Animal Trust Wrexham has recently helped a dog suffering from severe Glaucoma – a disease of increased pressure in the eye and that can cause damage to the eye ball. Glaucoma is a serious condition and around 40% of dogs who are affected by the disease will lose their sight within the first year. Here is one patient’s story.
Chloe, a 12-year-old Shetland Sheepdog first lost sight in her right eye 4 years ago and was brought to Animal Trust’s new surgery in Wrexham by owner, Mrs Green after she noticed Chloe had begun pawing at the affected eye which now looked bigger than normal.
Lead Vet, Rhys Peters examined Chloe, whose right eye was also completely cloudy. Rhys diagnosed Chloe with glaucoma and following treatment discussions with Mrs Green, it was decided that given the advanced state of the glaucoma removal of the eye, (enucleation) would prove to be the best outcome for Chloe as it would remove all of the discomfort from the condition.
Commenting on the case, Lead Vet, Rhys said; ‘’There are two forms of glaucoma, primary, which is usually an inherited condition and secondary, which sees inflammation inside the eye and a shift in the lens position.’’
Rhys adds; ‘’With Glaucoma pressure builds up inside the eye, which in turn worsens fluid drainage, that causes more pressure. Once diagnosed the disease can often be managed with medication and by regularly checking the level of pressure inside the eye, which can be done with us in a free consultation.’’
In Chloe’s case, Rhys says; ‘’As Chloe had suffered from the disease for a while and had lost sight in her right eye, enucleation was the best option for her as medication wouldn’t have restored sight and she may have had chronic pain. I’m so pleased to see that she quickly recovered from the surgery and is now well in herself again.’’
As a disease, glaucoma is more common in certain breeds of dogs, such as; Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Chow Chow’s, Beagles and Siberians. Rhys is now urging owners to be aware of the various signs and symptoms to be aware of after over 70 enucleation operations were performed at Animal Trust last year.
Symptoms to watch out for include;
- Redness of the blood vessels in the whites of the eye
- Closed eyes on a regular basis and the dog rubbing at the eye area
- Cloudy appearance at the front of the eye
- Blindness or reduced vision
Chloe’s owner, Mrs Green said; ‘’I’m full of thanks for the whole team at Animal Trust Wrexham. The care they gave to Chloe was wonderful. She has made a marvellous recovery and is so much happier now — thank you, everyone.’’
Wrexham, like all Animal Trust surgeries, welcomes owners and their pets to register and all will receive free consultations with a vet — regardless of location or income. If you notice that your pet is unwell or shows any of the signs outlined in Chloe’s story, then book a free consultation.
