Ping and the incredible whirlwind
Every spring Ping and Jiro both have weepy eyes. They are the allergy boys, Jiro somewhat worse than Ping. This explains the perennial bottle of children's Benadryl on the counter. It's something of an axiom that if my allergies are bothering my lungs, Jiro needs Benadryl.
Ping's allergies tend to be more skin related (I think, among other things, he's allergic to Timothy grass--not good when you're the same height as the grass). But in the spring, he gets a bit runny eyed. So when his eyes were runny last week, I didn't pay particular attention. But Sunday it looked like he was squinting with his right eye. I asked Duchezz to look at it, see if she could see something wrong (I couldn't see anything specific), and thought nothing more about it. Last night I had my face buried in a book, so didn't notice anything.
This afternoon when I got home he really seemed to be favoring it, so since it was daylight, I took a look. It looked like there was a blister on his eye, and I freaked. I called the vet, and they got me in within an hour (AMAZING!). Of course, by the time I got there the "blister" had been proven to be a big gobbet of eye-goo, so I was beginning to feel a bit foolish, but he was still not opening the eye all the way most of the time, so I thought the vet wouldn't laugh at me too much.
So we got in and the vet looks at his left eye. I'm thinking--"Uh, Doc, it's the right eye with all the goopy stuff around it and only half open." Note to self--we go to this doctor for a reason.
Point the first. I was right, there is an ulcer on his right eye. It's smaller than I thought, but there (and he let me see it--using a cool green dye and blue light; almost like an episode of CSI, without the bodily fluids "ick" factor). Asprin, Benadryl, and a topical eye drop with lots of good medicine, 4 times a day for 4 days, and he should be okay. With that.
Pigmentary keratitis. Basically, dark pigment is spreading throughout his corneas, worse in the left eye. It's probably related to how hard it is for pugs (and French terriers, and bulldogs) to distribute moisture fully over the whole exposed surface of the eye, which leaves it vulnerable to multiple damages and infections. Untreated, he will go blind. That's the left eye. Until the ulcer on the right eye is healed, we can't be sure about that one.
So, on the table, is a little pile of meds for the Ping. Half a baby asprin once a day, to reduce the inflamation, which is aggravating the ulcerated eye. Benadryl three times a day, since it's likely the ulcer is because he was scratching at the eye because it itches. Neo Poly Dex Ophthalmic for the left eye, because the Dr. thinks an infection is behind the PK. Refresh liqui-gel drops (the same med my ophthalmologist told me to use when the cyst in my eye bothered me) to be applied every night at bed time to help lubrication.
The only med NOT on the table, that I wish was, is the tranquilizer for the Meirwen-mama.
But tonight there was ball chasing, and dinner eating, and now he's stretched out beside me snoozing (where I can put my hand on his leg to stop him from itching at his eye). I suppose having him sleep on the pillow beside my head is totally out of the question. *sigh*
Ping's allergies tend to be more skin related (I think, among other things, he's allergic to Timothy grass--not good when you're the same height as the grass). But in the spring, he gets a bit runny eyed. So when his eyes were runny last week, I didn't pay particular attention. But Sunday it looked like he was squinting with his right eye. I asked Duchezz to look at it, see if she could see something wrong (I couldn't see anything specific), and thought nothing more about it. Last night I had my face buried in a book, so didn't notice anything.
This afternoon when I got home he really seemed to be favoring it, so since it was daylight, I took a look. It looked like there was a blister on his eye, and I freaked. I called the vet, and they got me in within an hour (AMAZING!). Of course, by the time I got there the "blister" had been proven to be a big gobbet of eye-goo, so I was beginning to feel a bit foolish, but he was still not opening the eye all the way most of the time, so I thought the vet wouldn't laugh at me too much.
So we got in and the vet looks at his left eye. I'm thinking--"Uh, Doc, it's the right eye with all the goopy stuff around it and only half open." Note to self--we go to this doctor for a reason.
Point the first. I was right, there is an ulcer on his right eye. It's smaller than I thought, but there (and he let me see it--using a cool green dye and blue light; almost like an episode of CSI, without the bodily fluids "ick" factor). Asprin, Benadryl, and a topical eye drop with lots of good medicine, 4 times a day for 4 days, and he should be okay. With that.
Pigmentary keratitis. Basically, dark pigment is spreading throughout his corneas, worse in the left eye. It's probably related to how hard it is for pugs (and French terriers, and bulldogs) to distribute moisture fully over the whole exposed surface of the eye, which leaves it vulnerable to multiple damages and infections. Untreated, he will go blind. That's the left eye. Until the ulcer on the right eye is healed, we can't be sure about that one.
So, on the table, is a little pile of meds for the Ping. Half a baby asprin once a day, to reduce the inflamation, which is aggravating the ulcerated eye. Benadryl three times a day, since it's likely the ulcer is because he was scratching at the eye because it itches. Neo Poly Dex Ophthalmic for the left eye, because the Dr. thinks an infection is behind the PK. Refresh liqui-gel drops (the same med my ophthalmologist told me to use when the cyst in my eye bothered me) to be applied every night at bed time to help lubrication.
The only med NOT on the table, that I wish was, is the tranquilizer for the Meirwen-mama.
But tonight there was ball chasing, and dinner eating, and now he's stretched out beside me snoozing (where I can put my hand on his leg to stop him from itching at his eye). I suppose having him sleep on the pillow beside my head is totally out of the question. *sigh*