Buffy Eye update

[MurphysMinder]

Went to the eye clinic this afternoon. Not a huge amount further on. She definitely has a problem with her sight, but her eyes are normal

This means the problem is possibly from her brain, a tumour is a possibility but the vet feels this is unlikely as I have seen signs of sight problems since beginning of year and if it were a tumour she would be showing more symptoms. So that is sort of good news. Next stage would be an MRI scan at a cost of around £1200 (she is not insured) and vet feels that still may not show anything. It could even be something she has had all her life to some degree. She was always very dependent on her mum, and fell apart a bit when Chaka died, maybe this is why

Anyway, she is bright and happy, albeit a bit clumsy so we are doing nothing and hoping she stays as good as she is.

 

[kafue]

LOTS OF LOVE!!!!

 

[prosefullstop]

Sending good wishes to Buffy. Hope you find the root cause of the issue. What exactly did the vet say? To what extent is her vision affected?

 

[MurphysMinder]

We may not find the cause, MRI scan would possibly not show anything . It could be damage to the vision part of the brain that she's always had. It is hard to accurately describe how her vision is affected, she seems to have trouble with depth perception, trips over steps etc, if you drop something on the floor she doesn't always follow it and see it, fine if makes a noise on landing but if it lands quietly she has no idea

If you offer her a titbit from your hand she tends to grab a bit wildly, obviously can't focus on it exactly. If she is a distance away from me and I call her she sometimes heads to one side of me. Another thing she does (and I feel mean now because we thought she was a bit thick) is if you pretend to throw something for her she will run after it, which I know a lot of dogs do once or twice but then they usually realsie you are teasing, poor Buffy keeps doing it

I don't often throw things for her now because she has a bad back so have only just realised that she used to do this. When she was younger and her mum was about she always followed her to fetch things so don't know again if this might always have happened.
Hope that makes sense, its all very confusing. Her mum did actually have a tumour on her eye and the eye was removed, I was worried Buff's problem was linked but am assured it is totally different.

 

[prosefullstop]

It sounds like she's happy enough in herself, which is the one good thing. Hopefully the issue will remain as it is, regardless of whether or not something shows up on the MRI.

If you're still curious, and perhaps there's someone who's been through a similar issue, there's a good Yahoo web ring about blind/vision impaired dogs.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Thanks, I'll definitely have a look at that.

 

[Spudlet]

Fingers, toes and paws all crossed for you hun

 

[CorvusCorax]

Hoping it is not to serious and that she stays perky x

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Finger, hooves and paws crossed for her that she stays well. Maybe you should get her a friend so she has a guide dog??

 

[CAYLA]

I lost a whippey to a brain tumour, my fisrt whip when I was very young.
I think u have made the right choice, and fingers crossed she will be ok xxxx

 

[MurphysMinder]

[ QUOTE ]
Finger, hooves and paws crossed for her that she stays well. Maybe you should get her a friend so she has a guide dog??

[/ QUOTE ]

She has Evil Evie - don't think she would be much use as a guide dog can't think of anything more scary than Evie being in charge.

In fact she tends to run through Buffy rather than round her as it is

Alternative is Saffy who is 11 and a half so a bit more sedate, but doesn't walk very far.