# Yoyo's poor eye



## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

Yoyo developed with I thought was conjunctivitis that I thought would clear up if we just irrigated his eye with contact lens solution, but it became clear after a day that it was not going away, in fact it was getting worse. 

I finally got him to the vet today and I was told that the problem is with the third eyelid, the Harder's gland, and that he might need surgery! We were given an ointment to try for a week but if it hasn't improved after that, then he's going to need surgery. 

My question is: has anyone else had this problem before? Honestly, I'm totally freaked out about it.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Oh I'm so sorry that poor Yoyo is having eye problems! I have never heard anything about this, but I hope that no surgery is required! Do you know how difficult the surgery is or if it's commonplace? I will keep both of you in my thoughts and hope for a good recovery using the ointment! :grouphug:


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Is this the same as Cherry Eye? Check out the "Rufus has Cherry Eye" thread. Christie posted photos of Rufus before he had his surgery. He did very well.

Susan


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

Yes, it's the same as Cherry eye, I will check the thread out. Thanks.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Oh is it Cherry eye? I've heard of that... sorry I guess I didn't now any of the technical terms for it. I think it's a pretty common procedure and if Yoyo needs surgery he should be fine! I can totally understand that it's still scary, though! Good luck and keep us posted.


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## The Fussy Puppy Gang (May 21, 2007)

Oh no, I'm sorry Yoyo is going through this. I hope the ointment does the job and saves him from having to go through the bother of surgery.

Give him an extra hug from us, please!

Wanda


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## kimoh (Jul 5, 2007)

So sorry to hear about Yoyo.

Dilly has cherry eye too. When she first got it I freaked out as well. My first instinct was to try and get it taken care of right away. My vet has done a lot of cherry eyes and was not in too much of a rush. He recommended waiting until she had lost all her baby teeth so if she retained any he could take care of them too. I decided to wait and now I am glad I did since she got one in her other eye too about a week ago-ughh.

Hugs to you and Yoyo
Kim


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

Thanks everyone, I'm so encouraged by all the support from here!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

If it is really big, like Rufus' was, then you want to get attention to it right away. If it is small, you can probably get by with it there for a while, but it can dry out and then it needs to be removed (vs. tacked). I'd advise you to have a canine opthalmologist (sp) take a look at it. If you don't know where to find one, ask your vet for a referral or you can look up the doctors on the CERF web site. (I can pull that up for you later if you need it.)


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

My Lexi had cherry eye also, it never seemed to bother her, but sure did bother me - they are pretty frightening looking. 
She had the surgery and is wonderful now, her eye looks great and she has had not problems since - about 1 1/2 years now.


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

*Update*

Just to let you know, I've called my vet and asked him to send in a referrel to the West Coast Opthamology Clinic so things should get going within the next few days! I just don't have a lot of confidence in the eye ointment so I thought I'd take the next step.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Sounds good. Sending you best wishes for an easy fix!

Back here to add: Is there any way your vet will see Yoyo today maybe so he/she will tuck the gland in for you for the time being? He/she can even show you how to do it. It isn't too hard to do once you've been shown, but it will probably pop back out if it has already been out for more than 24 hours, so that would be a reason to consider getting it tacked.

And your vet may not be able to prescribe it, but the specialist might. There are drops that have a steriod to reduce the swelling to aid it being able to stay inside until you do something permanent: _Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates and Dexamethosone Ophthalmic Suspension _is the one I've seen. (That's all one name.)


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

Dogs are just amazing, aren't they? If it were me, I'd probably be self-conscious about my eye, but Yoyo just plays and walks and goes on about life as if there were nothing wrong at all. I wish people could be this way all the time!


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

Here is an updated picture of Yoyo's eye (post-bath)


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Oh poor Yoyo! I always think Cherry eyes look so painful, though they aren't supposed to be. :hug:


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

That sure looks familiar! Yes, Rufus's eye looked just like that before his surgery. Now he looks great! When do you get to see the specialist?


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Poor Yoyo, that looks just like Lexi's did - and she looks great now! Good luck to you and little Yoyo.


