Corneal Ulcer

[rascalsmom]

Earlier this month Buddy scratched his eye. The vet treated it, but it wasn't getting better; so off to the specialist we went.

 

The ophthamologist debrided the area and did a grid keratotomy. Buddy is still on drops/ointment...it will be two weeks this coming Wednesday.

 

How do you know if it's getting better, or worse?? I talked to the vet tech today, because I noticed a red area on his eye. She told me that can be perfectly normal...that the things I have to watch for are squinting (indicating pain) and discharge. Well, every now and then he's squinting, but two minutes later it looks wide open and like he's feeling a lot better! No real discharge, just the ooze from the drops and ointment, which isn't much at all, and only after the meds are applied. She told me if it looks like there are red 'lines' that is normal [i assume from the 'grid' keratotomy]. I can't really tell if it's lines or not, as when I go to get close to look at it he shuts his eye.

 

The tech did move his recheck appointment up to this Thursday (was supposed to be NEXT Thursday), since I was worried.

 

I guess my question is, are there clear signs that the treatment is working; and if it's not, what is the next step? I hate to even think of a next step....

[patricia]

Sending many prayers. I don't know the next step. My grand grey Chancie Pantz had a horrible corneal ulcer and it took a LONG time to heal.

[4greyhounds]

I am sorry I have no experience, but we are sending lots of prayers.

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

Ok, I don't have experience with dogs, but I do with myself.

 

When I had a corneal ulcer, I want to say that it was about a month before I really felt a difference in myself. I was on drops and ointment as well.

 

I squinted in the sunlight because it hurt but other than that the pain was negligible.

 

If he doesn't look like he's crying and he's not squinting ALL the time, I'd say he's probably getting better. These things take time to heal (which is why his recheck was for a couple of weeks later rather than days) so try not to worry too much. They are also pretty easily treated, so I'm sure he'll be fine. Hang in there!

[crazygang]

I have no experience of corneal ulcers sorry.........

 

But did have to deal with drops and ointments for three months when my old lady Tess had a lens fitted in one eye and in the other it was shaved, she was already deaf and was going blind a year up until her operation and afterwards had 18 months of a very full and happy life.

 

Yes she did get a bit fed up when I was medicating her when looking into her eyes she'd squeeze them tight shut. But this soon passed after she recovered and she forgot all about it.

 

Maybe Buddy is a bit paranoid about his eye at the minute? Just a thought....

[rascalsmom]

Just bumping up for the evening folks...in case someone can help....

[Guest Lori]

Arg, we just went thru this this summer with our JRT Ruby. One in each eye, as a matter of fact! She got the grid treatment on one eye, and they actually had to do a 'slice' on the other eye. The first eye with the grid seemed to heal better, but she would do the same thing, be squinting one second and just fine the next. We used the sterile ointment and atropine ointment. I think the problem is if Buddy is squinting consistently and the eye seems painful. They can get into the habit, the vet said, of just squinting. : ) For the second eye we had to switch away from the ointment, since it seemed to be causing some irritation itself. She had two kinds of drops, an antibiotic (Ofloxacin) and a pain reliever (Flurbiprofen). She did much better with this, but it still took a couple of weeks to heal totally. There was a little thickish discharge, but it was white and that was ok.

 

It was terribly frustrating, though -- Ruby has had 7 surgeries (mast cell tumors, intestinal adhesions, etc), and this eye thing was the worst for lingering and not showing consistent improvement. Good luck to you and Buddy!

[rascalsmom]

Thanks for the info. Buddy was on the flurbiprofen for awhile, but not anymore; not sure why. He is on atropine which is for pain, I think, and ciloxin. Also adequan drops. I am taking him to get rechecked on Thursday so I sure hope that it's healing. I have a bad feeling about it, but hopefully I will be wrong.

[Guest Lori]

I did just remember, with Ruby's second eye, it was healing slowly from the grid and she was still squinty, but she still had an infection under the cornea that was growing back. That's when they did the 'slice' (sorry I can't think of the real name). It healed much faster after that. It's so worrisome because it's their EYE! But it did all get better and she's just fine now, and knock on wood, the weather is getting cooler and the lizards are in hiding (the prey she was chasing into the bushes where she got her corneal scratches)!

