi? I think it would be better for him to wait that extra month.

Of course, you could have the hind dew claws and microchipping done at the same time.

Is Kobi tattooed?

I decided against microchipping for Camellia. She's not microchipped. It's quite common for microchips to migrate. And I was pointed to a web site that is very much opposed to microchipping, just the other day, which only, for me, confirms that my choice not to microchip does avoid occasional problems with microchips.

The site that opposes microchipping is certainly biased; makes no pretense not to be. On the other hand, the anecdotes there are, indeed, scary. I'll try to find the link; hang on.

Can't find it, and I'm falling asleep, so I'll try later. I didn't have Kwali nor Kumbi microchipped, either. I have a personal prejudice about those chips because they are objects foreign to the body.

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:31:20 (PDT)

[CarolW]

I just HAD to pursue till I found this - finally, I did find the site that's anti-microchipping.

It's here:

http://www.chipmenot.org/

There ya go, Kevin!

Now, off to beddy-bye (I'll never catch up on sleep THIS way; haha!)

Love and hugs, with licks and wags from Camellia,

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 01:12:11 (PDT)

[peggy0]

Hi Kevin

I know how you feel leaving Kobi given he will be frightened. Forbin go this way when he got sick. It always broke my heart, but he'll be fine and hopefully won't have to be left for a very LOOOONG time :) good luck with the visit Kevin.

[ozzi]

Carol,
Thank you for finding that link. It just makes all of these decisions so much more difficult! Microchipping didn't exist when Ozzi and Abby were pups, or at least I wasn't aware of it. After reading your articles, my head is spinning about what to do regarding neutering and microchipping. I want to do the best thing for Kobi, but it's becoming unclear what that is! I'll talk to my vet as well before making a definitive decision on microchipping.
Thanks again,
Kevin

[pgcor]

I did not know that about microchipping?! Both my dogs were rescues and were microchipped before I ever took them home. That is so scary Carol! Kevin, forgive me if you said this, but why are you considering microchipping? Is it mandatory?

[ozzi]

Microchipping is not mandatory, but many people do it in case they lose their animal from having them stolen or becoming lost. The pet can be scanned at police stations, shelters, etc. to be identified and returned. I was actually not going to do it since I've never lost a pet and someone would have to rip Kobi out of my hands to get him, but the vet suggested I have Kobi microchipped. She feels that it's an additional layer of protection for all animals.
Kevin

[ozzi]

Today I brought Kobi to the Blessing of the Animals at Endicott Park. He had a blast...so many people, dogs, and new smells (he loved the sheep who reside at the park!). It really was a great day for him and for me. Here's a pic of the minister giving Kobi his blessing:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5045705662_5786e953a3.jpg

Apparently he's Episcopalian now!!
Kevin

[Chloe's Mom]

Awwww, Kevin that is soooo sweet! What a doll baby Kobi is. He really does look like he is enjoying himself. The catholic church here in my town has done the blessing of the animals for the last two years and I have missed it both times. I'm not catholic, but I would still like for Chloe to be blessed. I hope I can make it there the next time they have it.

Hugs,
Heidi and Chloe

[Patty]

LOL...I love that! Bet you guys had fun!

Look at those beautiful leaves on the ground too...I miss all the trees back east this time of year. ;) I bet the park was beautiful!

[peggy0]

He is so adorable. I love his tail and freckles. What a sweetie. Tell him to pray for us Kevin :)

[Margaret Boyle]

Hi Kevin,

Kobi is lovely what a cutie, this is lovely having a blessing.:)

He looks so calm.

Hugs

Marg

[ozzi]

Kobi's Update:

Kobi is 9 months old now and gaining weight and height like crazy! He is an incredibly happy puppy who is always up for a new experience!

He recently had an itchy, reddened area around his neck. My regular vet wasn't in, so he was seen by another vet in the practice whom I've never seen before. She came into the room and asked how old he was. I told her, and then she quizzically asked "what's wrong with his eyes?" LOL She hadn't read the chart and had no idea he was blind, but knew something wasn't right. Anyways, he had a "hot spot" and he finished the steroids and antibiotics and is doing well.

He has an appointment with the opthamologist next month and I suspect he will be put on opthalmic steroids for 8 weeks because of dry eye. His tear production was normal in August but decreased significantly in November, so the opthamologist wants to see him in March to make the determination about treating him.

He is an unbelievably great listener, and when I take him anywhere he follows my commands extremely well, e.g., stopping before hitting an object in his way, and people do not believe that he is blind. It's such a joy to have a blind dog who doesn't get hung up on it. Poor Ozzi never really adjusted to his blindness, he just became more or less resigned to it.

Kobi was neutered in November and was perfectly fine the next day. These dogs amaze me. They just move forward no matter what! I guess we could all take a lesson from them!!

Kevin

[Soaphie & Sydney's Mom]

He's so adorable and so lucky to have found you!

[Patty]

Glad he healed up well Kevin. If you ever catch another hot spot early on, Gold Bond medicated Body powder worked well to dry a few Ali had up in the past.

Good luck with his next eye appt.

I think we need new pictures of your crew :D They are growing too fast.

Kevin, I thought of you this winter with all the snow out east, knowing you drive up to care for your mom. Hope you didn't have too hard of a time.

Take care,
Patty

[Glenda12]

Kevin, just have to tell you that Kobi is one little cutie petootie!! OMG, his face, like you said "just melts your heart".

I'm so happy that you found each other. And no other pets never replace ones we've lost, they just add to our collage! You give that little cutie a great big hug!

[ozzi]

Thank you Patty, Tami and Glenda!

Patty, I had never heard of a "hot spot" until Kobi developed this, and I appreciate the info on the Gold Bond's powder...I'll give it a try should it happen again.

The number of nor'easters has been horrendous, averaging about 2 snowstorms/week this winter, and the amount of snow is the worst I have seen for some time. Then, we had a 60-degree day yesterday...LOL! That's New England for ya! Back to snow on Monday. My mother went to my sister's in Florida for the winter which kind of gave me a break (she calls me almost hourly to let me know what's up...ha ha!) I had hoped to get to Florida and avoid this mess myself, but Abby just isn't healthy enough to do the trip. I'm going to Atlanta in a few weeks on business, so hopefully I can escape the cold, although the south has been hit hard this year as well. I'll be gone for 4 days, and it'll kill me to be away from my little ones, but they'll be in good hands fortunately. How are things going for you in your new place??

Kevin

[Patty]

Hi Kevin,

Yeah, Goldens are notorious for hot spots in the summer. Ali's had a few that I cleaned and "puffed" some Gold Bond on. I can't remember who gave me that idea (we lived in TX then which didn't help with the heat), but it seemed to work. They can spread and get bad really very fast if not caught early.

Glad to hear your mom is someplace warm :) ...and you're not having to make that drive up to NH.

We are doing pretty well. Haven't really had much snow here. Looks like we left NY in time to miss being buried this winter!

Enjoy your trip to Atlanta. I'm sure your crew will miss you as well ;)

Take care,
Patty

[k9diabetes]

Kevin,

I'm so sorry for being so slow to get back to these threads and say hello! It is always wonderful to see you here - we miss you!

I've been a bit swamped unfortunately so a little slow.