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## KristinFusco (Jun 5, 2007)

Sorry to hear about poor Yoyo and his cherry eye! After the surgery, I am sure you will never be able to tell it occurred. Sending Yoyo a :grouphug:

~Kristin


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

Poor Yoyo! I am sure he will be fine after the surgery. All the best to you and Yoyo.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Scudder gets this often. That's another reason why I chose to neuter him. When it first happened, I thought is was an allergy to fresh cut grass. I put Boric acid drops for dogs in his eye and gave him a benadry.l It went away within a couple hours. It still pops out from time to time, but when I put the drops in his eye, it goes away. I was told by an ophthalmologist not to do surgery until it stays out for weeks. There are 2 types of surgery and you want to do the one where they tact the skin back. The other type of surgery involves cutting and can cause permanent dry eye. The cherry eye can also come back after surgery. It does not bother the dog, but is corrected more for cosmetic reasons. Maybe you should try the drops? I use them daily and have had a lot of success. I got the drops from my vet, but you can get them from any pet store, the main ingredient being boric acid. Good luck and please let me know if you decided to try the drops and if they work for you!


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

We are going to the opthalmologist tomorrow morning!

Linda, I will ask them about the drops, it is something I haven't heard about before, thanks!


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

Just returned from the opthamologist ($200 poorer) and she didn't recommend surgery yet, instead she pushed it back in and gave us some steroid drops to use for 2 weeks. She did tell us that it might pop back out again, but when that happens, we would discuss surgery. When I asked her about doing the other eye prophylactically, she said that she wouldn't do that because she didn't think that it was necessary at this point. She also said that there is a small chance that it could pop out again even after the surgery.

So I am happy to hear that Yoyo doesn't need to go under the so-called knife yet ($850) and I'm crossing my fingers that the steroid drops and the pushing back in will work, at least for a little while. Now he's cute (well, cuter) again!

Now I don't really know why the vet I saw originally didn't just push it back in himself and give us steroid drops instead of the antibiotic ointment. The less than 5-minute follow-up visit yesterday (to tell us that "well, it hasn't changed much, has it?") cost me $60 plus the $90 at the original visit. If I seemed obsessed with cost, then I'm definitely in agreement. 

Crossing my fingers that this will last!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

That's good news! The price for surgery sounds high. The cost they gave me to do Scudder's eye was 200.00. I really like the boric acid drops. I use them in the morning and evening and I feel it helps his cherry eye. If it does pop out, it goes away within a day. The longest it was ever out was just over 1 day. I don't want to do surgery until it pops out and stays out for weeks. Good luck!


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## JanB (Oct 26, 2007)

Good news! I agree that anything noninvasive is worth a try before going the surgery route. Good luck! He is so cute, cherry eye or not


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Well I'm glad that the cherry eye was able to be pushed back in but I'm sorry about the cost of everything. Sometimes I wish people would be more straightforward (like your vet dealing with the cherry eye himself)... at least it seems like things are going well and I hope that surgery won't be necessary!


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

Dang it, we woke up this morning and his cherry eye had reappeared. Oh well, guess he'll be getting surgery for Xmas.


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## Judy A (Jan 13, 2007)

Really sorry to hear of Yoyo's eye problems.....I'm sure it's a scary thing for you. Keep us up to date and we'll keep in our prayers.


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

OH sorry to hear about Yoyo's setback. Lexi had the surgery and it was not as bad as you would think. She did have to wear the cone for a long while, as they cannot scratch it or get anything in to the eye, but she now has such beautiful eyes and she is fine. And yes they did say that the surgery is not a guarantee that it wont happen again, or happen in the other eye, but it has been 1 1/2 years since her surgery and she is fine. 
Hope Yoyo does well!


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

I am sorry to hear that the cherry eye has reapperared. Good luck with the surgery!


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

I'm sorry to hear Yoyo's cherry eye is back. Hopefully, the surgery will go just fine and he will be good as new in no time at all!


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## The Fussy Puppy Gang (May 21, 2007)

Oh drats! I'm sorry the cherry eye is back. I hope the surgery fixes it for good and that all goes well. 

Pepper sends :hug:'s to Yoyo.

Wanda


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

Yoyo sends :grouphug: all around!

His surgery is now scheduled for January 8! Can't wait!

The dexamethasone eye drops are working, the size of the cherry eye is smaller this time around.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

That's not too far away. The drops are really nice for keeping the swelling down. Did the doctor show you how to pop the gland back inside? With the swelling down, you can put it back (if you were taught how) and it has a better chance of staying there for a couple of days. If you weren't shown, don't bother trying though. It needs to go in a pocket and it isn't that easy without instruction.


