# Inflamed corneas



## Sherman (Sep 20, 2006)

Hi, anybody ever encountered this? 3 days ago Sherman's left eye was discharging fluid and looked red. I took him to the vet yesterday and he said his cornea was scratched. Now I have to put ointment in his eye 4 times a day and he has to wear an Elizabethan collar. 

The bright spots of Sherman's day are when he plays with 2 other dogs on morning and evening walks. I let him loose for a few minutes and he just tears around the yard and wrestles with a miniature schnauzer. But if he can't play without getting hurt, I don't know what to think. I asked the vet somewhat facetiously if he should wear goggles after his eye heals and he just laughed, but what should I do? Are Havanese dogs more delicate than other breeds? Has anyone else ever heard of this?

Thanks!

Carol


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

My son got a scratched cornea once. We have no idea how it happened, especially since it seemed to happen while he was sleeping! He was maybe 2 or 3 and he wouldn't open his eyes for an entire day. He was prescribed antibiotic drops and it healed up within a few days at most. He never had infection though-the antibiotics were to prevent one. 
I think this is probably the kind of thing that can happen to anyone. I've never heard of it in a dog, but I'd guess anything with eyes is at risk! It's probably just an accident and I wouldn't worry too much about it happening again.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I think that is just one of those rare, fluke things. I haven't heard about it being very common at all. I wouldn't panic about prevention quite yet, unless it happens again and then I'd be trying to figure out what the heck he/she was getting into. 

I hope he heals up quickly. I bet putting the eyedrops in is a struggle, I can imagine they don't like that too much.

hugs,
Kara


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## Amy R. (Jul 1, 2007)

Carol, we worry about that , too, when our dog teases our cat, and the cat lashes out w/her claw. Biscuit also plays rough with his Bichon pal & I worry about his eyes getting scratched. I would imagine it could happen to any breed.
Good luck w/ his recovery!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I have 3 and we have never had that problem. The eye heals very quickly, so I hope he has a speedy recovery.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

My understanding is that breeds with the bigger, rounder eyes like Pugs, have more concerns about situations like this. I haven't heard of anyone with Havanese being worried about this being a problem more than just living life. 

I bet Sherman just got hurt doing something that he normally does that hasn't ever injured him before. It could have been something as relatively harmful as playing in the yard and having and turning his head into a leaf at the wrong angle.

I wish him speedy healing.


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## Cosmosmom (Jan 12, 2007)

Its happens - it happened to me and I have no idea how I did it but it was miserable I can tell you .. I guess it was was a fluke thing .. probably the same thing with your little one .
It took about 2-3 days for the pain to go away .


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Well not my dog, but actually me! This summer when I went to get new glasses, I had 3 different doctors look at my left eye and ask me what accident I got into. My cornea was scratched and I have no clue how or when. The year before, the doctor didn't say anything... maybe one of those mornings Dora pawed my head to wake up <BG>

Amanda


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## MopTop Havanese (Sep 25, 2006)

My daughter had her eye scratched last year when her classmate threw a piece of paper at her and it hit her in the eye! It was painful for her, but it healed very quickly. By the next day she was feeling almost 100% better!
I hope Sherman heals quickly~!


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

It sounds like a fluke deal to me. I'd think more along the lines of a Chin getting this.


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## Sherman (Sep 20, 2006)

*Vet bills*

Hi again,
Another visit to the vet yesterday because Sherman's left eye was not improving and the mess had spread to the other eye. Vet decided the "corneal abrasion" had "resolved" so prescribed steroid drops to both eyes. I have "resolved" that the original problem was conjunctivitis that was mistreated and eventually spread to the right eye. I don't think Sherman ever had a corneal abrasion. 
I'm thinking of keeping my 2 older cats inside to reduce the number of vet visits. Now there's a plan! Gotta do something. 
Thanks for all the advice!
Carol


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## whitBmom (Nov 27, 2006)

You are probably right Carol and the vet was probably to ashamed to admit they made a mistake, but of course, as consumers we pay the bills. I am happy to hear the Sherman will be on the mend and the as soon as the meds are used the Conjunctivitis will clear up soon. I wish Sherman a speedy recovery and Big hugs for you. :grouphug:


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Carol, it certainly sounds like a misdiagnosis! That sucks that you were not able to use the right prescription until now, but at least now Sherman will be able to recover soon!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Oh, man! I'm sorry to read that it spread to the other eye. I bet you're right about the misdiagnosis.

Speedy recovery to Sherman!


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## Julie (Feb 8, 2007)

Hope Sherman heals quickly.I'm glad it wasn't his cornea!
I had my eye punctured by my first sheltie's toe nail.I was laying on the floor,and Sparky came up to look at me.....then he flipped his paws up by my face and one of his toenails punctured my eye.I had to have dye put in it(I couldn't hardly open it)and my cornea was scratched.A few drops/days I was good as new.I was lucky--no infection....but it hurt....oh good grief did it hurt!


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Carol,
Ugh. At least you have some answers!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Julie, I scratched my cornea too (though in my case I did it myself after I sprayed bacteria INTO my eye - gross I know). So, I had to use an antibiotic as well as the drops. That dye thing freaked me out - seeing yellow is SO STRANGE.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

I mistakenly bought some sunglasses that made everything yellow, so I can understand how strange that is... somewhat.

How did you spray bacteria into your eye? Was that at work messing with your chemicals? I can see it now, "Lina, the Mad Chemist"


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Kimberly, that is EXACTLY how I did it. I was resuspending a cell pellet into lysis buffer and it up and sprayed into my eye. Just my luck, huh? At least it was lysis buffer (made of potassium phosphate) so the buffer had probably already started working at lysing the cellular membrane so none of the bacteria were functional and they weren't able to grow on my cornea.

TMI, anyone?


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Yikes! Aren't you supposed to be wearing safety glasses?
You, Kristin and my daughter need to get together to talk about your antics. The conversations would be amusing, I'm sure. My daughter isn't bringing home bacterias, but she has brought some chemicals home to show us the reactions. LOL!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Safety glasses? Maybe if I worked in a chemistry lab. But us biochem people don't worry about safety glasses... though I suppose we should, LOL. And I'm sure the three of us would have plenty of stories to share between us. Science people are not only nerdy but crazy you know... I was a chemistry major as an undergrad and went to a party where people actually were drinking PURE ethanol. That can make you go BLIND. Needless to say, I wasn't drinking that night.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

:jaw:


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## Cosmosmom (Jan 12, 2007)

I think the regular vets are not that good at diagnosing anything to do with the eye ..
I know that happened with one of my petsitters dog ( not the one I havre now ) .
By the time she was referred to an opthalmologist the dog lost the sight in his eye .. He was a Boston terrier and they are prone to difficulties with their eyes because they bulge .. 
He is doing fone with one eye and he still wins in his agility division so no worries there.. The fact is spread to the other eye shows it was not a scratch ..

As to Ethanol parties .. 
I thought people had outgrown that nonsense ..


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Cosmosmom said:


> As to Ethanol parties ..
> I thought people had outgrown that nonsense ..


You would think so, but no... at least the last person I know that pipettes by mouth is 60 years old, so THAT has stopped.


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