Natalie

[ozzi]

Hi all,

Lately it seems that I only write with bad news :(

Kobi and I had a tough opthamology appointment today. On his last appointment, his tear production was decreased and the opthamologist wanted to see him earlier than usual to recheck it and start cyclosporine for 8 weeks if there was no improvement. So I anticipated a conversation around dry eye. Unfortunately, that was not the case. During Kobi's exam, the opthamologist advised me that his retina had detached in the right eye, and he also has glaucoma. His pressures have always been under 20, the last appointment his right eye was 17. Today, his right eye pressure was 46. Although Kobi doesn't appear to me to be in pain, the doctor told me that he would be having a constant "migraine headache" type pain, and the swelling and subsequent increased eye pressure need to come down as quickly as possible. Since he is already blind, sight restoration is a non-issue.

He is now on Dorzolamide three times/day and Timilol twice/day. He has a recheck in two weeks and if there isn't improvement in the pressure, the opthamologist wants to remove his eye. If he does improve, he said Kobi could have several years of being without pain, but ultimately will need to have eye removal and/or additional treatment. There are three choices that he presented to me: (1) removing the eye and eyelids and suturing the facial skin closed, (2) removing the eye and putting in an implant (fake eye), or (3) injecting Kobi's eye directly with gentomycin to destroy the cells.

You can imagine my shock with getting all of this information today since it was completely unexpected. I understood from the beginning that these were possibilities "down the road," but never expected this so soon. Kobi is only 10 months old, and I just never expected this at this time. I'm wondering if anyone has had any of the three procedures I mentioned. I haven't really had a chance to research anything yet. I'm still numb, and my initial thought was to write about it here and see what the experience of others has been. I do appreciate any information you might have.

In the meantime, I got back from Atlanta, and my friend who took care of Kobi noticed that he was developing alopecia on his head, chest, and legs. I brought him to the vet, and he was diagnosed with demodectic mange, the result of an immature immune system. He is on Promeris, weekly baths with Malaket shampoo, and Simplicef (an antibiotic).

The poor little guy has had nothing but problems since birth, most of which I believe are related to in utero exposure to a virus, and poor nutrition of his mother. Despite it all, Kobi just keeps on being a puppy. He is truly the best dog in the world (but I'm biased!!)

Again, any information that you have about the surgery options is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Kevin

[Patty]

Wow Kevin. A lot to take in, especially for such a young pup.

I can't help you with with surgical options but do know that Bonnie's Crissy and Dolly's Niki went through enucleation.

Bonnie may be able to comment when she sees this. I haven't seen Dolly on in a while but you could read through her thread. http://www.k9diabetes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58

Poor guy, I hope the mange clears up for him. Makes sense with a poorly developed immune system.

Patty

Here's Crissy's story from the Biographies section: http://www.k9diabetes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83&page=2

[k9diabetes]

Bonnie's Crissy Ann lost both of her eyes. The first one was shortly after cataract surgery and the second one was some years later. I know in the first instance she had the black ball implanted. I think she did that with the second eye removal as well but I'm not certain.

When we were considering removing Chris' eye because the ulcer would not heal up, the ophthalmologist said that in his case he couldn't recommend doing the implant because of Chris' cornea issues and the fact that he had herpes-type virus inclusions in the ulcerations in his eyes. I think with the implant they may leave the cornea in place? I'm fuzzy on the details now but just recall that he felt Chris could still suffer some complications if any part of the eye remained.

So there may be some medical considerations about whether to do the implant or not.

I know two dogs who had an eye removed and they had the eyelid stitched shut.

The only other thing I know is that both of the dogs who had the eye removed had a really rought 24-36 hours after the surgery. So much so that their people were worried about whether they'd made the right decision. But both dogs, who were seniors at the time, bounced back quickly after that first day, much to their people's relief.

Come to think of it... Scott at the Cushing's forum has a young dog who had to have his eye removed. I just looked at Talos' picture in his album and he had the eye removed and the lid stitched closed.

Let me know if you would like to link up with him about his experience. You can email me at k9diabetes@gmail.com and then I can send your email to him.

Natalie

[CarolW]

Kevin - when you returned here a while ago, I was under extreme stress, and just couldn't check in properly. Some of that stress is now relieved, so I can come learn of YOUR stress - which is clearly heavy right now!

I have NO experience nor knowledge I could share, so have to let others do that. But, Kevin, I know no better DogDaddy than you, and I'm really confident that despite your initial numbness - I'd be equally numb - you'll get through this and help Kobi along. I'm glad you have a few choices, difficult as they are!

CHEERING YOU ON!

Love to you, Kobi, Maggie, and Ozzi at the Bridge!

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 23:19:15 (PDT) way past bedtime!

[BestBuddy]

Kevin,

I feel your pain. Kobi does not worry about how he looks just that you love him anyway. I haven't had any experience with eye removal but if I was in your position then I would go for a permanent fix, if there is one. Putting in a prosthesis will be your personal choice. Kobi is such a young dog that he should handle the surgery well and if you only do temporary fix then you will have to go through it all again.

If you have the trust in the surgeon then I would probably be guided by them.

Jenny

[diggydog]

Hi Kevin,

I dont have any personal experience of this with any of my dogs but a friend of mine had to have her pups eye removed. She was a wee cocker spaniel. She wasn't given the option of an implant so the eye was removed and the lids stitched shut. The pup done great and after she had healed from the surgery was much better than prior to it. She had never seen out that eye anyway but being pain free made a huge difference to her.
The first time I saw her I didn't even notice her missing eye - maybe thats just me not being all that observant or maybe she was just such a happy confident pup and was so busy doing her thing I didn't have time to see it.
She was beautiful and the missing eye only seem to make her even more beautiful - she was full of mischief as well!

Allison

[Patty]

Jenny's use of prosthesis and young dog in the same line triggered a question for me. If Kobi has quite a bit to grow yet, will a prosthesis have to be replaced over time as his facial structures grow? Just a passing thought I had.

[pgcor]

Kevin - someday, whether you like it or not - I'm going to come to Ipswich and just hug you. You are truly St. Kevin in my book and in the doggie world too, no doubt. Reading how you care for Kobi has really turned my day around. Thank you.

[ozzi]

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and words! It definitely helps in trying to sort things out for Kobi!

Natalie, I wrote to you and I appreciate you sending Scott my email address. The more information I get now, the better prepared I will be if the meds are not reducing the swelling/pressure to the point that Kobi is without pain.

Patti, I never thought of that! What a great question!! I will definitely ask the opthamologist about that since I would NOT be inclined to put Kobi through two surgeries. He is 10 months old now, so I'm sure he has a bit more growing to do, and I imagine his facial structures will change somewhat still.

I mentioned to Natalie that it is still very painful for me to return to the forum and I always end up in tears. Yet, when this came up with Kobi yesterday, I didn't know what else to do except come here and ask for help. I really thank each of you for your ideas, support and help. This is truly a wonderful community for the diabetic and the non-diabetic dog. I struggled for 6 months working with the vet trying to get Ozzi regulated, and got nowhere until I came here. Although he had some hypo and hyper events from time to time, he was extremely well regulated, and I would never have been able to do that without all of you.

Thank you so much for your constant caring,
Kevin

[bgdavis]

Kevin,

My girl, Criss Ann, had both of her eyes removed and 'fake' ones put in due to glaucoma, brought on by her cataract surgery. She experienced a sudden spike in pressure in (I think) her right eye to 91 just 8 days after her cataract surgery on both eyes. We got the pressure down with eye drops, but she lost the sight in that eye. That was in Nov. 2004 and her eye was removed in Feb. '05.
We then treated her remaining eye with drops (Xalatan) until the fall of 2006, when she had lost almost all sight in that eye. It was removed in late 2006 and another 'fake' eye was inserted.
Criss passed away March 11, 2009.

She went through all of her surgeries at Oklahoma State Univ. with flying colors. She was really elderly and had both diabetes and Cushings'.
They warned me that putting in the 'fake' eye could result in inflamation in the future, but she only had one minor flare up with moderate tearing in those 4 years.
The whole purpose of removing her eyes was to avoid her suffering pain from the pressure. I must say that the cost of the human glacoma eye drops was extreme. The surgeries were less expensive.
I so adored her face that I just couldn't imagine her with her eyes just sewn shut. Her fake eyes were a light blue, gray. Nothing like her beautiful brown ones.
Her story is in the biographies section.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Bonnie and Angel Criss

[Margaret Boyle]

Kevin,

No matter what decision you arrive at, just to let you know I wish you and Kobi all the very best.

I will certainly be following your thread:) You are a fantastic dog Dad:D

Contact Scott the one Natalie has given you the link for........sometimes someone who has been through it all is a lot of help and helps you to make the decision you are looking for:rolleyes:

I cannot help you on this one as Lucy had the implants done for the cataracts.

Take your time Kevin and go into all the options.

Hugs

Margaret

[ozzi]

Bonnie,

Yes, the cost of the eye drops is certainly high!

The reason to remove Kobi's eye is for the same reason as Criss Ann, to relieve the pain from the glaucoma. Like you, I am having trouble thinking about seeing Kobi with his eye sewn shut. He has what I call "crazy eyes," which are just adorable. He is cross-eyed, and the left eye never fully developed so it is there, but has no function. It moves around in all different directions, which is really cute actually. The right eye looks more normal and when he looks at me, even though he is blind, it is the only one that really moves correctly, toward my voice. I know that function will be gone with a fake eye, but at least I feel he would be "looking" toward me somehow. The opthamologist told me that the implantation is more painful, and I'm worried that I'm going to cause him undue pain, for my own benefit. I will love him no matter what, but right now I just can't imagine seeing him with a missing eye. Vane, I know!

I honestly would like to try the gentamycin injection into the eye, but so far as I can tell, that has a greater failure risk and then surgery would need to happen anyway. The risk of developing glaucoma in the other eye is typically high for dogs, but in Kobi's case, the opthamologist doubts that will happen since his left eye never developed correctly, so at least he's probably not facing two surgeries down the road.

I went through your thread last night and couldn't find the information, so thank you for letting me know where it is. I'll check the bio section and read about it. I was surprised to hear that they don't make brown eyes! I wonder why since most dogs do have darker eyes.

Thanks again, and I'll write about specific questions I have as I research all of this. I'm also hoping to connect with Scott since his dog was younger when he had the surgery, as is Kobi.

Kevin

[bgdavis]

Actually Kevin, I think Criss was in more pain immediately after her cataract surgery than after either of the removal ones. She wore her E-collar after the first eye was removed for about a week. She didn't use the E-collar at all on the second.

Bonnie and Angel Criss

[peggy0]

Hi kevin. The dog at the ranch were I keep my horses injured his eye and had i removed. They just sewed it and he looked fine. he was a black shepard and got accustomed to it very quickly. Whatever you decide, I'm sure Kobi will adjust to whatever you decide to do! Prayers!

[eyelostit]

Kevin,
I'm so sorry to hear this, I know exactly how you feel, when they start telling you about all the procedures it makes you sick & numb inside, plus the fact when you look at Kobi you feel so bad, I know I cried for a long time, trying to make these decisions I was faced with, I was mad the whole world.

Niki's pressure was low also, I remember hearing the 19, we did the drops and predisone drops ( a nightmare itself with bg) which I switched to Voltaren, Niki was already blind and I didn't want her bg to keep going high and then going low.

Hearing about having her eye removed had me sick to death, I felt how much does Niki have to go thru, with all the injections of insulin, bg testing, limited treats etc for years, I then decided to go with the gentomycin injection, I went down to Pittsburgh to the eye specialist had that done the procedure did not take that long, they called me in less than 2 hrs. She had to wear the cone but was not really pawing at her eye.

The doctor said she could need another injection, the injection was about $500.00 they gave me an estimate invoice beforehand with a high and low estimate and not going higher than what they quoted. I was given another type of drop and she still used one of her previous drops.

Off to our regular vet for pressure check, pressure was still low, waited another 2 wks, pressure still low.

I had joined the blind dogs group over on yahoo for advice also, I received alot of emails from pet owners who mentioned they did not think their dogs were in any pain, Niki never showed signs of pain, she was still able to jump up into the SUV I think if she had a migraine that'd been really hard to do and it would have affected her eating, she showed no signs of feeling ill.

The advice was to have the gentomycin injection or to have her eye removed.

After this gentomycin was done and it failed I wasn't going to have it done again and again, Niki was already blind.

I made the choice to have her eye removed, that was very hard on me, the worst part was seeing her after the surgery with her fur all shaved around her eyes, they had put on a pain patch that lasted for about 2 days I think, then she took a higher dose of pain pills for about 2 days, had to wear the cone, but then again she was not pawing at her eye, after that I started back with the metacam and she came around really quick. I was really surprised at that and so happy to see she was her old self. Her fur took about maybe a month to grow in.

If I had to do it all over again, now, I would have the eye removed because there are no guarntees that the gentomycin injection would work.

After that about 5 mo I think ,the glaucoma started in her other eye, back to the pressure drops, with Niki's age and her arthritus I could not put her thru this again.

The hardest part was seeing her with her fur shaved, maybe Niki was glad to have no pain, she didn't care what she looked like ;), dogs have no vanity :)

I know how hard this is for you, think that Kobi is still young, has a lot of life to live.

Hope this helps

Dolly & Angel Niki

[eyelostit]

If you want to read about Niki's eye trouble it starts on about page 49 and forward.
http://www.k9diabetes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58&page=51


Dolly & Angel Niki

[buddingartist]

Kevin

I have no experience with what you and Kobi are going through right now.

I do know that Kobi has the best daddy in the world and one who has the compassion and wisdom to make the best and kindest of decision for his baby.

Take care
Louise

[ozzi]

Thank you all for your responses.

Dolly, I am so glad you told me the gentamycin story. That is an option, and one that I really want to try because it's the least invasive, but the opthamologist did tell me there is a high failure rate, and ultimately surgery will most likely need to be done. You have confirmed what I was told, and still I want to hang on to that option, but realize I need to be realistic.

I am really hoping that the eye drops will reduce the pressure to an acceptable level, at least for a while, so I can put off making this decision, but I was caught way off guard at the last appointment, and feel I need to be prepared with an answer at the next follow up if Kobi's pressure is still high.

Kobi also shows no signs of pain at all. The opthamologist advised me that this is common and that despite not seeing any visible signs of pain, he most likely is. He noted that the drainage from Kobi's right eye is actually a sign of pain, which is causing tearing, and the redness indicates swelling. I can say that today, Kobi has no tearing and his eye is not as red, so maybe that is good news. I don't really know how this works and don't want to have false hopes.

I'll let you all know how Kobi's next appointment goes (Monday, April 11th).
Kevin

[CarolW]

Ah, Kevin.

I believe I understand your numbness; also, your desire to postpone decisions. THAT is a good move. You need time to think about the alternatives.

But I do want to let you know that dogs are typically incredibly stoic. I believe that Kobi is likely in considerable pain - just not SHOWING it. I learned this over an awful lot of years. For instance, Kumbi's left anal gland would sometimes get infected - and my first warning of it was when very suddenly (it seemed to me), he'd start licking his rear end. However, I wouldn't become aware till his gland was swollen up like a cherry tomato - then it was obviously excruciating.

My vets told me any UTI is very painful, as is a swollen (infected) anal gland.

Infected anal glands are rather simple to care for - flush, drain, antibiotics, apply hot packs a few times daily. Nothing like the eye situation.

Anyway, Kwali and Kumbi from the Bridge, and Camellia and I from Earth, send you and Kobi our best licks, wags, and hugs.

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:32:19 (PDT)

[eyelostit]

I know you are dreading the appointment, wish I could be there.

Dolly

[ozzi]

LOL Dolly! I would love to go to Kobi's follow-up armed with everyone on this forum. Only then would I know and trust that the "right" decision would be made! Thanks again to everyone. I value all of your opinions and will take everything into account when the time comes. This is just a wonderful place to be for help and for information. I don't know what I would have done about getting Ozzi regulated without the help of everyone here, and now with Kobi. This is just an awesome forum.
Thank you,
Kevin

[Bichonluver3]

Dear Kevin,
I have been following your postings on Ozzi & Kobi. I am so sorry for all the stumbling blocks you have encountered - but that's all they are, just stumbling blocks. You are an amazing Dad and you will weather this storm. You will know what to do and we are standing beside you & Kobi.
Hey, there is nothing wrong with Kobi's "heart" and that is all that matters. I know you and he will have many years of love and laughter together when all this is behind you.
In the meantime, our love & prayers are with you.
Carrol & Sparky

[bgdavis]

Kevin,

Please give us an update on Kobi and his last vet appointment.

Bonnie and Angel Criss

[nikki]

Hi Kobi,
I am new at all of this. I love your little guy. Best of luck to both of you.
Carol

[eyelostit]

Hi Kevin
Just wondering how things are going?

Dolly & angel Niki:)

[CarolW]

Kevin - I see you're back on the forum - REALLY missed you, and would love updates on Kobi, Maggie, and Zakk! When you can!

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:29:50 (PDT)

[Patty]

Ditto what Carol said, Kevin ;). And how's your sweet Abby doing?
Patty

[ozzi]

Hi all!

Thank you all so much for your concern, support, and interest!!

I have not been here for some time, and hadn't realized how much time had passed until I saw that my last Kobi post was in early April. My failure to reply after his April appointment is a reflection of what has been going on with Abby, which I will post in her thread. Please accept my apologies.

In the meantime, Kobi is AWESOME! He turned one year old on May 24th. This little guy is so special, it's unbelievable. He is the most layed-back dog I have ever owned, he has an outrageously GREAT personality and he behaves so well. He is an incredible listener and follows my every command without question. The bond between us is very, very similar to the bond I had with Ozzi. It really is remarkable. Can you tell I'm totally in love with this little guy!! LOL

Kobi's left eye has always been "too soft to measure," as stated on his medical reports, so I have no further information on that eye. His right eye had normal pressures (around 19) from 3 months old when I got him until last March when his right ocular pressure increased to 46. He was started on dorzolamide and timolol, however this combination did not work for him and on return visit in April, his pressure had dropped to 26, but the opthamologist wasn't happy with that number. Kobi then started a regimen of dorzolamide and xylatan, which brought his pressure to 23 three weeks later (May 2).

During his visit in April, his retina had completely detached, and that was confirmed again in May, so any shadows that he may have had, are no longer there. It's funny because just before his April visit, I had been noticing that he was starting to bump into things that he never had before, so this explained it. I can tell you that he has adjusted 100% and no longer bumps into anything inside or outside of the house. I'll be taking him to the opthamologist on August 2 for a repeat evaluation. Fingers crossed! I want to maintain him on eye drops as long as possible and delay the inevitable, although I know that I will have to deal with eye surgery to remove his eye at some point in the future.

You might remember that my little Kobi became a movie star by chance, outside of Beverly Hospital!! Here is one of the photos that the photographer took of him:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/5996102959_ebfc7a4e6a.jpg

Look at that face!! Now you know why I can't part with his cute little crossed-eyes...they really are part of his personality!!

During all of Kobi's eye issues, he developed alopecia, which turned out to be mange. He was treated with Promeris, and ALMLOST DIED! I gave him ONE dose of the Promeris spot and eight hours later he was lethargic, stumbling, and really out of it. I spoke with the on call vet who said it was most likely an amitraz insensitivity, and that he would be fine in 72 hours. I watched him closely and was scared to death because he wasn't getting better. Like a light switch, at the 70-hour mark, Kobi was back to himself. Since then, I have researched Promeris and this is not an unusual reaction and many dogs have died from it. I hate this drug and think it should be banned, so please read about it before ever giving it to your dog. I was also very upset to learn there is an antidote, and the on call vet never mentioned that. Had I realized I could have done something for Kobi who was truly suffering, I would have brought him to the ER at Angell Animal Hospital in Boston. Fortunately, he is fine now.

The mange was now an issue to treat since Ivermectin, the drug of choice, was not initially given to Kobi because of adverse reactions in some breeds, including Australian Shepherds. My regular vet suggested DNA testing for the MDR-1 gene which is only done at Washington State University. So I got the kit, did the test, sent it back, and Kobi does NOT have the mutation! He has been on Ivermectin for more than 3 months now, and had a negative skin scrape three weeks ago. He has one more week left, and he looks great. His hair has filled in, and he no longer has any bald spots.

So all in all, Kobi is doing just fine. The poor little guy has had a rough first year, and I'm hoping things continue on a positive path for him. Despite his troubles, this dog NEVER complains about anything. He just keeps going, and I love him for that!

Here's an updated shot of Kobi and Maggie. They have been lovebirds since the day they met, and their affection for one another continues! Ignore the dog hair on the rug....they just never seem willing to pose AFTER I've vacuumed...LOL!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6147/5996103147_54f2cee8a8.jpg

Lots of love to you all, and I'll let you know how things go with the opthamologist on Tuesday!

Kevin

[Patty]

Oh my. Look at that precious face! So great to hear an update Kevin. And love the pictures. A house isn't a home without a little dog hair, right? ;) The gal we got Ali from told us from the start, don't get a golden if you don't want dog hair in your soup!

I'm so sorry for what Kobi went through with the Promeris. I would have been terribly upset as well to learn there was an antidote and wasn't told. Thanks for the warning. I'm so glad he's almost through with treatment and that he could use the Ivermectin. What a blessing the DNA test was.

Hoping his appointment goes well Tuesday and eye surgery is a long way off for your guy!

Keep us posted Kevin,
Patty

[bgdavis]

Kevin,

Glad to finally have an update on your 'love' dogs!

Bonnie and Angel Criss

[Soaphie & Sydney's Mom]

SO GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!! Love the pictures!!!!!!

@Bonnie - we call Soaphie and Sydney are "Love Dogs" too!!!

Tami

[buddingartist]

Kevin

Those are beautiful pics of your babies. Extra hugs to you all

Louise

[k9diabetes]

Kobi is such a cute dog... that is a stunning photograph. :)

Promeris is coming off the market next month:
http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=18344

If you read the last third of that article, they note a number of problems with it.

Natalie

[ozzi]

Thank you all for your comments! No matter what, we all think our pets are the most gorgeous, and that's because they are!!