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

How wierd, the thing just popped back in on its own!


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## Paige (Sep 12, 2006)

So sorry to hear about yoyo's eye. Hope everything is better for him soon.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

It sounds like the steriod drops are really helping then. You may want to talk to the opthamologist about how long Yoyo can use the drops in his eyes. If the drops reduce the swelling enough that the gland retracts into the pocket without any aid, maybe you don't need to do the surgery afterall.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Havtahava said:


> It sounds like the steriod drops are really helping then. You may want to talk to the opthamologist about how long Yoyo can use the drops in his eyes. If the drops reduce the swelling enough that the gland retracts into the pocket without any aid, maybe you don't need to do the surgery afterall.


That's how I feel about Scudders eye. I use boric acid drops I got from my vet and the cherry eye goes away within a day. You can get the drops at any pet store. His cherry eye pops out once and awhile, but with the drops it goes away. The cherry eye can come back after surgery, so I am sticking with the drops, until the cherry eye won't go away with them. I don't know if the doctors know about these drops working, because I discovered it by accident!


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## Atomickittyn (Aug 25, 2007)

So Yoyo had his surgery this morning and we brought him home at 2pm. He was so drowsy and slept in my lap all the way home (don't worry, I wasn't the driver). He didn't eat or drink anything for another couple of hours so I boiled some rice and chicken which he immediately chomped down, along with another 1/2 serving of kibble. He was all spritely and energetic with the e-collar off (to make his eating easier) but now that I've put it back he's, for lack of a better word, _moping_. He looks so miserable and just sits on the floor limply and whimpers. I don't think he's in any pain because when I went to the kitchen to cook dinner he ran right up to me and watched me cook. :hungry: Now he's sitting at my feet very quietly, no more whimpering.

His eye doesn't look swollen or red like we were warned might happen, and if you didn't know he had surgery, you would probably not know by looking at him. He'll have to wear the e-collar for 10 days (!) but then freedom!

Just wanted to say thanks to you all for your support! This forum is the best thing I've stumbled on since we brought Yoyo home! :grouphug:


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Awww, I hope he recovers quickly! BTW, Vancouver is gorgeous and I love how dog friendly everything is! I visited a friend and we were able to take her dogs every where... how nice!

Amanda


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## havaluv (Oct 15, 2007)

Welcome home, Yoyo! Get better quick!


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## amy-ciara (Jan 5, 2008)

Best wishes for Yoyo, get healthy quick, little man !



I just had a phone call of a friend whose Hav had a surgery too , today.They thought it was a cherry eye, but it wasn´t. It was an infected lachrymal gland.
Now she is at home and still very tired.


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## Paige (Sep 12, 2006)

Best wishes to Yoyo for a speedy recovery.


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Hope Yoyo feels better soon! 10 days is a long time for himto wear that stupid collar!! 

Nice to see some more Canadians on here to! :canada:

Ryan


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Wishing Yoyo a speedy recovery.


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

Wishing Yoyo an easy, speedy and healthy recovery!


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## JanB (Oct 26, 2007)

Get well wishes to Yoyo for a speedy complete recovery!


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

How is Yoyo today? I hope he has a quick and easy recovery.


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## TnTWalter (May 9, 2007)

*Hoping*

Yoyo's doing well.

Wishing you both a speedy easy recovery.


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## CinnCinn (Mar 30, 2007)

Oh Yoyo, feel better soon!


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## Susanne (Jan 5, 2008)

My best wishes to Yoyo!!

Our Bonny had a cherry eye a few month ago. And she had to wear a collar for 14 days. It was a more a problem for us than for her )

Time goes on, little Yoyo!!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Speedy recovery wishes to Yoyo!


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

I'm glad to hear Yoyo is now POST surgery and is eating well! Chicken always does the trick with my guy too! I wish him a speedy and complete recovery! I know the collar is a bummer for them, but it will help keep his hands away from his eyes and hopefully he'll keep still for a few days and give it time to heal.


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## Callalilly (Apr 30, 2007)

My thoughts are with you and Yoyo tonight and I hope both of you are able to get a good night sleep.!

Lisa


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