taking a break

5.02.2009



wednesday update: they insist Trout has glaucoma. they say we have caught it very early and i should treat her with the drops at least once a day in each eye. most dogs with glaucoma eventually lose their eyesight but since we have started treatment early it could be a while before that happens. of course i am brokenhearted. all i can do now is make sure she has the best life a dog can. that means lots of hiking in the cohuttas, fishin trips and good food. i feel like throwing up. thanks to all, much love, chickory

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UPDATE: on saturday afternoon i was dismayed when i would throw a stick for Trout, she didnt see where it landed and had to find the stick by scent. That night, she seemed to be looking around the cabin as if something was flying around inside. there wasnt anything. she would just stare hard at things -like this one painting of mine - for the longest time. of course i freaked out because the behavior was so weird. and also because the vet told me that the eye damage happens very rapidly if its not caught in time and in my case it had been almost 24 hours -too long.

she had at that point been on the medications 24 hours. By Sunday afternoon, she seemed to see better and the bulging in her eyes had gone down. my theory is that because of the bulging, her vision was impaired. I saw the eye specialist today. She couldnt find anything wrong, and because Trout has been on meds now 3 full days the eye pressure readings were normal. SO, we dont know anything more at this point. What we are going to do is wean her off the meds and take an eye pressure reading every two days. if it goes back up, its glaucoma. if not, something else has happened although the doc was mystified as to what that might be. The eye specialist said Trouts eyes looked normal. they arent though. they are bigger and darker. they are slightly too big for the socket.

im not as scared as i was saturday, but the doc said not to get too jacked up until we get new pressure readings off meds. so thats where i am with this.
THANK YOU all so much for your kind words. I pray Trout gets to continue her life as the sighted country dog streaking across fields and fording streams.

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posted on saturday evening:

my dog trout is going blind before my eyes. it has happened so fast i dont know if it can be arrested. The diagnosis is glaucoma. i started the drops but it may be too late already. i will see a specialist monday but watching her today, i was not encouraged. she is only 3 and a half years old. forgive me if i dont visit your blogs for a while. thanks for all the kind words on the previous post.

-chickory

46 comments:

  1. I am crying for you. My heartbreaks. Thinking of and praying for Trout and you.

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  2. Oh dear heavens!

    No o no nononono!!

    Pup, I is heartbroken fer ya'. Hug Trout fer me. An' a bazillion hugs fer yore ownself. Wish I could fix this.

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  3. Heartbreak indeed! Such sad, sad news .... I will be praying for the drops to work. I will be praying for you as well. I can only imagine how acute this threat is for an individual posting in the persona of "K9".
    Sending blogger hugs to you and Big Dog and of course to Trout the tree climbing dog.

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  4. I'm so sorry to hear about Trout - you must be so sad. Sending prayers that she will get better.

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  5. I love both you and trout very much :) Give trout lots of hugs for me. Even if it does happen, know that it is not the worse thing. She still has her health and can give you kisses to melt your heart :)

    Maybe her and I could share glasses ;)

    Just trying to get a smile out of you :) Love you Aunty! MUAH!

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  6. I'm exceedingly sad to hear of this and offering up prayers for both you and trout.

    If you get the urge to do a post on some other topic over the summer but don't want the hassle of doing it here or at K9, you're welcome to post it at TTR instead.

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  7. oh, ande, i'm so sorry to hear this. I"ll be thinking of you. alicia

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  8. chickory dog!

    so shocked to arrive a k9 and see the hiatus notice.

    but now it makes sense.

    my old dog - treacle (a bearded collie sweeter than sweet) grew so old - she became deaf and blind. but she was old - so it was actually pretty normal.

    i am so sorry to hear this about trout.

    wing beats for you and trout.

    love,
    bird

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  9. I am so sorry to hear that. I think the drops will work. My Sarah has has had the same sort of issues that Trout is going through most of her life almost to the point that we had her undergo some major surgery. One trusted vet counciled against it and we trusted his advice. Sarah is not completely blind but her eyesight is limited. Otherwise she is fine, gets around fairly well for a dog with eyes as bad as hers.
    I'm not saying that Trout isn't in for some serious issues but I think you are the perfect woman to deal with these issues.
    Still sending you big hugs and strength to deal with another shot from the crap cannon aimed at your head.

