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Jet - The latest update

Posted: 31 Mar 2010, 21:57
by baileysmum
We have been to see the Eye Specialist today and she has explained the problems with Jet's eyes.

Firstly let me just say she was an absolute little star today at the eye specialist we were kept waiting for 40 mins and not a peep out of her. When we were eventually called in yet again so good she sat there up on the table resting her body against me while the specialist put drops in her eyes, little paper sticks and stayed so still while the vet timed the length they had to stay in which was 90 seconds. Then she sat there and let the vet shine lights into her eyes, then take pictures of her eyes and never made a sound all the way through a lengthy examination. Even Sue the vet could not believe it.

Okay results, I will try and explain them the best I can but perhaps John will maybe explain them a little bit better than me.


She has been diagnosed with:

Multiple Ocular Defects.

Persistent Pupillary Membrane Remnants.

Nystagmus

Prolapse of the nictitans gland -bilateral. (Cherry Eye).

Believe me the specialist had never seen anything like it.

Okay here goes with my explanations:
Multiple Ocular Defects are birth defects that she was born with which include:
small eyes
abnormally small pupils (which are also not where they are supposed to be, in her right eye the pupil is almost non-exsistent and is tucked up towards the back of her eye.
Also in her right eye she has a cloudy cornea and no lens. So suffice to say that she is blind in this eye.
Her left eye has a small pupil also but this again is in the wrong posistion but isn't as high up as the right one, the pupil on the left eye has a tiny white stripe across it. She does have sight in this eye and the only way that the vet could describe it to me was that she sees the world through a "pinhole camera effect"
she does have a lens in the left eye but this is very small.
also add to this Persistent Pupillary Membrane remnants

Persistent Pupillary Membrane

This I have attached a link :

http://www.upei.ca/~cidd/Diseases/ocula ... mbrane.htm

Nystagmus
also known as "flickering eye"
This just means her eyes flicker as though she is trying to focus on things.

Cherry Eye
Which John went onto explain and guessed that this would be the diagnosis.

Cherry Eye operation will be carried out next Thursday and should remove those unsightly little red lumps from her eyes. In all the years that Sue (eye specialist) has been carrying out this operation she has only had one dog that they have "popped" out again.

With regards to her Ocular Defects she has learned to live with them and even though nothing can be done to fix them (without risking losing the sight she already has) she is a happy little soul and does get along fine.

We have given her drops to dilate the pupil hoping that this will expand her vision but it will only expand it slightly she will need these twice a week. If they do not seem to be making her vision any better then we can discontinue with them.

All the technical terms above look a little bit scary but she is happy and she is healthy and she manages extremely well on lead and off lead.

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 31 Mar 2010, 22:22
by Glenys
Well done Karen isnt it amazing how dogs learn to live with conditions like these thank you so much for what you are doing for her and to the many people donating to help this lovely girl.
Thank you also to Sue and Rutland House veterinary hospital who didnt charge for todays consultations which is virtualy unknown situation for us.
Good luck Little Jet for Next week and Karen and Neil thank you for fostering her and keeping her safe xxxx

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 31 Mar 2010, 22:30
by Meg and Maisie
Bless her!! Obviously a little gem to cope with her eye problems :love5: :love5:

Karen you are also a gem helping these dogs - :love5:

Gill, Meg and Maisie
:love2: :love2: :love2:
aka Mad Maisie

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 31 Mar 2010, 22:31
by lucys mum
Karen you are a star and Jet sounds to have been an absolute angel, bless her.
Good Luck next week and lets hope the drops help too.
Sending hugs to Jet
Carol, lucy and Ellie xxx :1973:

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 31 Mar 2010, 22:49
by Blakey
I've been logging on and off all night waiting to see how Jet got on today.

Bless her, she is coping so well even with all of the eye problems she has. I can' stop thinking about this little girl.