Natalie, thank you so much for the link about Promeris! It's a horrible drug, and I didn't realize it until it was too late. Then I researched it and found out how many issues there are with it. I'm so happy it's coming off the market! I filled out the FDA form to report problems/adverse reactions, and I suspect many others have as well. Hopefully, this all helped in preventing other animals from getting sick, or even worse, death.

I had to change Kobi's opthamology appointment because Abby was so sick that day, and I brought him in last Wednesday. His ocular pressure in the right eye was 15 :D This is the FIRST time in almost a year that he has had a normal pressure!!! I requested it be rechecked a second time because I couldn't believe it, and both times the reading was 15. When he started the dorzolamide and xylatan regimen, his pressure decreased initially from 26 to 23, and in the same time period decreased from 23 to 15. I asked the opthamologist about it and he said that typically the maximum effect of the eye drops happens in about a week, and that it doesn't take time to "build up" to decrease the pressure, so had no medical explanation.

When I got home, I was thinking about any changes and realized that I had switched him from Blue Buffalo to Wellness because Kobi kept spitting out the life source bits in the BB...LOL! Wellness has omega 3 fatty acids, and I wondered if this dietary supplement might have had an impact by reducing swelling which in combination with the eye drops, was responsible for the pressure reading. Any thoughts?

Other than that, I can only say that Abby came to really love Kobi, and when she passed away, she was almost 15, the exact pressure reading that Kobi had last Wednesday...just saying! Maybe I should stop looking for a medical explanation!!!! ;)

Kevin

[Patty]

So VERY happy to hear about Kobi's eye pressure! Rejoicing for whatever the reason behind it is...:D Very good news!

[bgdavis]

Glad to hear Kobi's pressure is down. Does xylatan still cost an arm and a leg for a tiny bottle? I was getting it from Canada, which was a lot cheaper back when Crissy used it (2004 -2006). It's one of those drugs developed at taxpayer expense and then 'sold' to a single manufacturer who jacked up the price to about 100 times the cost to make.


Bonnie and Angel Criss

[CraigM]

Does xylatan still cost an arm and a leg for a tiny bottle?

I believe a generic form came out about three months ago: Latanoprost. I'm paying $24 for Latanoprost from my vet, but will check and see if it might be one of the $4 meds from Target / Walmart when I need to refill.

[bgdavis]

Well, I'll be darned! It went generic in April. We were paying about $93 for a tiny amount, less than an ounce. I think Criss was using about a bottle of it a week for almost 2 years. I thought I'd go broke paying for it!

Thanks,
Bonnie and Angel Criss

[ozzi]

Latanoprost is the generic form of Xylatan, and became available as a generic just before Kobi started on it. I get it at Angell Animal Hospital in Boston from Kobi's opthamologist for $13 (tax included) for a 2.5ml vial. I called CVS and WalMart to see if they had it under their various cheaper Rx programs, but they don't. Walmart was about $73 and CVS was about $86 for the generic! I questioned both and they said it just came out as a generic and the price is still high! Angell is an hour drive, but it is certainly worth the trip for $13! They must have made a deal with the manufacturer because I can't understand why it is so cheap there and not at the local pharmacies, or even from what I'm reading, at other vet's offices. If you're planning a trip to Boston, bring a Rx from your vet and get it filled at Angell! LOL Dorzolamide however DOES cost an arm and a leg, so I guess it's a wash!

Kevin

[CarolW]

Oh, Kevin - your photos are too magnificent for words! Lovely one of Kobi - but the one of Kobi and Maggie is particularly stunning!

I got all shook up reading about Promeris, and glad it was taken off the market. Sorry Kobi went through that.

Really happy about his eyes!

Keep up the great work, dear Kevin!

Love, hugs, licks and wags,
Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:31:46 (PDT)

[peggy0]

sounds like an angel in the works to me :)

[eyelostit]

Kevin,
If you belong to AAA club you can add your pets to the pharmacy with the rx AAA discount, I did at walmart years ago, usually I tend to throw away the AAA newsletters but that one day I seen that. I don't remember what the % is but some discount is better than none. I don't pay any extra monies other than my regular AAA membership fees.

Take care:)
Dolly & Angel Niki

[ozzi]

Kobi was blessed today at the Blessing of the Animals at Endicott Park in Danvers, MA. Here's a pic, and it shows how much he has grown over the past year!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6201454697_3bba78fd38.jpg

And here's a recent pic of him and Maggie playing tug of war. :D

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6201454975_6f5cca0316.jpg

Kevin

[HarrysMom]

Cute and adorable. Congratulations. What a lucky dog.

[CarolW]

Wow, Kevin - Kobi really HAS grown a LOT! Almost a big dog!

LOVE the pictures! Glad Kobi got blessed.

Love,
Sat, 1 Oct 2011 20:30:20 (PDT)

[Judi]

He is beautiful. He looks like he is wondering what the heck is going on at the blessing! lol

[ozzi]

LOL Judi! It's true! Kobi was born blind so when he's in a situation where there is a lot of activity and noise, he gets sensory overload and becomes a little confused and frustrated about what's going on around him. Once I remove him from the situation, he goes back to normal. He's an incredible dog and no one ever believes he is blind until they come over and experience him "locating" the cat. He gets into "pounce position" staring straight ahead, and Zakk is BEHIND him...LOL! It really is funny!

[Patty]

Just love that expressive face Kobi has ;)

[peggy0]

They are both soooo cute Kevin!!!!! Looks like they are enjoying life and each other!

[buddingartist]

So cute. Wow he has grown to be a big boy.

Good on you Kevin. You are just the angel he needed.

Louise

[ozzi]

Hello all,

As you know, I have been dreading the day I had to decide how to surgically treat Kobi’s glaucoma, hoping it would be years away. Unfortunately that day has come and gone as Kobi’s meds stopped working a few weeks ago. In August his pressure was the best it had ever been (15) which I do believe was Abby’s parting gift to me and to him.

His ocular pressure increased to 32 in October and his opthamologist added Timolol back with the Dorzolamide and Xylatan. He was scheduled for a recheck on November 7, but a few days after starting the new regimen, Kobi started to exhibit signs of pain for the first time. He was blinking a lot, and did not want Maggie licking the right side of his head. For the first time, he pulled away when I gave him the eye drops. I had him rechecked a week after that visit and the combination did decrease his pressure one week later to 25, but he showed “hypersensitive blinking of the eye” on exam. Additionally, his eye was starting to bulge out. Dr. Coster said this is the beginning of the end of his eye. He started him on Deramaxx for pain and suggested that I decide on a surgical intervention by Thanksgiving.

I did ask him about ototoxicity with gentamycin injections, and he said that it is theoretically possible that Kobi could become deaf, but that theory is based on human studies. He searched the literature and could not find a case in canines. I really still wanted to preserve his eye if possible, but in the end, came to realize that gentamycin eye injections most likely would be a temporary fix, so I decided, very reluctantly, on enucleation.

Kobi had surgery today to remove his eye. I brought him to Angell Animal Medical Center at 6:30am and stayed with him until 7:30am. He had pre-anesthesia bloods that were fine, and then I left, really feeling awful. It just seemed that removing his eye was so drastic, but there just weren’t any other real choices for Kobi. Dr. Coster is awesome, very caring, and a skilled surgeon, so I had no qualms about Kobi’s care, it was really about doing something so permanent.

