Chulita and Jose` both had a vet appointment today to have their anal glands squished because I knew they were plugged up from all the scooting they've been doing. I was unable to extract anything when I tried it myself. Weird, because I had done it before with Lyric. Anyhow, so I took them in and all is well in that area.
The vet asked me if Chuli's eye was always watery and I told her sometimes, but I had thought it was allergies or irritation from dust and pollen, that she had always kind of tended toward that but it wasn't constant or anything. Then she asked if I had noticed that her left pupil is larger than the other and I had not. I am the WORST, most unobservant dog Mom ever. I feel like a major jerk. I've been in the medical field and everything and I didn't notice this and didn't think much of the watering. Not only is her pupil larger, but it is also not totally round. It's geometric kind of, with a flat area on top and a flat angle on the upper side, indicating a possible prolapse somewhere. She said she would check the pressure and sure enough, it is too high in that eye. The other eye is normal.
So, she may have glaucoma and maybe even something wrong with her retina or some other structure. She gave me some eye drops (steroid) to use for a week and will re-check the pressure in one week. Then if need be, we'll have to see an ophthalmologist in Spokane. She may well wind up losing her eye. I know they're adaptable and everything, but it is just so very sad to me. My little gal is getting old and while she appears in such good shape otherwise, this is such a bum deal.
Oh, and she said that this pressure usually causes excrutiating pain. Now, Chuli has always had little intermittent episodes where she'd shake and quiver a bit, which I attributed to either being cold or nervous about something. But lately, the shaking may have been a sign of pain and I also brushed that off because it was almost normal to dumb me. She has been chipper, playful and normal acting except for occassional quivering but it seemed to only coincide with somewhat scary things. One thing I did notice and was going to have her eyes checked for a cataract was that her behavior has been a little off when we were in Seattle. While she has always been very sociable and would go right up to all kinds of people to be friendly, she seemed a bit skittish and more afraid of other things. And when we walked, she would sometimes plant her feet and refuse to go. I mentioned that in another thread a while back. I suspected her eye sight was not great, thinking a cataract and that everything might be more blurry. Well, now I know that this vision situation has to be the cause of her behavioral changes. I was in Seattle for about 3 weeks. I should have taken her to a vet there when I noticed her being particularly scaredy cat about a lot of things.
I feel so rotten how I didn't notice this earlier. If I had, maybe this could have been better controlled. I'm not sure. But it could be that she could have avoided pain, if she is indeed in pain.
I hope these drops will ease the pressure and reduce the fluid build-up and soon. Then we'll have to find out what is really going on. It just sucks when dogs get old and things start going wrong.
Gosh, this is long. If you read it all, you get a cookie.
The vet asked me if Chuli's eye was always watery and I told her sometimes, but I had thought it was allergies or irritation from dust and pollen, that she had always kind of tended toward that but it wasn't constant or anything. Then she asked if I had noticed that her left pupil is larger than the other and I had not. I am the WORST, most unobservant dog Mom ever. I feel like a major jerk. I've been in the medical field and everything and I didn't notice this and didn't think much of the watering. Not only is her pupil larger, but it is also not totally round. It's geometric kind of, with a flat area on top and a flat angle on the upper side, indicating a possible prolapse somewhere. She said she would check the pressure and sure enough, it is too high in that eye. The other eye is normal.
So, she may have glaucoma and maybe even something wrong with her retina or some other structure. She gave me some eye drops (steroid) to use for a week and will re-check the pressure in one week. Then if need be, we'll have to see an ophthalmologist in Spokane. She may well wind up losing her eye. I know they're adaptable and everything, but it is just so very sad to me. My little gal is getting old and while she appears in such good shape otherwise, this is such a bum deal.
Oh, and she said that this pressure usually causes excrutiating pain. Now, Chuli has always had little intermittent episodes where she'd shake and quiver a bit, which I attributed to either being cold or nervous about something. But lately, the shaking may have been a sign of pain and I also brushed that off because it was almost normal to dumb me. She has been chipper, playful and normal acting except for occassional quivering but it seemed to only coincide with somewhat scary things. One thing I did notice and was going to have her eyes checked for a cataract was that her behavior has been a little off when we were in Seattle. While she has always been very sociable and would go right up to all kinds of people to be friendly, she seemed a bit skittish and more afraid of other things. And when we walked, she would sometimes plant her feet and refuse to go. I mentioned that in another thread a while back. I suspected her eye sight was not great, thinking a cataract and that everything might be more blurry. Well, now I know that this vision situation has to be the cause of her behavioral changes. I was in Seattle for about 3 weeks. I should have taken her to a vet there when I noticed her being particularly scaredy cat about a lot of things.
I feel so rotten how I didn't notice this earlier. If I had, maybe this could have been better controlled. I'm not sure. But it could be that she could have avoided pain, if she is indeed in pain.
I hope these drops will ease the pressure and reduce the fluid build-up and soon. Then we'll have to find out what is really going on. It just sucks when dogs get old and things start going wrong.
Gosh, this is long. If you read it all, you get a cookie.
