Small Growth On Eyelid - Surgery Update Post 26

[Time4ANap]

Rocket has a small growth that I thought was a big chunk of dust when it first appeared a few months ago. It is basically a small bump right on the edge of the outer eyelid.

 

A couple of months ago when he kept rubbing the eye I took him into the vet and they said that they needed to sedate him to take it off. They did it that day and I was subsequently pretty unhappy, as it seemed like he was given a huge dose of knockout juice based on how he acted for a couple days afterward. He could have also just been overly sensitive to it but either way, and for more reasons than that, we are checking out a new vet who is more greyhound savvy. Our original greyhound vet at this practice left, and I just have not been overly happy about using them since.

 

I know that others have had those same small growths on the eyelid. I'm wondering if sedation is always necessary to take something like that off. I understand why it would be, but the thing seems so miniscule that I feel like sedation could be overkill if there is some other option that I just don't know about.

 

If sedation is necessary, I feel like I should also go ahead and have his teeth cleaned and checked out if he has to be knocked out anyway. He has never needed a dental since coming off the track, and other than some staining of a few teeth, it seems as if Bully Sticks have kept his teeth in pretty good shape. He turns 10 next week, so if we are going to ever need a dental, I'd prefer to do it sooner rather than later.

 

Any thoughts or experiences with the eyelid thing would be appreciated.

 

 

Edited December 18, 2015 by Time4ANap

[Remolacha]

My first grey, Sugar, had a small growth on his eyelid. appeared when she was 9? 10? around there. It didn't bother her, and I was reluctant to put her under because she had a heart valve problem, so we just left it. It never grew, or bothered her.

 

Did they biopsy the growth when they removed it last time?

[Josie]

not sure if Rocket has the same thing as my Otis... but here's the tread I started a few weeks back..
http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/315365-lump-on-eyelid/

 

He will have the operation, the vet will remove the cyst by laser.. so yes sedation is a must in his case..

[Time4ANap]

My first grey, Sugar, had a small growth on his eyelid. appeared when she was 9? 10? around there. It didn't bother her, and I was reluctant to put her under because she had a heart valve problem, so we just left it. It never grew, or bothered her.

 

Did they biopsy the growth when they removed it last time?

 

Yes - benign.

[Time4ANap]

not sure if Rocket has the same thing as my Otis... but here's the tread I started a few weeks back..

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/315365-lump-on-eyelid/

 

He will have the operation, the vet will remove the cyst by laser.. so yes sedation is a must in his case..

 

Thanks

 

Looks similar except Rocket's is smaller but more pronounced (if that makes sense). The procedure was very minor the last time, they did the stain before hand etc, I just think they way over-doped him or he doesn't handle being put under well, not sure which.

 

If we have to do it, then we will get his teeth cleaned while he's under so that we don;t have to put him under later for that too. He is rubbing it a times which is how we knew it was there the last time too. We will head to another vet that some other greyhound people here are very happy with just to make sure all bases are covered for anthestesia .

 

Thanks for the responses!

[Remolacha]

So, you finally found something ice cream won't cure?

[Time4ANap]

So, you finally found something ice cream won't cure?

 

Rocket says he's willing to try if I want to increase his dosage....

[Josie]

I may have misslead with my answer (English is not my native tongue)..

Otis will have the surgery under anesthesia.

[XTRAWLD]

It sounds like the risk of Rocket moving during a delicate surgery like that would be high, so to air on the side of caution I would guess sedation is necessary. Now there is mild sedation where they are just on the brink of being knocked out and then there is knocked out. I think you are on the right track tho to pursue a dental and the eye thing at the same time. Considering he handled anesthesia previously without major complication, sounds like you should kill two birds with one stone. A more savvy vet might be more appropriate though if you don't feel right. Wishing you all happiest of thoughts

[rschultz]

((((hugs)))) to Rocket from his wife, Lexie :beatheart

[DesiRayMom]

I totally agree with you on finding a more grey savy vet. The first time Desi went under anes (for a dental) we didn't think he was ever going

to wake up & his heart started doing that fluttery thing. They spent all afternoon giving him various kinds of "reversal" drugs, and it scared the

bejeebers out of me. Turns out the doc gave him way too much sedation. As a newbie grey owner, I trusted her to know what she was doing

instead of doing research myself & making her listen. Best wishes to your main man.

[Time4ANap]

Thanks everyone. I think part of my dis-satisfaction the last time is that they gave him way too much, then woke him up quickly and sent him home. He was really out of it, very unsteady on his feet and wouldn't lay down in the van. I had to hold his collar and drive at the same time as he stood between the front seats.

 

After getting home, he kept telling me that he wanted to go out, but he couldn't follow me out the door. Instead he ran into the guest bedroom and watered the carpet.

 

I was just not happy with the overall experience.We are definitely going elsewhere and will be changing vets.