Dr. Coster called me at 12:30pm to let me know that the surgery was over, there were no complications, and Kobi was starting to wake up. He checked his eye pressure before surgery and it had risen from 25 on Oct 26 to 35 today. He said that while he didn’t see anything grossly when he took the eye out, he sent it to pathology for analysis to make sure there isn’t an underlying infection or lymphoma that would require systemic treatment. He also said, and I quote “It’s a good thing we removed his eye, it was much bigger than I ever expected.” Kobi's eye has recently started to bulge out. Dr. Coster said that when he removed the eye, it was larger than a golf ball! He explained that in young dogs who develop glaucoma, there is more "stretch" and what happened to Kobi is that it was bulging OUT a little, but bulging INWARD a lot and was stretched up against the socket. He said there was no more room for it to expand, except continually outward. This sealed the deal for me, and I was 100% sure this was the right thing to do.

Kobi was moved from recovery to the critical care unit, which is staffed 24 hours/day with veterinary nurses who will watch him closely through the night. He's still very groggy, and getting IV fluids and IV pain med so he is comfortable. His face is swollen and bruised and they are applying ice, but this is normal for this kind of surgery. They are going to transition him to injectable pain med (under the skin instead of IV) overnight, and then transition him to oral meds tomorrow. He'll be eating in about an hour. He's going to call tomorrow morning to confirm that things went well through the night, and he expects that he can come home then.

I was really devastated about removing his eye until I found out how large his eyeball had become and how much pain he has been in that I didn’t even know about until very recently. Now, I’m elated that Kobi will be glaucoma and pain-free and am at peace with the decision. Dr. Coster has personally called me FOUR times today with updates, and will call again in the morning. He’s so awesome!

Here’s the last pic I took of Kobi yesterday, with both eyes intact. I’ll post his “pirate look” after he is healed! :D

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6310540720_a7b6dd7f58.jpg

[buddingartist]

Kevin

I said it before and I'll say it again.... you are the angel that Kobi needed.

I have no doubt that it must have been a very difficult decision however thanks to your diligence, your Kobi will be pain free. I also know that he will get the best of care when he come home to his daddy.

Take good care and thanks for the update on your boy

Louise

[k9diabetes]

Kobi would be adorable with one eye or seven - it's his nature, not his parts, that's wonderful.

I suspect that once he's home and you no longer have to worry and fret over this that you will feel a huge sense of relief that his ordeal is over with.

The two dogs I know who have had this surgery had a rough 24-36 hours but then bounced back quickly after that.

Natalie

[CarolW]

Brave you, Kevin!

Of course, you had to be brave, for Kobi's sake! And you WERE! Typical you!

Obviously, Kobi is in the best of medical hands. Hope you and Kobi get through the next few days relatively easily.

Natalie is SO right! It's not Kobi's parts, but the whole dog, who is beautiful. His eye, very sensibly, preceded him, by many, many years, to the Bridge. Kwali and Kumbi are watching over it for him!

I'll be watching for your further reports, BFF!

Love ya; love Kobi, love Maggie - and love Ozzi and Abby!

kwali and Kumbi send regards from the Bridge, and Camellia and i from here on Lowly Earth.
Thu, 3 Nov 2011 17:05:17 (PDT)

[Judi]

hope Kobi has a smooth recovery!

[MaryLea]

Thanks for the updates, Kevin. I know it was a hard decision for you, and am glad it was confirmed to be the right one. :)

Mary ;)

[Patty]

Wow, larger than a golf ball. Amazing.
Prayers for a smooth recovery Kevin!
Thanks for updating us.
Patty

[Shellie]

Your Kobi has a very brave dad! It's never the easy solution but the hard one that tells the truth about what we are inside and you proved it today by doing the right thing! Please give Kobi extra hugs from all of us and let us know how he's doing! Hugs to you too!

[ozzi]

Thank you all so much for your concern and replies!

I picked up Kobi at 10:30 this morning and he's doing GREAT! He's been eating, drinking and peeing. I'm icing his eye three times/day and he's taking clavamox, tramadol and deramaxx. He looks AWESOME! The nurse that discharged him said "the girls in the critical care unit LOVE Kobi and you're lucky I could get him away from them." Maybe they say that to everyone, I don't know, but I prefer to think that they know quality and cuteness when they see it!

I met with Dr. Coster before taking Kobi home and he said that he sewed his eye together internally (which I know takes a lot more time) so there are no external sutures. He usually sews externally because I have seen pics and dogs that had their eyes removed by him, and I didn't ask why but I think it's because he knew how concerned I was about the cosmetic result. Now that's customer service!! I'm really proud of Kobi and looking forward to the healing process so I can take him running again!

Here's a pic that I took when I got him home BEFORE he fell asleep! :D

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6054/6312477233_55f3d83aec.jpg


Kevin

[buddingartist]

Kevin
Thank you so much for the update. I have been checking all day looking for it.

I must say he still looks adorable and I am so happy that he is doing well. You get a gold medal Kevin for your kindness and dedication to your furry friends.

Give him a great big hug

Louise

[Judi]

Kobi looks very charismatic, I'm thinking the nurses were telling you the truth!

[Patty]

So glad he's doing well, Kevin! Kobi definitely exudes quality and cuteness!!

[peggy0]

He is soooo adorable Kevin before and after! You're a wonderful dad and he looks like a joy!

[k9diabetes]

He just can't escape his own cuteness! Thrilled to hear that he's rebounding quickly - and hopefully he has cheered up Maggie as well.

Wish I could give him a big hug...

Natalie

[Shellie]

His IS adorable! I'd want to keep him too! :) And the eye looks great! Am amazed at how normal the whole thing looks! Like he's just winking! Good job on taking care of him! :) Hugs!!!!

[CarolW]

Wonderful to see Kobi looking so good, Kevin! keep up the great work! What a dog! And what a DogDaddy!

Is Maggie happier now? I hope so!
Fri, 4 Nov 2011 22:44:25 (PDT)

[ozzi]

Thank you all for your kind words!

Kobi is a pip! He was all about being coddled, for ONE day, then he was all "I can do it myself Daddy." So I'm trying to let him be as independent as possible, but he doesn't realize that the tramadol and cone actually do restrict him. I finally gave up on not letting him do the stairs. Every time I opened the gait, he headed to go down them, and tried to get there before me. So two days after surgery, I started standing in front of him, holding his chest so he won't fall, and he navigates the stairs on his own...impeccably!

His recovery has been absolutely amazing. He's happy, independent, and essentially back to normal. I'm looking forward to removing the cone after his follow up so he and Maggie can return to roughhousing...I really should be careful what I wish for...LOL!

Thanks again for all your responses. Just wanted to let you know that King Kobi is doing GREAT, and "the boy is back in town!" :D

Kevin

[CarolW]

Wowzie, Wowzie, take a Bowzie - King Kobi!

Amazing, Kevin! How luverly, luverly! Of course, you had a lot to do with that!

Love and hugs,
Mon, 7 Nov 2011 16:42:53 (PST)

[buddingartist]

Wonderful news Kevin. Yep, Tramadol is pretty effective. My girl has been on for about 2 months now and it is really helping with the pain.

Tks for the update

Louise

[Patty]

Good to hear, Kevin! :)


I did ask him about ototoxicity with gentamycin injections, and he said that it is theoretically possible that Kobi could become deaf, but that theory is based on human studies. He searched the literature and could not find a case in canines.


I took Ali for her annual eye check today and was thinking about your previous gentamycin question, so asked the ophthalmologist there.

