The Story Of Rocky's Eyes
Rocky
One morning we noticed Rocky had a squinted eye and we all thought she had something stuck in it. However that was far from the case. My dad just walked in the door and her eye was not squinted, so he could see it and without an appointment and without hesitation we rushed her to the vets, when he said she must go into the vets IMMEDIATELY.
Her pupils were fully dilated with a white glaze over them. This happened over night with her eyes getting that bad with the white film over them. I was petrified but kept it together for the sake of Rocky. Dr. Branton (our vet) sent us over to another clinic he owns because he wanted to test her eyes with this special equipment he did not have there.
So, at the other clinic, they did a lens test and the one eye was awful. She was totally blind. OVERNIGHT, can you imagine going to bed having sight and wake up blind?!
The left eye was borderline (50/50) and the right eye (bad eye) blind. We will have to keep drops in that eye forever, so the same thing does not happen to her other eye, which I'm really scared may happen. You become resistant to medications if you use them all the time.
My vet Dr. Branton sent us to a optometrist in the States. He checked her over and said the dreaded words, "The eye has to come out." I was mortified and scared, so our veterinarian Dr. Branton did Rocky's operation since he does some a few times a year, plus he operated on his dog Benny and took the eye out. Rocky was blind in that eye anyway so it wasn't the hugest shock to her.
I have total confidence in my vet, He has done NUMEROUS operations on our animals, even three operations on my chinchillas.
I was so petrified and scared and sad, I didn't want her to spend the night there since she rules my bed. She is used to pillows, scratches, snuggles and blankets. I wanted to bring her home so bad and I got my wish.
The thought of taking the eye ball right out made me nauseous. It was just a very devastating time in my life. I just felt so horrible for my baby, what a traumatic thing to go through within a day!
After the operation when we got her home, I put her in bed with me. She liked that and slept which is the best healing process.
We thought Jack (my other Jack Russell) would start licking the wound or sniffing at it, but she didn't which was a good thing.
So in a week we had no time to think, no preparation and some tough decisions to make in a split second. There was the option of a fake eye, which is prone to getting infections, a glass ball with her eye lid being sown shut or just close the eye up. But it can have some complications.
I went with just closing the eye up. That way it is over and done with and I will never have to deal with infections. There is an indent where the eye was and it is sunken in but I'm used to it now. She always looks like she is winking, it's cute.
So what happened to the eye? Well let me explain as best as I can. On our eyes we have a covering that protects our eyes called a lens. Well, that lens fell off and did some major damage to the eye, because the lens was not there to protect it. So much, that there was no hope of saving the eye and it had to be removed. She was totally blind in that eye. So, we need to keep close tabs on the other eye. Rocky was in pain with that eye, it's like having a constant migraine. That is why the eye was removed.
Rocky pulled through with flying colors, it was us that had the problems after. We were total basket cases. Stress can really take a toll on your body and mind. Rocky gets two different kinds of eye drops and she will be on this the rest of her life. But I do think the pain meds make her groggy. Plus the operation is slowing her down some but not very much.
I would do anything for that dog and pay what ever I needed to make her better. Which already is a lot, but you can't put a price on love. But she is still a bundle of energy, nothing slows that dog down. I wish she would just take it easy for a bit but no, there is no stopping a Jack Russell on a mission.
I have came to the conclusion that if she does have to get the other eye taken out, I will help her. I will teach her words on commands like Curb, Stairs, Food and she will be carried a lot.
I don't think it's necessary to put a dog to sleep if they are blind and both vets have said they can still be happy totally blind. I would not let her suffer just to make myself happy though and keep her around. However, putting her down will not be necessary thank heavens! That was my worst fear.
All the vets and specialists say that a blind dog can still live a fulfilling life. Just some adjustments need to be made.
Now, with Rocky's other eye, she did have surgery, we could keep the eye or remove it. With her age and everything we decided to go with the procedure to keep the eye. Now she is completely blind but you would never know it. She is an amazing survivor and trooper.
Her pupils were fully dilated with a white glaze over them. This happened over night with her eyes getting that bad with the white film over them. I was petrified but kept it together for the sake of Rocky. Dr. Branton (our vet) sent us over to another clinic he owns because he wanted to test her eyes with this special equipment he did not have there.
So, at the other clinic, they did a lens test and the one eye was awful. She was totally blind. OVERNIGHT, can you imagine going to bed having sight and wake up blind?!
The left eye was borderline (50/50) and the right eye (bad eye) blind. We will have to keep drops in that eye forever, so the same thing does not happen to her other eye, which I'm really scared may happen. You become resistant to medications if you use them all the time.
My vet Dr. Branton sent us to a optometrist in the States. He checked her over and said the dreaded words, "The eye has to come out." I was mortified and scared, so our veterinarian Dr. Branton did Rocky's operation since he does some a few times a year, plus he operated on his dog Benny and took the eye out. Rocky was blind in that eye anyway so it wasn't the hugest shock to her.
I have total confidence in my vet, He has done NUMEROUS operations on our animals, even three operations on my chinchillas.
I was so petrified and scared and sad, I didn't want her to spend the night there since she rules my bed. She is used to pillows, scratches, snuggles and blankets. I wanted to bring her home so bad and I got my wish.
The thought of taking the eye ball right out made me nauseous. It was just a very devastating time in my life. I just felt so horrible for my baby, what a traumatic thing to go through within a day!
After the operation when we got her home, I put her in bed with me. She liked that and slept which is the best healing process.
We thought Jack (my other Jack Russell) would start licking the wound or sniffing at it, but she didn't which was a good thing.
So in a week we had no time to think, no preparation and some tough decisions to make in a split second. There was the option of a fake eye, which is prone to getting infections, a glass ball with her eye lid being sown shut or just close the eye up. But it can have some complications.
I went with just closing the eye up. That way it is over and done with and I will never have to deal with infections. There is an indent where the eye was and it is sunken in but I'm used to it now. She always looks like she is winking, it's cute.
So what happened to the eye? Well let me explain as best as I can. On our eyes we have a covering that protects our eyes called a lens. Well, that lens fell off and did some major damage to the eye, because the lens was not there to protect it. So much, that there was no hope of saving the eye and it had to be removed. She was totally blind in that eye. So, we need to keep close tabs on the other eye. Rocky was in pain with that eye, it's like having a constant migraine. That is why the eye was removed.
Rocky pulled through with flying colors, it was us that had the problems after. We were total basket cases. Stress can really take a toll on your body and mind. Rocky gets two different kinds of eye drops and she will be on this the rest of her life. But I do think the pain meds make her groggy. Plus the operation is slowing her down some but not very much.
I would do anything for that dog and pay what ever I needed to make her better. Which already is a lot, but you can't put a price on love. But she is still a bundle of energy, nothing slows that dog down. I wish she would just take it easy for a bit but no, there is no stopping a Jack Russell on a mission.
I have came to the conclusion that if she does have to get the other eye taken out, I will help her. I will teach her words on commands like Curb, Stairs, Food and she will be carried a lot.
I don't think it's necessary to put a dog to sleep if they are blind and both vets have said they can still be happy totally blind. I would not let her suffer just to make myself happy though and keep her around. However, putting her down will not be necessary thank heavens! That was my worst fear.
All the vets and specialists say that a blind dog can still live a fulfilling life. Just some adjustments need to be made.
Now, with Rocky's other eye, she did have surgery, we could keep the eye or remove it. With her age and everything we decided to go with the procedure to keep the eye. Now she is completely blind but you would never know it. She is an amazing survivor and trooper.
Rocky After Surgery
Rocky right after surgery.
Rocky after Surgery