Sending lots of gentle cuddles - :1973: :1973: :1973:

Love


JOANNE

XXX

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 31 Mar 2010, 22:53
by rhoda4
What a good and wonderful girl Jet is! :love5: Hope the op next week is a success and the drops help. Thank you to her brilliant foster carers. :love3: :love3:

Ann, Paul & Zac x

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 31 Mar 2010, 22:56
by Gemma T
Oh bless her for being such a star! Poor lovely - lots for her to be dealing with!
Thank you to the eye specialist for seeing free of charge - what a lovely thing to do.
Gemma x

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 31 Mar 2010, 23:37
by John
Multiple Ocular Defects are just that, Multiple defects which do not fit into the usual classification. None of these things are normal for a Labrador but sadly any and all can. Were it a human I’m sure social services would be looking a smoking, alcohol or drug abuse during pregnancy as a possible cause!!

Persistent Pupillary Membrane is a bit of a strange one. Yes it tends to run in families so is almost certainly genetic, but mode of inheritance is not really understood at this time, and appears to be not straight forward. (My guess, if I had to make one, would be dominant with incomplete penitrance.) Apart from Basenji's it is not common. In fact it was only through a Basenji breeder who used to attend my club that I ever got to know about it.

The membrane is present in all dogs as they develop in the womb, and starts to degenerate about 3 weeks before birth and is usually completely gone by 6 weeks after birth. Occasionally some will remain appearing rather like a cobweb over the iris. On it's own it rarely causes a problem, but at worst, can affect the drain angle, leading to Glaucoma.

Nystagmus is something I've never come across in dogs, but have in a child! I think it is more of a brain thing interacting with the eye, almost in the way of a nervous twitch.

The lack of lens and the corneal problems my guess would be congenital, an accident of nature. It simply appears that nature was not kind to her when he made her.

Cherry eye you know about. That can be sorted.

So what do you have? A dog with limited vision, but with vision none the less. It may be VERY poor by any other dog’s standard, but she does not go chatting to other dogs about seeing things. She would have absolutely no idea that other dogs see more than her. All of this, with the exception of cherry eye, she would have been born with. Her eye sight is probably no different now to when she was born. So she has never known any difference. What she sees is her “Normal” and no doubt her other senses have developed to the extent that her problems are mitigated as far as possible. Dont feel sorry for her, enjoy her. She sounds like she enjoys life and really, that is all that matters.

Very best wishes, John

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 01 Apr 2010, 08:27
by Seamusmum
Jet really does sound like a real star and I think everyone is falling for her :love5: :love5: :love5:

Thank you Karen, Neil and Bailey for all the love and care you have given and continue to do so, to the wonderful vets, to MKF for taking her in and to John for explaining things so clearly :love3:

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 01 Apr 2010, 08:42
by warrengl
Jet is a gorgeous girl and has obviously found a place in all our hearts! Wishing her the very best for her operation! :love5:

Well done Karen, Neil and Bailey for looking after this little girl! :love3:

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 01 Apr 2010, 08:56
by triomum
What a good girls she's been and how amazing she has coped with all these (even though she doesn't know she has!!!)

A big thank you to Karen and an extra big thank you to the vets - I know they are running a business but isn't it wonderful when they can see beyond that once in a while.

Good luck for next week little one.

Julie

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 01 Apr 2010, 09:04
by chocdrop
Well jet,all these problems u have and it doesnt stop u from having fun and joining in with the other dogs,your a little angel.I think this just makes you extra special,and in sure your new family will think so too.xx

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 01 Apr 2010, 09:49
by natty
Lovely girl. will fixing the cherry eyes make her more comfortable or is it just cosmetic?

She sounds a happy girl very well adjusted.

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 01 Apr 2010, 10:06
by John
It will certainly make her more comfortable. It's not really painful, but it does pull a bit. But it will also avoid the possibility of her injuring herself, which is a very real risk, and could be very serious. She has little sight now and cannot afford to loose even more. The sooner it's sorted the better

Regards, John

Re: Jet - The latest update

Posted: 01 Apr 2010, 10:24
by Diesel Kate
Poor little Girl to have been born with all these defects, but thank goodness she has learn't to live with them all. I am sure there is a wonderful forever home just round the corner.

A big thank you to the Vets at Rutland House and a big thank you to Karen for looking after her so well. :love3:

Big Hugs to Jet. :1973: :1973: :1973: