Pet Goddess

What You Can Do for Your Pet if they have Glaucoma

Optimal treatment for your pet requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Follow-up will be critical. You should:

·  Understand the symptoms of glaucoma so that you can catch an increase of pressure in the eye right away. Frequently this applies most to a pet on medical therapy, in which you are trying to maintain some vision in a diseased eye.

It also applies when the first eye lost vision very quickly due to glaucoma and you are trying to protect the second eye. Saving vision in an eye with high pressure can be a race against the clock so the symptoms to look out for listed above are very important.

·  Because time is of the essence with this disease, YOU are  the front line of defense when there is a problem until you can get to your veterinarian or veterinary ophthalmologist. If you wouldn’t delay in seeking treatment for glaucoma for yourself, don’t let your pet wait, because it could cost him or her its vision.

·  Understand what medications your pet is on and why, and administer them as prescribed by your vet.

·  Be certain to alert your veterinarian if you are experiencing problems treating your pet. Frequent trips to your veterinarian may be necessary.

Medications are frequently adjusted to maintain comfort and/or protect the vision of your pet, or to monitor a visual eye if the other eye has gone blind from glaucoma.

·  Despite treatment, most dogs with glaucoma will be blind in that eye within 36 to 48 months and, if predisposed to glaucoma, will likely fall victim to the condition in their other eye as well.

Medications may delay that process, but they must be strictly adhered to. Surgical removal of a blind eye is recommended once all treatment has ended.

Posted July 13, 2008 Comments(0)

Getting Treatment for Pet Glaucoma

If you suspect that your pet has an increase in pressure in an eye, it is best to treat the problem quickly, because glaucoma can cause severe damage in a short amount of time.

After taking a complete medical history and doing a physical exam, your vet or veterinary ophthalmologist may diagnose whether your pet in fact suffers from glaucoma through tests that include a complete eye exam; a check of the pressure inside of the eye (called tonometry); gonioscopy, a test that evaluates the drainage pathway; and eye ultrasound, which can help identify lenses or tumors that are out of place in the eye, if the doctor can’t determine this through a normal eye exam.

Treatment for glaucoma is generally aimed at decreasing the production of fluid inside the eye, increasing the flow of fluid out of the eye and controlling any inflammation inside the eye. Topical medications (drops and ointments placed directly on the eye) and systemic medications (pills or injections) are available.

Surgery may also be recommended. This can include trying to “kill” some of the cells that produce fluid inside of the eye by laser or deep-freeze; trying to create a different drainage pathway; removing the eye; placing a prosthesis in the “shell” of the eye; or injecting a medication into the eye to “kill” the fluid producing cells.

Posted July 12, 2008 Comments(0)

It is essential to evaluate the pupil in a red, squinty, teary eye with or without the cloudy surface appearance.

The pupil is the black hole in the center of the eye formed by the iris, which is the colored part of the eye.

If the pupil is widely dilated (a large black spot with minimally colored parts visible) and it doesn’t contract (get smaller) in response to a bright light, glaucoma is highly possible.

When checking the pupil response, don’t be confused by the normal reflection of bluish/green or yellowish/orange that is frequently seen shining through the black hole of the pupil (like red eye in a bad photo)

Assessing your pet’s vision can be difficult, but is very helpful. Your pet should blink to a bright light shown into the eye. Without creating airflow or touching any whiskers, see if your pet blinks when you wave your hand in front of the eye (known as the “menace test” because your pet is responding to a menacing gesture).

You can also throw objects like cotton balls (anything that won’t make a sound when it lands) in front of your pet to see if s/he follows the object.

 Setting up mazes can also be helpful; move chairs or garbage cans around in a room that is familiar to your pet, and then see if they can navigate across the room. This type of test will be less effective if only one eye is affected, but will still give you some indication as to how well your dog (especially senior ones) can see.

Posted July 11, 2008 Comments(1)

The fluid outflow pathway in the eye is commonly known as the drainage angle. For proper outflow, the angle needs to be open in a way that the fluid will flow through small holes, as in a sieve.

In breeds predisposed to glaucoma, there is usually a narrow angle or inadequate holes in the sieve (known as goniodysgenesis).

Symptoms of Glaucoma in Pets to look out for.

·  A red eye

·  A very squinty and painful eye

·  A lot of tearing

·  A dilated pupil that doesn’t react to light

·  A cloudy (whitish/blue) cornea (front surface of the eye)

·  A big, bulging eye (a condition known as buphthalmia)

·  Vision loss

Be especially vigilant during allergy season. If the redness persists more than a day or two, definitely take your pet to the vet.

Glaucoma generally only affects one eye initially. Depending on the cause, the other eye may be at risk for developing glaucoma in the future.

Many diseases can cause a red, squinty, teary and cloudy eye, but glaucoma should always be considered as a cause.

Frequently, when the pressure is high, pets are in a lot of pain and hold the eye closed or keep the third eyelid (a pink/red membrane) up over the eye, making it difficult to assess. (The third eyelid showing is often referred to as cherry eye)

Posted July 10, 2008 Comments(0)

What Causes Glaucoma?

There are primary and secondary causes of glaucoma:

·  Primary glaucoma involves a problem in the way that the eyeball developed. Cases of primary glaucoma generally occur in breeds that are genetically predisposed to suffering from the condition, particularly breeds with bulging eyes or large eyes proportional to the skull.

·  Primary glaucoma is much more common in dogs than in cats.

·  Secondary glaucoma encompasses many causes, including inflammation that scars the eye and blocks fluid drainage; tumors that fill up the drainage pathway; an accident to the eye that causes it to fill with blood, that blocks and scars the drainage pathway; and lens luxation, a shift in the lens that can block a drainage pathway.

Inflammation inside the eye has many causes. In dogs, they include infectious diseases such as fungal disease and tick-transmitted disease and cataracts.

For cats, chronic anterior uveitis, an inflammation of the front of the eye, often leads to glaucoma.

With glaucoma, one or both eyes can eventually be affected depending on the cause of inflammation.

Posted July 9, 2008 Comments(0)

Like their human companions, dogs and cats can also lose their vision to glaucoma.
Fortunately, veterinary medicine now offers treatments that can preserve an animal’s sight.
It is important for owners of senior pets be aware of the symptoms of glaucoma and to act on them quickly, because the disease can quickly damage the eye and lead to vision loss.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is abnormally high pressure in the eye. It is often triggered by high blood pressure.
A normal pet eye constantly produces and drains a watery fluid known as the aqueous humor. If a problem develops with the drainage, pressure inside the eye can build up. High pressure within the eyeball (also known as intraocular pressure) causes damage to the optic nerve, which, in turn, can result in vision loss.

Posted July 8, 2008 Comments(1)

30. Last but certainly not least:
When you are around your dog avoid emotions such as fear, anxiety, harshness or nervousness. Your dog can sense these emotions and will see you as weak. This will escalate your problem as your dog feels an even stronger need to be your leader.

Think Big and Powerful and be calm, assertive, and consistent. Remember, there is no hiding our emotions from our dogs. They can in a sense, read our minds, in reading our emotions, and they can also detect scent. This energy is the universal language of animals. Talk less, using more body language. Picture yourself, in your own mind as big, powerful and very sure of yourself.

Pull your shoulders back and stand up straight. Your dog will feel this. This is your number one resource when it comes to communicating with your dog. Your dog will be happy and secure knowing he has a strong pack leader to care for him. Then he will not have to be the alpha dog.

By incorporating all these behaviors into his regular routine, your dog will realize that you the human are alpha over him, and he is beneath you. He will respect you, and obey your commands.

Obedience exercises and classes are great and very useful, however, obedience training alone does not address pack behavior problems. Continuous reinforcement, with reward and punishment as appropriate, will. That way you will have a happy dog and a happy family and friends.

Posted July 7, 2008 Comments(0)

26. Small dogs or puppies who demand to be picked up or put down should NOT get what they want until they sit or do another acceptable quiet behavior. They should not be put down unless they are settled quietly in your arms.

27. Puppies should never be allowed to nip or chew uncontrollably, or destroy property.

28. Dogs should NEVER be left unsupervised with children or anyone who cannot maintain leadership and control over the dog. And especially not with someone scared of dogs.

29. To reinforce your position even more, you can make your dog lay down and stay there for 20 to 30 minutes a day. Tell him to lay down, then tell him to stay. If he tries to get up, correct him.

Posted July 6, 2008 Comments(0)

23. Dogs own no possessions. Everything belongs to the humans. They are all on “loan” from the human family. You should be able to handle or remove any item at all times from the dog with no problems from the dog. Even if you are taking a chicken bone out of the dog’s mouth (which of course should NEVER be given, but you would be amazed at how many they can find on the street!)
Some breeds, like cocker spaniels, are VERY fond of toys, so take them away often, rotating them in and out of a drawer or toy chest so they don’t get too greedy and aggressive.

24. Dogs should NOT be allowed to pull on the leash. When they do this they are leading the way and it is the humans that need to lead the way and show they’re higher up in the pack order. (In the wild, the leader of the pack always leads the way; the leader leads the hunt.) They must be trained to walk to heel. A choke chain will help curb the tendency to pull in a very willful dog.

25. When on a walk, the dog must walk beside you, or behind you, never in front of you, as the leader always leads the way. A dog must not be allowed to sniff or eliminate anywhere he wishes. One marking against a tree is enough for male dogs. The dog should be taken out daily for a walk.

Posted July 5, 2008 Comments(0)

PLAYTIME RULES
18. Games of fetch or play with toys must be started and ended by the Human. Reward them if they bring it back. Make their error clear if they do not.

19. Very dominant dogs who have a problem with growling should not be allowed to lie on your furniture, as the leader of the pack always gets the most comfortable spot.

20. Dogs belong on the floor. If you do decide to allow your dog on the furniture, you must be the one who decides when he is allowed up and you must be the one who decides when he is to get off, by inviting him and telling him to get down.

21. No tug-of-war, as this is a game of power and you may lose the game giving the dog a reinforcement (in the dog’s mind) of top dog. It also encourages aggression, and so should be avoided.

22. Dogs need to be taught a “Drop it” or release command. Any objects the dog has in his possession should be able to be taken away by all humans.

Posted July 4, 2008 Comments(0)