Felow dog owners, eye issues

[Nooknookmom]

So, about a month ago my female shepherd was stung by a bee (we think, could've been a spider, no way to tell), had an allergic reaction, her head swelled up massivly and it caused a abcess (that keeps popping up, we think from her running into the fence chasing passerby) to swell up and require lancing.

I took her to emergency vet ($$$) and we were sent home with antibiotics and they gave her a shot of a steriod.

She was better in 2 days and the spot on her nose healed in a week with my putting anti-bac ointment on it, etc. A few days after it healed, it swelled up again, she popped it on her own and she ended up on another round of antibiotics. This time she had eye-goo, yellowish, I assumed related to the nose issue that was draining.

So for a 2nd time, it healed, BUT now her eyes are glassy and some spots of this reddish cloudy material looks like it's grown into her eyes. It is as if these strange cataracts have grown over her eyes in a weeks time.

She can hardly see, this is a dog that NEVER misses the ball or a snack tossed at her. I'm at my wits end, she is only 6.

I have no idea what it is and I smell another vet trip. We seriously can't afford this right now.

Has anyone had such a thing happen to their doggie?

[Kymberley]

Poor girl, and poor you! No BTDT advice, but I have a VERY accident prone Boxer, so I feel your pain on the $$. He's our million dollar dog. I hope everything heals well, and quickly.

[infomama]

Sounds like the antibiotic didn't do it's job. I have never been through this and I can imagine your worry but I would call the vet, explain the situation and ask if they would be willing to let you pay on a plan..that you are worried and that it appears that her sight is being effected. I bet they will work with you. I don't think I would let this go any longer.

[mctlaw]

Our dog (min pin) had a very difficult to resolve eye issue last year, so I sympathize. I actually started the problem, so I felt terrible. I was wiping out an eye crusty (something I used to casually do all the time) when apparently it was larger than I thought, and he jerked away at the last minute, and it actually scratched the surface of his eye. We went through several weeks of applying different antibiotics and steroids, but it did not heal, and it began to develop that cataract appearance you are describing. It was actually scar tissue, but appeared very similar to what you are describing.

Vet attempted to debride (scrape) it, which helped, but it still did not heal all the way. Finally, she sent us to a specialist who debrided it a second time. This time it healed very quickly. Our original vet charged us very little. Visiting the specialist, I think so for ran about 400 or 500 for the procedure, and another 150 for the follow up.

I tried to describe this quickly, but the poor little guy was miserable for probably 3 months and had to wear an Elizabethan collar the whole time.

Good luck with your doggie.

[rfeibelm]

Sounds like she may be devloping pannus. If your vet isn't sure what's going on then ask for a referral to an ophthalmologist. Eyes can be difficult. Good luck!

[Nooknookmom]

Sounds like she may be devloping pannus. If your vet isn't sure what's going on then ask for a referral to an ophthalmologist. Eyes can be difficult. Good luck!

Pannus? This whole thing is making me crazy. I'm calling vet in the morning. Hope it is not something catchy b/c both dd an have had itchy, scratchy eyes, I figured it was allergies from he massive winds. I'm probably over reacting.

[Nooknookmom]

Well I finally got into the vet and he thinks its Pannus. I feel so bad, it came on almost overnight. Her left eye is very cloudy and that is the one I beleive she lost most vision from. The right is not so bad (yet).

We're on a bazillion med's and I hope the poor baby recovers her eyesight.

[rfeibelm]

So sorry! I'm glad you had her seen by your vet. I hope things work out.

[kdeunc]

One of our female shepherds has pannus. Apparently one of the many predispositions of shepherds! She had been on eye drops for about a year and we were able to reverse quite a bit of the problem. Now she has lost sight in one of her eyes. She also has terminal cancer so we are not doing the drops anymore. She really hated getting them. Hopefully your pup will respond well to the meds.