[FiveRoooooers]

If you have other options as to which vet you use, I agree about finding someone more grey-savvy. The eye is tricky territory. Zeke-aroni had a cauliflower growth removed from the edge of his upper eyelid when he was 11+, closer to 12 I think, and that proc definitely required sedation. And lots of ice cream post-surgery

[DonnaBehr]

Dodge has had one for several years. It hasn't grown and it doesn't bother him, so the vet is just leaving it alone. If and when it has to be removed, I know they will have to sedate him.

[Time4ANap]

If you have other options as to which vet you use, I agree about finding someone more grey-savvy. The eye is tricky territory. Zeke-aroni had a cauliflower growth removed from the edge of his upper eyelid when he was 11+, closer to 12 I think, and that proc definitely required sedation. And lots of ice cream post-surgery

 

That's what the thing looks like. I haven't pulled the paperwork from the last time to see what they classified it as, but it definitely looks like cauliflower.

He hasn't touched it again since I posted, it must move around a little and bother him at times. We will be making an appointment shortly with a grey-savvy vet here.

 

Thanks!

[Guest FordRacingRon]

I will add to my experience too. I knew my vet would not want to touch it, I knew he would send me to the ophthalmologist which is 300 to just walk in the door. My cat has a different, and closer and cheaper, vet and they do first time consultations for free so I took Leia there. The vet did the eye stain and said it had to go because it was rubbing on her eyeball and would start to ulcerate it. She seemed like she knew what she was doing and she gave me and estimate.

 

She told me the difference is they have to knock Leia out,,but if I went to the ophthalmologist they would probably twilight sleep her and do it with a laser. She said her hospital would have to do it by putting her out as they didn't do laser eyeball surgery. So I went home with the estimate and mulled over having a vet that has never seen her do a surgery.

 

Someone here once posted a link about the perfect way to anesthetize a greyhound. So I called the young lady back and asked her and she said she wouldn't do the surgery, they had a better surgeon for that delicate operation and I asked,,well who would knock her out. She told me the have an anesthesiologist. I asked her if she were doing it how would she knock Leia out and you would have thought she read right off the page the GT member's link took me to. I asked her had she done this before,,she said a number of times with greys and never had a problem. I said I would let them do the surgery (and save myself 1000 bucks) is she would stand in for the anesthesiologist and she said she would.

 

So I understand the fear,,but if you can find a vet that knows the protocol I would do it. As someone here said to me,,how would I like to have something rubbing on my eye all day long (although I never really noticed until then how little a dog really blinks.

[Time4ANap]

Update - We met with the new vet and the surgeon last week and are very comfortable with them. Rocket will have his eyelid taken care of this Thursday along with a dental and removal of a small growth on his skin (most likely a fatty tumor). The growth is too small to get a cell sample from so we decided to go ahead and take it off during this procedure and will send it out for analysis.

 

Thanks for all of the feedback.

[XTRAWLD]

Thinking of Rocket man already.

[DesiRayMom]

Rocket ma man!!!! Fank goobness yer gettin that thing off yer eye. Got to be irit agriv miserble.

You no, you won't get brefast Thurs morning..........I'll ax for a extry cooky in yer honor.

Be well, dude! You no you'll get sporled Thurs night (if you kin stay awake!)

 

Yer frend, DesiRay

[Houndtime]

John E had a small growth removed from his eyelid. The problem for him, was that there were tiny stitches and they irritated his eye. He was in a cone, 24/7 for a while too. Wishing Rocket good luck with his dental and surgery.

 

PS. Your coat is almost done.

[Remolacha]

Smart, Rocket, take care of all those annoying little things at once! Then you only miss one meal

[rschultz]

Rocket my husband

I will say my special prayer for you. Uze will be OK, Your daddyman will spoil you when it's all done. Extra lovins and people food I hopes I will look even prettier to you after uze get your eye all fixed. I noze your breath will smell nice and fresh for our smooching sessions.

Your devoted wifey,

Lexie

[Time4ANap]

Rocket ma man!!!! Fank goobness yer gettin that thing off yer eye. Got to be irit agriv miserble.

You no, you won't get brefast Thurs morning..........I'll ax for a extry cooky in yer honor.

Be well, dude! You no you'll get sporled Thurs night (if you kin stay awake!)

 

Yer frend, DesiRay

 

Desi - I haven't told him about the "no breakfast" part of the deal. He says it's the most important meal of the day, except for the next one.

 

Rocket's Daddyman

[Guest FordRacingRon]

John E had a small growth removed from his eyelid. The problem for him, was that there were tiny stitches and they irritated his eye. He was in a cone, 24/7 for a while too. Wishing Rocket good luck with his dental and surgery.

 

PS. Your coat is almost done.

Yeah,Leia had to wear the cone of embarrassment too.

 

At first I thought, why,,she can't lick her eye. But duh,,she can rub it. Since she is like glue to me when home she was allowed to be without it but when she went to sleep, a conehead she became.

 

Your pup will do fine.

[FiveRoooooers]

We'll be thinking of you Rocket, you're going to feel soo much better wifowt dat begemabil in yur eye.