Boydee

Boydee, my Jack Russell has glaucoma.

I took Boydee to my vet as I had noticed his eyes had a bluish tinge to them. The vet diagnosed cataracts and told me he had already lost sight in his left eye. He checked Boydee over and said he was in good health otherwise.

Fast forward 5 weeks and I noticed Boydee had swollen skin around his eye. I thought maybe he had bumped into something but as it did not go away I thought I will take him to the vets to get checked out on my day off which was 2 days away.

The next day I could not believe what I saw – my poor dog’s eye was bulging and bloodshot. It was absolutely awful and I took him to the vet that morning. ( I went to a different vet surgery as my usual was closed being the weekend). As soon as the vet looked at him she said he had glaucoma. I did not know that dogs could get this horrid condition. Boydee had his eye removed the very next day ( Monday ) as it was passed saving and it was giving him a lot of pain.

The ophthalmologist did a pressure test on his other eye and come back normal which was a relief. We took Boydee home that night and he seemed to have coped with the surgery really well….

On Thursday after returning home from work, I checked on Boydee and his good eye had changed colour. My gut feeling was he had developed glaucoma in that eye as well. I took him to the vet that night and yes, sadly I was right. I cannot believe how aggressive this horrible cruel condition is. I was given 2 different types of eye drops and was told to give them to him every 2 hours to try and save his sight and to return the next morning to see the ophthalmologist.

I returned in the morning and Boydees eye was once again pressure checked. It had not gone down at all. We left Boydee there and the ophthalmologist drained the fluid from his eyes. We picked him up that night, brought him home and gave him his dinner which he ate with no problems at all. He then stayed in his bed and slept.

The next morning ( which is today) I tried to give him his antibiotics and pain killer which was hidden in raw mince but he would not eat. He also would not open his eye for his drops and would not drink and had no desire to get up. He looked very depressed and is so heart breaking to see him like this.

I Took him back to the vet and Boydee was given pain relief. He has just been in a deep sleep, hasn’t wanted food or water. I feel so sorry for him and wish I could talk to him. I don’t think his sight can be saved in his right eye as he seems worse than before.

Boydee is about 12 years old and his health is good apart from his eyes of course. I really wish I knew about glaucoma before and maybe then I would of noticed symptoms before it was too late.

He has an appointment with the ophthalmologist on Saturday but I think I will be going back to the vet tomorrow if he hasn’t improved.