Wally is a happy beagle boy, approximately 11 years old.
He was picked up stray by Animal Control. I had gone to Animal Control to pick up a deaf pit bull, Cupcake, and they mentioned that they also had a blind beagle. How could I resist! I can home that day with a deaf pit and a blind elderly beagle!
I knew that if I had left him behind he would be killed because no one was going to adopt him.
I brought Wally home and he immediately put his nose to he ground and took off around my yard smelling all the new smells, wagging his tail and just being happy to be out of jail! When he gets scent you can tell he is a hunter! He quickly figured out where all the furniture was located and learned to navigate around it without issue. The only problem we had was that the other dogs don't stand still!
Our Vet Visit:
Wally visit to the vet went well. Amazingly, he was heartworm Negative! However, he was limping on his rear left hip and his eyes were in horrible shape. Wally was totally blind and in pain. The vet determined that through his sever cataracts, his left eye had already burst internally and his left eye was building pressure. Wally had a constant headache that was only going to get more painful without surgery. He would need to have both of his eyes removed as soon as possible. As for his leg, it was determined that he had most likely been hit by a car or suffered some sort of trauma. We put him on a pain medication and joint supplement regimen and he seems to be doing 100% better although not perfect.
Wally's Surgery: July 8th - Yesterday, Wally had his surgery to remove both eyes and he got neutered. Poor little man. He is home today on ALOT of pain medications. His spirits are up and he refuses to stay in his bed. He would prefer to lay on the cool wood flooring. He will have stitches for 14 days and we will apply warm compresses to his bruised eyes for the next 7 days. Now What? Once Wally has his stitches out, the bruising goes down, and he is completely healed (2-3 weeks), Wally will be a new man! He will have no more headaches from the tremendous pressure that has now been relieved. He will get that happy beagle trot back and live many more years. Update 7.18.08 Wally is doing great! I can tell by the wag of his tail and the happy spring in his step that is feels SO much better then before surgery. He was always a happy little man but now he is feeling great. No pressure in his eyes and no headache. He still has the cone no his head and we go back to the vet on Monday to get his stitches looked at and hopefully removed! He will be even happier then! |
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Donations are needed. Learn more about tax-deductible donations.
Wally's surgery was well over $600. We have had to put other medical needs on hold because of the cost.
Would you like to hold a fundraiser with your group to help Wally? We would love to have your support!
What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is defined as an increase in pressure within the eye. The increased pressure is the result of a buildup of the intraocular fluid. In a healthy pet, this liquid drains out through a circular filter within the eye. Animals with glaucoma have an abnormality in the filter which obstructs outflow, resulting in a buildup of fluid within the eye. As you can see in Wally's photo to the right, his eyes are clouded by this fluid build up. During the first few weeks that we had Wally, a red tent came over the center of his eye. (keep reading) “ In many cases owners delay treatment of glaucoma until it is far too late. If the intraocular pressure in the eye is elevated for more than 24-48 hours, permanent damage is the usual outcome and this usually means blindness and sometimes loss of the eye. Signs of glaucoma can be very subtle at first and could include a dilated pupil that responds poorly or not at all to light, a cloudy cornea, a red appearance to the eye, and poor vision. Glaucoma can be dangerous.”-Deborah S. Friedman, D.V.M., of Animal Eye Care, in Fremont, California |
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What do you mean his eye burst?
When Glaucoma goes untreated, there is a major increase in pressure within the eye which quickly destroys the retina and optic nerve, which are essential for vision. If the pressure is not relieved the eye may stretch and enlarge. In Wally's case, the pressure from the glaucoma built up in his right eye causing it to painfully burst within and then shrink to a much smaller size within its socket. Wally's left eye was building pressure and on the verge of bursting. The build up of pressure is very painful. I can't image how it felt when his eye burst.