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Comment by Beth on March 23, 2015 at 3:40pm

I would wonder if she has some sort of auto-immune disease that is causing the ulcers. Google chronic eye ulcers in dogs. There are apparently some conditions that can cause this? Poor girl.

Comment by Holly on March 23, 2015 at 12:29pm

I would assume the ophthalmologist tested her sight. If not, I would suspect she may be walking into things as she needs to get very close to see them. Did she wear the cone for very long? If her eyes improved while wearing it when she couldn't get as close to things it may be sight related, but it's hard to believe that hasn't already been checked. I have heard of plenty of allergies causing skin break outs in my dog and others, but I have only heard it being skin related. I hope you find answers soon.

Comment by Carol on March 22, 2015 at 5:27pm

Thanks, Anna!  There are a couple ophthalmologists that rotate and come in a few days a week or month.  One is very good and travels the country, this one pretty much stays within the state, I think.  That was my first experience with the Emergency Clinic-they're ratings on line aren't real good. My reg. vet I've used for 25 years, he has another vet in with him, who has been the one available for the first 3 eye issues.  Right now-her original vet is the only one I want treating her.

The tea wash sounds good-I'm going to try that.  Allergies or not, being so low to the ground, it would be good and soothing, as you said, to wash her eyes with.  She is my first small dog-although she wears the size L hand me downs.

Comment by Anna Morelli on March 22, 2015 at 4:32pm

You are right to feel confused!  I would not pay good money for allergy testing as I don't find it reliable.  If she is not showing skin problems, frequent scratching, biting, redness, loss of fur and the like, none of which you've mentioned, just forget about it.  I've known more than one Vet (sadly) give bad advice.... but a specialist, like the ophthalmologist, usually knows his stuff, I would be tempted to check credentials....   I've also not had much luck with Emergency Clinics because they are usually owned by several Vets and there's a rotation of personnel, so you never know how good the person you are seeing is or is not.  In a true emergency, I'll take my chances, but if I can wait, I use my regular Vet and then not just any Vet working there, the one or two I personally know and trust.

For the eyes, you can make a tea with  Camomile ( no other herb in there ) let it cool and use it to wash the eye gently with a sterile cotton ball. Just squeeze some liberally over the eye and pat dry with a tissue. Soothing and mild.

Comment by Carol on March 22, 2015 at 3:21pm

Thanks for all your feedback!  She is on a strict walking schedule, minimum of 2 miles unless it's way below 0 and has gone from close to 40 to 31 since Nov. She is off leash in my small fenced back yard and I am always out with her. She was hilarious when we got 11" of snow-loved it!   She stays on leash when she has her cone on, though.  She also chases her tennis ball through the house until she wears out.  I'm anxious to get her regular vets feedback once/if he receives the report from the optomologist.  The emergency clinic and optomogist did no testing for any of the things they diagnosed her for.  She also doesn't sneeze or have runny or yucky eyes, scratches or bites at herself-I'd think she's have other signs?  Also almost everyone I know that has used the emergency clinic-gets the same list of problems-allergies, dermatitis. 

I'm just so confused why the vet in with her reg. vet said eye injury and the eye doc said eye ulcers caused by allergies.  I assume I will have her allergy tested.  My last girl, who I rescued at 10, when she started declining due to age, she was on the Equate version of Benadryl.  Another overweight dog-she was 65 lbs when I got her and got her down to a steady 42 (she was a Springer) The eye drop suggestion is good too.  I do have the RX ones for when she has issues but the OTC would be good to have-she is so good to give drops to.

I just never have had a dog with allergies and wasn't sure how common it is.  There was also a lot more conflicting things with her regular vets and the emergency clinic/eye doc, I could go on (the dermatitis), but the allergies and whether her eye issue is trauma or allergy related is my main concern with her-she is so miserable when it happens.

Thanks again for all your help  :) 

Comment by Anna Morelli on March 22, 2015 at 1:00pm

I'm sorry you are having these problems with your recently adopted friend.  I was not familiar with the term Atopy, although I've spent a lifetime in dogs and kids.... so I looked it up "Atopy: The genetic tendency to develop the classic allergic diseases -- atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), and asthma. Atopy involves the capacity to produce IgE in response to common environmental proteins such as house dustmite, grass pollen, and food allergens. From the Greek atopos meaning out of place."  

What to do?

Obviously if she actually has eye ulcers, those would need to  be treated and I imagine they gave you some kind of ophthalmic ointment to take care of the immediate problem.

If she were mine, I would be working on getting her physically fit and doing what I could to boost her immune system.  The two things combined would give her a better chance to fight environmental allergies on her own.  Does she actually have dermatitis? You only speak of the eye problems and being overweight.

Once the eye ulcers clear up, for general help with eye redness, I use a homeopathic eye drop (so no drugs in it and very safe) made by Similasan.  They have one for Irritated Eyes and one for Allergy (which I use in Ragweed season).  They would be safe for the dog.  I can get it at my supermarket right off the shelf, or ask the pharmacist.

As John suggested, some drug that helps with allergies may be beneficial.  Two of my dogs have occasional respiratory allergy symptoms and I use a product that is also recommended for skin allergic reactions.  It is fairly mild and might be worth a try.

The generic name is "Chlorpheniramine malate" 4 mg.  pill.  I give my Corgi  1/2 a tablet  as needed when he starts showing symptoms.  Rite Aid has it under the name :Allergy Relief" (their own brand).  This is a low dose, as I could give one 4mg. pill up to 3 times a day.

I also would not have her running around on her own.  I'd be walking her on leash. If you can take her for walks, that will help her weight and help boost immune function and you would be sure she can't run into anything.

An adopted dog takes a bit of detective work to figure out, as you have no history of what has been done with them, but it sounds like you have good experience with dogs in general, are staying on top of it and you'll get it figured out.  She is lucky to be in your care.

 

Comment by Jane Christensen on March 22, 2015 at 11:07am

I did check out the dog foods with kangaroo in...they were good brands!  The Whole Dog Journal has an article for dogs with possible food allergies and they also recommended Rabbit ,Venison, duck ,buffalo/bison and kangaroo.

Comment by John Wolff on March 22, 2015 at 2:03am

Our first started chewing bloody sores in her skin as a puppy.  Lori did some reading, guessed it might be food allergies, put her on a raw meat diet (nothing else).  Presto, itching stopped.

Currently we also feed some Wellness kibble, which contains barley, without obvious ill effect.

If she's obese, decreasing her weight ought to be a generally good idea, and if she has only one food available, she'll eat it.  Eventually.  She may still be getting used to her new home and new food.

If it is allergy, and you don't know the allergens, maybe some allergy-suppressing drug would produce relief?  That might not be a longterm solution, but if it works it would support the allergy hypothesis.

Comment by Jane Christensen on March 21, 2015 at 11:19pm

I have no knowledge about eye issues but if it is allergies...would there be some drops that could help? I know right now my eyes are very itchy and I just use some drops but don't know anything about ulcers.

I would have no idea where you even get kangaroo. Did they tell you some ideas with the food? My dogs eat grain free but I don't know if that would help if she had grain allergies?

Hang in there and I'm sure she will also be relieved when you find out more.

Sorry I can't help more.

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