It’s been a rough couple of weeks for us and our baby. I have noticed, for the past couple of months that Simba’s one good eye was failing. He would be very confused, mainly at night, when he went outside. He often seemed to have trouble finding the door. I just assumed it was due to advancing age. But, to be safe, we took him to see the vet. The vet said he had a corneal ulcer in the eye, and immediately started him on an anti-biotic eye drop to prevent infection and also prescribed steroids. The steroids were awful. The poor boy had diarrhea and he wasn’t sleeping. He was pacing constantly. The vet also referred us to a canine ophthalmologist in Albuquerque. so 2 weeks ago, we drove to Albuquerque to the Animal Eye Care clinic.
The vet who examined him said it wasn’t that big of a deal, and he suggested that he perform a procedure called a linear grid keratotomy. Performed using just a local anesthesia, the procedure scrapes off the damaged corneal cells, and makes a series of groves on the cornea that is supposed to encourage the regrowth of new corneal epithelial cells. Well, let me tell you, it was a disaster!
My poor boy’s eyesight went from poor, to blind in just a couple of days. My happy boy, who used to love to lay on the sofa table and look out the window is now an unhappy dog. He can’t see, is afraid to move around the house, has trouble finding his food and water and mostly sleeps any more. If I had known what would happen, I would have never taken him to the vet. He might have lost his eyesight anyway, but it probably would have been more gradual. I feel so bad, having put him through all that trauma, and now to see him so unhappy. I am pissed at the vets, that’s for sure, and mad at myself for not questioning them more.