He indicated ototoxicity as well as nephrotoxocity is a significant possibility/risk in dogs. I didn't think to ask if he'd seen a case in his practice but he was pretty immediate with his answer.

Thought I'd pass the info along.

Patty

[bgdavis]

Kevin,

I'm glad Kobi is recovering well. Are they at all concerned about him developing glaucoma in the second eye? I see you decided against a 'fake' eye. Knowing that Crissy would probably lose both eyes over time is why I went with the prosthesis.

Bonnie and Angel Criss

[eyelostit]

Thank you all for your kind words!

Kobi is a pip! He was all about being coddled, for ONE day, then he was all "I can do it myself Daddy." So I'm trying to let him be as independent as possible, but he doesn't realize that the tramadol and cone actually do restrict him. I finally gave up on not letting him do the stairs. Every time I opened the gait, he headed to go down them, and tried to get there before me. So two days after surgery, I started standing in front of him, holding his chest so he won't fall, and he navigates the stairs on his own...impeccably!

His recovery has been absolutely amazing. He's happy, independent, and essentially back to normal. I'm looking forward to removing the cone after his follow up so he and Maggie can return to roughhousing...I really should be careful what I wish for...LOL!

Thanks again for all your responses. Just wanted to let you know that King Kobi is doing GREAT, and "the boy is back in town!" :D

Kevin

Hello there Comrade!

I know you feel much better! :) I couldn't see Niki's stitches hardly maybe on the one end, during day 1-2 with the pain patch on she did well, out of it 1st day, 3rd day was just Tramodol & meloxicam, maybe by 4th or 5th day she was ok and seemed back in the pink with the meloxicam or just the deramaxx.

The worst part of course was the dread & terrible feeling about having to commit to the surgery, the shaved eye was sad for me, but the hair grew back fast.

I'm so happy for Kobi and you :) http://k9diabetes.com/forum/picture.php?pictureid=461&albumid=3&dl=1295329464&thumb=1 (http://k9diabetes.com/forum/album.php?albumid=3&pictureid=461)

Love, Dolly and Angel Niki

[ozzi]

Yesterday was Kobi's personal "Independence Day," as I was able to remove his Elizabethan collar!!! He (and Maggie) were thrilled about that!

Kobi is doing just fine now. He is eating so much better now. His top weight was 40 pounds, and at the time of surgery, he had dropped to 36 pounds. I thought this weight change was related to switching from puppy food to adult food at 12 months (because of less fat content), but now realize that it was probably more likely related to pain he was having, which is now gone.

Patty, that is interesting that you got a different answer to the ototoxicity question. Kobi's opthamologist did say that gentamycin is a risk for deafness in other forms, but couldn't find a case related specifically to an injection into the eye. Now I really want to know the bottom line on the answer to this question!!

Bonnie, typically there is a concern about glaucoma in the other eye, however in Kobi's case, there is no concern that he will develop glaucoma in his other eye because his left eye never fully developed. It is "there" but was never functional in any way. He has microphthalmos of the left eye. In fact, they can never measure his ocular pressure in that eye because it is "too soft to measure." There is however a chance that he will need that eye removed in the future, not because of glaucoma, but because of shrinkage of the eye that would cause it to "dry out" and wither away. Prior to surgery, his opthamologist discussed removing both eyes at the same time, simply for Kobi's benefit since the other eye is non-functional and would save a surgery down the road, but I just wasn't ready to do that. I'm hoping he'll be able to keep that eye, at least for a while.

I did decide against the "fake" eye. I had absolutely planned to go that route because I just didn't want to see Kobi with no eye, but after researching it further, I decided against it. My opthamologist said it causes a great deal of pain for a minimum of two weeks and he sends the dog home with heavy-duty opioids. He mentioned various complications that could arise, and for me, it just wasn't something I wanted to pursue, although I really, really would have liked to have gone that route. If it hadn't been for the issues that arise around putting in a 'fake' eye, I would have done so. I absolutely respect your decision to use one, and in many ways, I am envious :) but I just didn't feel it was a good choice for Kobi. He has had many hereditary issues during his first 1 1/2 years of life, including an immature immune system and multiple ocular abnormalities in both eyes so I just didn't want to take the chance of him having additional issues. If/when he has to have his remaining eye removed, I will also not put in a 'fake' eye, and will hate it, but will get over it!!

Dolly, you are SOOOOO right! The dread of committing to the surgery was really awful for me. On the day of surgery, I was a mess. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was responsible for mutilating him. I know that sounds harsh, but it's how I felt. I was lucky though because the opthamologist called after the surgery and told me his eye was enlarged to a little bit bigger than a golf ball. This reaffirmed my decision, and I haven't regretted it since. Aside from inflammation and hereditary changes, the pathology report was fine and did not show any infection or lymphoma, both of which are concerns.

Here's a link to a short youtube video that I posted of Kobi and Maggie playing yesterday, the day he had his collar removed, if you're interested in seeing how he is recuperating LOL!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVcrkhieYZg

I hope the video will help others who are facing the same surgical decision. Sometimes you just can’t see beyond the surgery, so here’s a little insight just 9 days after enucleation! :D

Kevin

[buddingartist]

Kevin, you must be psychic. I was hoping that you would let us know today how Kobi was doing.

It must have been absolute pure joy to watch them play. It was for me watching that video.

Tks Kevin and happy to hear that Kobi has recuperated so well.

Louise

[Soaphie & Sydney's Mom]

The video is awesome! Celebration for THE CONE IS OFF - THE CONE IS OFF!!!!

So glad all is well!!!!!

[Shellie]

Thank you for sharing that video! It is SO great to see Kobi so happy after all he's been thru! And you are so right...it does make any of us who are contemplating either surgery or blindness, feel better! If Kobi can do it, our babies can! Hugs and congrats! You did a good thing! :)

[Patty]

They are so fun to watch! Yea for independence from the dreadful cone! :)

[MaryLea]

Thanks for the video, Kevin. Seeing them play made me smile. ;) They are great playmates.

Mary

[Judi]

he is one happy boy! glad he got the cone off and is doing so well!

[ozzi]

Thank you all so much for your comments. Kobi's recovery has been so easy, it has amazed me. He's so happy that THE CONE IS OFF (LOL Soaphie's Mom). He is completely back to himself, running like a fool, playing, and zooming up and down stairs as he did before the surgery. I couldn't be more pleased. He has a follow up on Thursday, and I'm sure all will go well then. I really do believe that whenever we have questions about life, we just need to look to our dogs for inspiration, strength and answers.

Thanks again all, and I'll post a pic of Kobi after the follow up and after his fur has grown back so you can see the finished product. As Natalie said in a previous post, Kobi's essence is NOT in his eyes, and that is so true.

Lots of love,

Kevin

[ozzi]

Kobi had his final follow up for his right eye removal today and is cleared to roughhouse! Good thing because he and Maggie have been wrestling for the past five days....LOL!

I took him off Tramadol after 7 days and kept him on Deramaxx, but he gets to stop that today as well, so he's on NO daily meds (except a vitamin) for the first time in a long time! He also gained 1.2 pounds since the surgery which is great because he had lost 4 pounds between July and October which I attributed to changing from puppy food to adult food, but now think was related to pain that I wasn't aware of.

He looks incredibly awesome and is completely healed and back to normal just two weeks after surgery. As Dr. Coster put it, "Kobi is healed and sealed." He'll continue to see the opthamologist annually to watch his left eye for any changes. Both the opthamologist and his tech said that they will really miss seeing Kobi for regular glaucoma checks, and they were sincere about it. Kobi makes quite an impression on everyone who meets him.

