Annie & Craig - Getting too smart!

[CarolW]

Wishing Annie the best, Craig, in adapting to how her vision is going.
Sat, 7 Apr 2012 09:28:07 (PDT)

[Judi]

ditto to what Louise said. We have a staircase that is open halfway down. Jenny almost ran right off it running UP the stairs. After my husband's heart began beating again, he put a lattice thingy up to stop her.

I hope this is temporary Craig. But if not, it is amazing how they adapt. Jenny explores the yard pretty well now. She still has bad days and good days but more good than bad.

hugs to you, your wife and Annie. Judi

[CraigM]

Originally Posted by Shellie

Is the pressure painful to her? I hope the drops will help. Guess it will happen to a lot of us but is still hard. Hugs!

I don't think (?) so. There wasn't any itching, or anything that would indicate pain to me, but they seem to hide pain pretty well.

She still brings her ball to me to throw, I just don't throw it too far and try to let it bounce off the wall near her so that she can hear it. She'll go into a little search pattern for a minute until she trips over it, then brings it back to be thrown again! The "game" just takes a little longer than before.

we just got home from shopping and she jumped off the sofa without hesitation, so maybe the sight comes and goes?

[Shellie]

I have heard that different types of light...or rather how much light there is can also be important. I know that Hank does better when I use a flashlight at night when we take our walks even if there are streetlamps. His cataracts aren't bad yet but I can tell some days that his right eye can't see very well. Jumping off the sofa shows a lot of confidence in her location. Is your house set up for her? I've been slowly working on things like making sure I remember not to leave things in his usual paths and am going to be getting a different coffee table without those sharp corners. I'm not really sure how to handle the sofa/bed and getting up there for him tho. A ramp would be perfect but what will keep him from falling off the side? I am thinking perhaps those soft stairs and then putting wooden sides on them. There is a lot of thought that has to go into caring for them blind!

[Patty]

I'm sorry to hear it Craig.

I am a supporter of certain vitamins. Certainly nothing can truly prevent blindness in our diabetics but I like to do all I can in support of eye health.

Ali gets 500mg of Ester C with bioflavanoids and 400IU of vit E (I also give a B complex). Both are good antioxidants. Here are her sources:
http://www.iherb.com/American-Health-Ester-C-500-mg-with-Citrus-Bioflavonoids-240-Capsules/10241?at=0
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-E-400-Antioxidant-Protection-250-Softgels/304?at=0

Here's a good article on what type of vit C dogs absorb the best:
http://www.organic-pet-digest.com/vitamin-c-for-dogs.html
Articles on vit C and eye health:
http://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/vitamin_c.htm
http://www.jacn.org/content/13/4/344.abstract
http://health-nutrition.todio.info/i...coma-1065.html

And dosing by Lew Olson:
http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/vitamins-supplements/
At 17lbs, she would recommend 100-250mg of C and 50-100IU of E.

Astaxanthin is another big supplement for eye health. It can be found in the Omega 3 supplement krill oil.
The dose for my 46 lb dog would be 0.6mg. The dose for krill oil is less than that for fish oil, about half. Ali was getting 2000mg of fish oil a day so she would get 1000mg of krill oil a day.

I'm using the Mercola Kid's krill oil so I can split her doses. The kid's product has 320mg krill and .18mg of astaxanthin. http://mercola.fileburst.com/PDF/product-labels/kids-krill-label-web.pdf
So we switched to 2 caps AM and 1 cap PM = total of 960mg of Krill oil which includes a total of 0.54mg of astaxanthin.

There is a concern with the combination of astaxanthin and other meds because of the way it's processed in the liver:
Astaxanthin may interfere with the way the body processes certain herbs or supplements using the liver's "cytochrome P450" enzyme system. As a result, the levels of other drugs may become too high in the blood.It may also alter the effects that other drugs possibly have on the P450 system.
(Sorry I don't have the link to this reference handy right now but a google search will site the same information.)

The interference lies with Pain meds, Anti-seizure meds, and kidney toxic antibiotics (namely Gentamicin and Amikacin). With a dog that is hypothyroid and taking meds, a reduction in the amount of astaxanthin would be recommended. I've been told Heartworm meds are fine to use in combination with astaxanthin.

Most of my info was targeted at eye health in general or cataracts instead of glaucoma, which I know is Annie’s issue. But thought I’d share what I had.

I also use motion sensored night lights around the house for night time (found at Lowe's). Ali's nuclear sclerosis affects her night vision some so they are really helpful. Last night she tripped up 3 stairs because I didn't turn the light on and we don't have outlets where the steps turn to go up the 2nd set. Sorry Ali .

Patty

[CraigM]

Thanks Patty. It will take awhile for me to process all of the links

Annie had been on "straight" fish oil (1000mg) for a couple of years (I take the MegaRed krill oil). She has also been using cranberry powder. The eye vet just added:

1/2 500mg tablet of Vit C, twice a day
1 400iu Vit E capsule, once a day
1/2 100mg grape seed extract cap sule, twice a day

Blue Buffalo Healthy Weight also lists Vit C & E, but I'm guessing it's only a small amount.

We hate to see her blind, but reading about all the other "kids" here with eye problems, we aren't going to panic. At least not right away!

[Patty]

400IU of E sounds like a lot since its fat soluble and not water soluble. Though I think Heidi had her Chloe on this dose for awhile.

I know grape seed extract is an ingredient in the Ocuglo.

Personally I think a lot of the "extra vitamins" like C and E added to foods are more perishable in storage and handling. I don't think you get a lot of benefit from those added to pet foods. JMO.

The good thing is Annie has mapped the house well. Hopefully with her pressures back down there's some vision retained.

[CraigM]

Originally Posted by Patty

400IU of E sounds like a lot since its fat soluble and not water soluble. Though I think Heidi had her Chloe on this dose for awhile.

I'm wondering if the vet's plan is to have Annie on this dosage for one week, and then modify the amount after her next appointment next Thursday? Possibly she chose these amounts based on what is readily found in the supplement isle in Target / Walmart?

I have to admit that I don't understand the significance of "fat soluble" and "water soluble". Guessing water soluble would pass any excess through the kidneys / urine.

[farrwf]

O & I have our toes / fingers crossed wishing for a good outcome for Annie.

[momofdecker]

Sorry to hear about Annie trouble with her vision. Hoping the follow up vet appt. will bring a bit of good news. Holli