Barney

[barney's mom]

Re: Barney

Good luck with Barney and his new eye regime. My sister has a very smart dog that had hurt her paw and got so much sympathy that every time you said poor girl have you got a sore paw she lifted it up and limped around. This went on for weeks until we realized she wasn't limping on the same leg each time. She was smart enough to know it got her attention and now several years later those same words make her lift one paw and start limping.

Jenny

You can't blame a gal for trying!

[BestBuddy]

Re: Barney

Good luck with Barney and his new eye regime. My sister has a very smart dog that had hurt her paw and got so much sympathy that every time you said poor girl have you got a sore paw she lifted it up and limped around. This went on for weeks until we realized she wasn't limping on the same leg each time. She was smart enough to know it got her attention and now several years later those same words make her lift one paw and start limping.

Jenny

[Harley PoMMom]

Re: Barney

We've all got our paws up and praying for you and Barney
Harley and Lori

[barney's mom]

Re: Barney

Ok.....I did an ingredient search as well as a lot of reading on corneal ulcers.
The eyedrops that Debbie and Louise use, the active ingredient is carboxymethylcellulose. I think that the lacrilube is awesome and lasts a lot longer than the eyedrops because it is an ointment, but I think this would be good for after the ulcer is healed, to prevent a recurrence.

So......I have been cleansing his eye with sterile normal saline, and I bought the refresh drops with the carboxymethylcellulose. (that was one overwhelming decision, lol! Do you know what's available in eyedrops now?)
I have been doing the saline rinses for a few days now, his eye was beginning to look infected with a discharge. I just started the lubricating eye drops last night, but they appear to sooth his eye.

I have been doing the saline rinses for several days now. His eye isn't red like it was and there is no discharge, so I think if it was becoming infected, we nipped that in the bud. He also is on antibiotic eye drops prescribed by the vet.

He is holding his eye open more yesterday and today. Not all the time, but definitely more than he was. I have a vet appointment on Wed. Pray we've made headway!

When I ask Barney, "how's your eye?" He squints his eye Poor boy.

Thanks everyone for checking on us

Loves,
Cheryl

[gpgscott]

Re: Barney

Hi Cheryl,

Sorry to be so tardy in checking in.

I hate eye issues we have only had a few and they were all injuries not some systemic issue so I have no real advice, although it looks like you have had lots of good advice from others.

I can send well wishes though as you and Barney deal with it.

Scott

[LuvMyMunchie]

Re: Barney

Hi Cheryl,

Here's another suggestion to add to your list. Munchie's Opthamologist first gave me an expensive drop for his dry eye, which I purchased from them (can't remember the name at the moment). He also gave me the name of a reasonably priced over-the-counter alternative I could use for him, which I have been doing since July '07. Seems to do the trick and works as well as the pricey one I first used as far as I'm concerned. It is GenTeal Lubricant Eye Gel (the Severe Dry Eye Formula). Seems like the different specialists must have their own preferences. This was the only alternative I was given for Mr. Munch.

We need a healing kissy icon...

Yeah.....and we could use a "margarita cheers" icon for all us frazzled parents too!!!

Louise

[barney's mom]

Re: Barney

I used the optimmune (cyclosporin) ointment on Buddy for many months after the ulcers. I then started to use lacrilube ointment instead for the dry eye and it worked really well. I think it was Natalie that recommended this as Buddy was diabetic and I had to be careful with a lot of medications. The lacrilube seemed to be the simplest with the least ingredients/preservatives and it did work really well.
Jenny

Hey Jenny!
Lacrilube is some pretty good stuff. We use it at work all the time on patients who are unable to blink and moisten their eyes. Thanks for the tip

[BestBuddy]

Re: Barney

I used the optimmune (cyclosporin) ointment on Buddy for many months after the ulcers. I then started to use lacrilube ointment instead for the dry eye and it worked really well. I think it was Natalie that recommended this as Buddy was diabetic and I had to be careful with a lot of medications. The lacrilube seemed to be the simplest with the least ingredients/preservatives and it did work really well.
Jenny

[barney's mom]

Re: Barney

Debbie, its funny you should say that. I was at the store I started combing through the MANY different varieties of artificial tears. There are several kinds .............who knew?
I ended buying "artificial tears" (the ingredients seemed the most inert)
but when I got home I was so confused I was afraid to give them
Will head back out today for refresh.

Thanks so much!

[stardeb55]

Re: Barney

Cheryl, you have to be very careful what artificial tears you buy. I use "Refresh". The eye vet gave me a list of acceptable brands which I am looking for as we speak. If I can find it, I will post the rest of what was on the list besides the "Refresh".

Debbie

[barney's mom]

Re: Barney

Thank you Debbie and cushy! I was able to get all of the links open! I am going to get him some artificial tears for him in the interim until he sees the specialist. From the articles the tears are very soothing to the dog, and I am hoping the provide some relief.


Hi Linda,
My vet said no steroid drops until the eye ulcer has healed. It really does sound like dry eye could be the culprit! Thanks so much for the information and I am glad that your dog is problem free now


CHeryl

[Spiceysmum]

Re: Barney

Hi,

Sorry to hear about Barney's eye problems. My other dog, Brin suffered from KCS, dry eye, when he was 4 years old. It started as an infection that didn't heal. His nostril on the same side dried up too as there was no lubrication to it and he couldn't breathe through that side of it. The tears didn't even register on the test. He was on Optimmune for months which wasn't working and so we found a specialist Opthamologist on our own as our vet (at that time, no longer though!) said nothing more could be done. We carried on with the Optimmune as well as artificial tears and steroid drops, I can't remember the name, and after a month or so we could see his nose gradually getting wetter and his eye too. The doses were gradually reduced over the next year and then stopped altogether. He is now 12 and has had no problems since. I think it must have been an immune problem as I was told they usually have to continue the treatment for the rest of their lives.

It is terrible to see them so uncomfortable, I hope Barney gets some relief soon. Did you say he has had steroid drops? I am sure it was those that 'kick-started' Brin's eye into getting better.

Linda and Spicey

[stardeb55]

Re: Barney

I must give all credit to Cushy. She PM'd me some links that will give you further information about dry eye. Unfortunately, 2 of the links don't seem to want to work when I cut/paste them. I know the Marvista link should work. Maybe Cushiy will send them to you directly.


Dry Eye:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_kcs__dry_eye_.html


Debbie

I'm going to try to put in the other 2 links after Cushy suggested a "fix".

http://www.peteducation.com/article....+1473&aid=1186

http://www.peteducation.com/article....2+2092&aid=451

[barney's mom]

Re: Barney

Cheryl, I don't want to criticize your vet, but I don't understand why Barney wasn't tested for dry eye early on. Every time Harley's eye would re-ulcerate, my GP would do the dry eye test, Schrimer's tear test, but it would always come up normal. The specialist repeated the test, & that's when it came up abnormal. You can "google" the name of the test, & see that it's pretty simple to do. They put a small piece of litmus paper, (I think), in the corner of the eye. The paper is graduated in millimeters. They time the migration of tears up the paper strip for a set amount of time, then read how far the tears have traveled. I don't remember what normal range is but on the first abnormal test at the eye vets, Harley's bad eye read something like 5 which is grossly abnormal. She said that it was probably more like 3, but the treatment he had been on had helped a little.

Debbie

Sigh........I know

[forscooter]

Re: Barney

We need a healing kissy icon...

here Barney....kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy...

I have no advice bc I know nothing about eyes so I'll do what mommies do...

kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy kissy...

Beth, Bailey, always Scoobie and Allo