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  10. you know how I feel.

    xoxoxox little one.

    and xoxox to Trout.

    She WILL climb more trees. Take care of your dog, we'll be here waiting.

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  11. K9,
    just stopped back by to send blogger love to your family. I am praying the Monday specialist will be helpful.

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  12. So upset to hear this about your doggy Trout, which is a fabulous name btw. I hope things get better soon.

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  13. Shamu's post is heartening. Please, please let us know how it goes with the specialist today. You know I am sending your way everything I got in my arsenal in the way of prayers and petitions to the universe. Love and hugs to you both.

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  14. Still keeping up the good thoughts.

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  15. well, dang!
    Kisses for ol' Trout, and, give a chicken thigh meat down to the plate, too.

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  16. K9,
    Thanks for taking the time to give us all an update on Trout. I find your news encouraging, either the drops are working and crisis has been averted or, there is some other issue besides glaucoma. Still praying for you and the Big Dog and Trout. Hope today's news will help you get some sleep, you must be exhausted.

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  17. bee sting? snake bite? spider bite? Keeping good thoughts and so good to know she's getting the best care.

    YOU breathe now.

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  18. Oh honey that is so heartbreaking, I thought you were just taking a break for the summer, I had no idea that your beautiful Trout was in such trouble.

    Gosh you have had far too much sadness to deal with lately.

    Could it possibly be an allergy to something she has come in contact with? Just a thought.
    Some despicable person threw hot water in my cats face once and his eyes were swollen and bulging... the vet was mystified also until he investigated further.
    Thankfully eye drops, cream and a lot of TLC worked and he was not blinded.

    I hope the eye drops work, I send you both my love,send you both a big healing hug and I will pray for you both. ♡

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  19. Get better soon Trout. We're all pullin' for you. Hang in there Chickory. ((HUGS))

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  20. awwwwwww .. i'm so terribly sorry for trout and you
    .

    if it's glaucoma it's treatable with eyedrops. my mother has glaucoma and i reckon i'll will have it eventually. it's hereditary.

    i'm wishing you both the best though and speedy recovery for your beloved trout.

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  21. oh my ! What a terrible shock for you we're sending all of our of love and tons of healing prayers to you & beautiful Trout.

    xoxo, Susan, Winnie Dixon, Bleet, Oliver & the Lil'Man

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  22. any more news on beloved trout?

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  23. Thinking of you all . . .

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  24. i am seriously disturbed. i dont think trout has glaucoma! what if the first vet got the reading wrong? when the specialist measured her eyes they were normal but she had been on the meds. today her eyes looked pretty good and then after giving her the meds she looked worse. everytime i asked them could it be a snake bite or a sting or an allergy they were saying no no no. like the only thing it could be is glaucoma.

    tomorrow i am not going to give her the meds at all. and the test will happen at 3. if the pressure is right im going to suggest that we test her again on thursday and not friday and not give her the meds again. because what in the HELL are these drops going to do to her if she doesnt have glaucoma.

    it bothers me to see how trout reacts when given the drops. she is very blue. and goes and lays in the back room like she does when there is a storm. and her eyes look very weird after i give the drops. i dont trust this situation. my gut says its all wrong.

    tonight i would be totally freaked out if i didnt consider that glaucoma drops are given 3 times a day which indicates to me that it wears off rather quickly. so good -let this wear off and we'll see.

    and - im starting to think what i thought was the beginning of blindness on saturday was actually confusion brought about by some sort of toxic exposure.

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  25. You know your pup better than anyone.
    Make the docs listen to you.

    Hugs and prayers for all!
    xoxox

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  26. Aw, drat it all, Pup. Listen, ya knows yore own dawgy, so ya can be polite but firm wif' the vet.

    Could trout have eaten somethin' poisonous? Gotten in a mess of bushes wif' pesticide on it?

    St. Francis is on the job. Keep us posted!

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  27. Trust your gut feeling honey, glaucoma does not come on that quickly, it must be something else, something acute the vets have missed.

    Love, hugs and healing prayers still coming your way...you are both in my thoughts. ♡

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  28. Go with your gut Chickory. I think that's the best idea for now.