Thank you all for your caring, and getting me through this. Making the decision to remove Kobi's eye was an agonizing struggle for me, and fortunately, is now quickly becoming a distant memory.

Kevin

[MaryLea]

Thanks for the update, Kevin. Glad it's all such good news.

Mary ;)

(More pics coming up? That video was great!)

[ozzi]

Mary,

I'm glad you liked the video...thank you! You will find that you never have to twist my arm to put up a new pic or brag about my dogs!!! :D

Here's an updated pic of Kobi and Maggie that I took yesterday:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6356401781_f8e23838a2.jpg

Kevin

[CarolW]

Thanks for the update, Kevin. Kobi and Maggie both look GREAT! Healed and sealed - just love it!
Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:22:51 (PST)

[Patty]

Love them back to back. So cute!

[Shellie]

He STILL looks like he's just winking at you! Sharing a secret! lol I love it! Congrats and wonderful job! :) You did good!

[Judi]

personality plus! glad he got the all clear for what he has already been doing! :)

[MaryLea]

Thanks Kevin. They look good together! Beautiful job on the eye surgery.

Mary ;)

[ozzi]

I took a couple of close-up pics today so people can see what a dog 2 weeks post-enucleation looks like. The swelling and bruising has completely cleared, and now we're just waiting for the fur to grow back.

Here's Kobi (full-face):

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6359192809_240b5a6473.jpg

And here is a side view:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6050/6359192895_6e58e5da76.jpg

Kevin

[Soaphie & Sydney's Mom]

That nose just SCREAMS....."KISS ME!!!!"

What a teddy bear!

[MaryLea]

He's still a handsome fellow! (and I know he appreciate the lack of pain)

Mary ;)

[buddingartist]

Kevin
Those are nice pics. You see one... you see the other. Such a pair of good friends.

Kobi still has such an expressive face. I agree with Tami, that nose just begs to be kissed.

Tks for sharing
Louise

[CarolW]

Recognizing how tough it is for a human to make a decision for enucleation in that human's dog, I especially appreciate your pictures, Kevin. I know I'd have as tough a time as you had with such a decision - but, like you, I'd go ahead with it, to save my dog pain. After all, the eye was useless anyway! Until it became a burden - then it was far worse than useless!

Kobi remains a handsome fellow, and I agree with Tami and MaryLea - that nose just BEGS to be kissed!

Hehe
(kiss, kiss, kiss)
Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:04:57 (PST)

[Shellie]

Agreed...nose needs kisses! And he's still winking! LOL

[ozzi]

Here's proof that you can't take the handsome out of handsome :D

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6495777283_5ca24fbb7c.jpg

This is Kobi at 1 month post-enucleation. The pic was taken on Dec 1 and I am just now getting to post it. I am hoping that others facing this decision will be encouraged. I didn't feel that I could look at Kobi with just one eye, and I found out differently...by default...LOL! Anyways, Kobi is Kobi, and although I do miss him having two eyes, I am grateful he no longer has pain. To me, he is just as cute as ever, and his personality is unbelievably awesome! Kobi turned 18 months old on 11/24/11, and for the first time, he is healthy and free from any medical issues, except the blindness, but that never really was an issue.

In my quest to document his surgery/recovery, I'll take one last pic after his fur has grown back completely.

Thank you all for your kind words and my best to each and every one of you for happy holidays and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Kevin

[Patty]

Completely adorable :D

[Soaphie & Sydney's Mom]

So awesome!!!!!

[buddingartist]

Yep, he is still as handsome as before:cool: Thanks for the update

May 2012 bring only the very best to you and to your furry family.

Louise

[MaryLea]

Here's proof that you can't take the handsome out of handsome :D

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6495777283_5ca24fbb7c.jpg

Kevin

Agreed--he's quite a good-looking, handsome guy! Thanks for keeping us up to date on his progress.

Mary ;)

[Judi]

love the picture, I'm so glad his recovery has gone well. He is so darned cute!

[Shellie]

Still winkin'! He looks great! You did good! Hugs!

[Abby's Mom]

He is beautiful, and always will be. Thankful that he is doing well.

[k9diabetes]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your documenting Kobi's experience with his eye problems and his surgery here at the forum.

Already your experiences are helping Juli to make a decision about her Kirby and I know many others in the future will benefit from your sharing this. I have learned from the experiences of several others but the pictures really tell the story so much better.

Natalie

[ozzi]

Thank you Natalie! This is exactly why I posted the pics, my personal experience wrestling with this decision, and the final outcome. I couldn't find a condensed version of an owner and a dog going through the process leading to enucleation anywhere on the net, and my goal was to show others what it is all about, at least from my perspective. I was horrified at the thought of removing Kobi's eye and fought for every other possible treatment, including laser, until I realized that in Kobi's case there were very limited choices. Today I can say that I wish I hadn't put myself through all the angst and I would make this decision without hesitation if Kobi eventually needs his remaining eye removed. But I think that struggle IS a part of the entire process, so if nothing else, hopefully people facing this decision will feel that this is normal.

I do have a suggestion for anyone considering this procedure. Talk to your opthamologist about using internal sutures. The cosmetic outcome is so much nicer than when external sutures are used. Prior to Kobi's surgery, Dr. Coster showed me a dog whose name coincidentally was Maggie (LOL). She was there for suture removal and she had external sutures in place. I'm sure after healing and fur growing in, it's probably the same result, but I really found it helpful for me to have a great cosmetic result right from the start. Somehow it made me feel that I had done the best thing for Kobi, given the circumstances, and it was very easy to visually look at him and not be concerned that he had lost his eye. As many here mentioned, an eye is NOT the essence of your dog, and I can testify about the veracity of that!

Kevin

[ozzi]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6543690801_a8bdc09408.jpg

[Abby's Mom]

Now that just warms the heart, and says it all.

[Soaphie & Sydney's Mom]

oh my!!! What a fantastic picture!!!! Love them!

[jesse girl]

things are looking good thanks for the card

[MaryLea]

Precious pic! Thanks for sharing.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Mary

[Judi]

I adore this picture! Merry Christmas!!

[Patty]

Awe, that is totally adorable. Merry Christmas Kevin!
Patty

[buddingartist]

Just absolutely adorable. Merry X-Mas and safe holiday season

Louise

[pgcor]

Kevin- I had to go back and look at the date on Kobi's first pictures. I was stunned at how big he is! Or at least looks. He's a big bear!!!!! Oh, I'd just love to give him a hug. You are my hero in so many ways. God bless Kevin and Kobi.

Love from the bottom of our hearts,

Pam and Pip

[peggy0]

Kevin

That is the best card I've seen this season! They are adorable!!!

[Shellie]

This is such a great pic! They look SO happy! Thanks for sharing! :)

[diggydog]

Kevin

That has to be one of the cutest things I have seen in a long time!

[ozzi]

I'm glad you liked the Christmas card! That's what I sent out to everyone this year, and since I didn't have your individual addresses, I posted it here...ha ha! I've had a few people who received the card ask me if the pic was "photo shopped." It wasn't, that's just my two lovebirds!! I did however use a program to clean up the fur that was on the rug....LOL!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!

Kevin

[eyelostit]

Hi Kevin :)

Such a cute card and pictures.

I'm so glad everything went well, Niki had the internal stitches.

I know you are feeling better now ;)

Take care & Merry Christmas

Dolly and Angel Niki :)