 

 

[tbhounds]

Atropine is for the pain--stops the spasming

[Guest Lori]

Atropine is for the pain--stops the spasming

 

The atropine was funky!! We put it in the unaffected eye, and both eyes dilated. And stayed dilated for several days!

[rascalsmom]

I did just remember, with Ruby's second eye, it was healing slowly from the grid and she was still squinty, but she still had an infection under the cornea that was growing back. That's when they did the 'slice' (sorry I can't think of the real name). It healed much faster after that. It's so worrisome because it's their EYE! But it did all get better and she's just fine now, and knock on wood, the weather is getting cooler and the lizards are in hiding (the prey she was chasing into the bushes where she got her corneal scratches)!

Oh, this doesn't sound like anything good... Buddy had this same problem five years ago, and it healed a lot more quickly, and he didn't have this large red area back then, either. I'm so worried about him...he gets so incredibly stressed out at the vet, I can barely get him to go through the door!

[Guest Lori]

I did just remember, with Ruby's second eye, it was healing slowly from the grid and she was still squinty, but she still had an infection under the cornea that was growing back. That's when they did the 'slice' (sorry I can't think of the real name). It healed much faster after that. It's so worrisome because it's their EYE! But it did all get better and she's just fine now, and knock on wood, the weather is getting cooler and the lizards are in hiding (the prey she was chasing into the bushes where she got her corneal scratches)!

Oh, this doesn't sound like anything good... Buddy had this same problem five years ago, and it healed a lot more quickly, and he didn't have this large red area back then, either. I'm so worried about him...he gets so incredibly stressed out at the vet, I can barely get him to go through the door!

 

I didn't notice any difference in Ruby's comfort level with the slice as opposed to the grid. It does affect the vision a bit permanently, but not too much. And they gave her both tramadol and deramax for a few days.

 

Could they give you something like valium to give Buddy beforehand? Ruby hates the vet, too, but I can pick her up! Poor guy.

[Guest Lori]

Please let us know how Buddy's checkup goes! He's in my prayers.

[rascalsmom]

Thanks, Lori. Our appointment is for 3:15. I just have a bad feeling about it, for some reason....I noticed this morning there seems to be a "bump" on the eye now....

 

Thanks for the prayers, too....let's hope we get the answer we are praying for!

[ZoomDoggy]

Wow, that really sounds like epithelial basement membrane disease, which I said before that my Sissy had.

 

My layman's understanding of it is that the deeper layers of tissue in the eye are not transmissing fluid correctly between the inner and outer layers of the eye. This causes fluid pressure buildup, resulting in a sort of "blistering" effect on the eye surface, and corneal ulcers.

 

After Sissy's recovery from open-grid keratotomy, she was on sodium chloride ointment for the rest of her life to prevent future erosions.

[rascalsmom]

Aimee, Buddy has had the keratotomy already...this is a new development, this bump. Did Sissy need anything further, after the keratotomy? Or did the medication help her condition?

 

I can deal with medicating him, for the rest of his life if necessary. What really worries me is surgery....he gets so stressed at the vet, and the e collar makes him go into a panic, to the point where I am afraid he will hurt himself.

[ZoomDoggy]

I knew about the keratotomy to help the first ulcer heal, but what I'm wondering is, if maybe he's not getting the right meds to prevent another ulcer... ? The bump sounds to me like another ulcer about to open up.

 

I was lucky in that Sissy never had a reoccurence as long as she got her daily eyedrops. She lived less than a year after that, so I can't attest to long-term benefit. She died of cancer, unrelated to her eye problems.

[rascalsmom]

I guess I will find out in a few hours. The initial "ulcer" was caused by him scratching his eye, I am almost 100% positive that's what happened. I was walking them, and he stuck his head into a bush, and immediately started trying to rub his eye with his leg....

[Guest Lori]

I guess I will find out in a few hours. The initial "ulcer" was caused by him scratching his eye, I am almost 100% positive that's what happened. I was walking them, and he stuck his head into a bush, and immediately started trying to rub his eye with his leg....

 

 

Ruby shoves her head in the ivy around our house to chase lizards, that's how she does it. She scratched her eyes 3 different times this summer, we thought maybe she had dry eyes or something that made her more prone. Nope, just running around chasing things.