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  29. today Trouts eyes are too big again and looking off in opposite directions -kind of Pug like. I still havent given her the drops - its been 12.5 hours. in glaucoma the rule is 30-30 30 hours at 30 pressure = loss of site. seeing the vet at 2:00. so that would be 17 hours. and we will get a true reading. i am now going against doctors orders.

    funny, it was the left eye with the high reading but it is the right eye that looks weirder. i am driving trout crazy and probably she is acting odd because of all the anxiety coming off me. i try to be cheerful but the dog knows!

    when something is wrong with my dog, something is wrong with ME.

    i chopped my hair off so i could concentrate! grrherhahaha

    thanks everybody for your visits they mean the world to me.

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  30. Chopped off your hair? Are we talking cute short summer cut or going all Demi Moore in GI Jane?

    It's so maddening when pet ailments strike. I have to agree with the gut folks. Who sees their dog everyday enough to know there's something wrong. Being proactive with your pet is a good thing.

    Wishing I could do more for you than type but there it is. Holding out strong hopes that this is a temporary weird occurance.

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  31. K9,
    Wow, this sounds really tough. I am praying the 2pm readings were normal so the vet could be persuaded to look for other causes . I am troubled by the readings .... what else can cause pressure in one eye not the other?
    I guess soon all us bloggers will get quite a canine nursing education.
    We are praying for you, Big Dog and Trout.

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  32. I hope all is well.
    At least she has you.

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  33. gosh that's terrible ..
    i know how anxious and stressed you are feeling ..
    i've felt that kind of anxiety over my children and, yes, my pets who are also my kids ..
    foam

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  34. Take the time you need, reach out when you're ready and if you need to. Your friends will be ready, willing and able to help in any way they can.
    xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxox

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  35. Thank you K9 for the latest update. I can feel your grief thru the net and hope you can feel the hug I am sending to you. "caught very early" is a tribute to you as a dog's best girl. If hurling helps, I recommend it.

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  36. Oh chile', I hates this fer ya'. Gnome (who is DEEP do do wif' me!) is right--at least trout has a champ of a person pal.

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  37. I'm so, so sorry, gosh thats terrible news.
    I did some 'glaucoma in dogs' research on the internet last night, I cant believe that it would come on so suddenly without some other cause like being exposed to toxins, an allergy, an infection, something that has really irritated the eye or the blood vessels in the eye and caused swelling and pressure.
    I'm so sorry for you dear girl, we love our animals just like children and I can understand how stressed and sick you are feeling,yes they do pick up on our emotions.
    I really hope and pray that the treatment will work and all will settle for your beautiful Trout and you, she sure has the best Mama.
    Bless you, love Dianne x ♡

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  38. SO glad to hear you caught it early, which is hope to hang on to for sure. The folks here are right: Trout couldn't ask for a better mommy.

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  39. K9,
    If you are needing a bit of distraction, there is a new post up at the Pond.

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  40. I refuse to give in to their diagnosis. Let's search the Internets for new treatment, old treatments, and then mix in some good old fashioned prayers and see what happens. In the meantime, revel in each day she has with you and the world. xoxo. As Moi said, she has the best person in the world taking care of her.

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  41. K9,
    I know you have been on a terrible emotional roller coaster this week and Iwould not want to add to that.

    However, I spoke a bit ago with a horse vet I know and trust who clacked away on a keyboard and said,

    Well,if the diagnosis is glaucoma there are two paths .The first is try drops for maintenance. Then if vision is lost in one eye they might pursue laser treatments of the drainage duct for the anterior chamber of the eye.

    Others say IF there is little to no permanent loss due to early diagnosis then proceed to laser treatments of the drainage duct BEFORE retinal damage can be done.

    Did the canine opthalmologist mention laser treatments at all?
    Shall I spearhead a blogger collection for Trout's medical expenses?

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  42. :(
    thinking of you and trout ..
    XO

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  43. Love and hugs for you both. ♡

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  44. Not knowing is the worse. Trust your gut ... and I pray that some doc somewhere has the answers.

    Love to you, Trout and the Big Dawg.

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  45. suggest maybe limiting her direct, extreme exposure to sun ~ as this may stress the eye, and exacerbate the degenerative process? just a thought.

    maybe its time for a seeing eye pet pup?

    glad you caught it early. she will have a good life ~ you are making sure of it.

    luv u.

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