Basset Hounds Forum banner
Cancel

Glaucoma in Young Pup

16671 Views 43 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  mhvonalmen8908, 
BassetHoundHank
Hello! I am new to this forum board. Please excuse me if I post something in the wrong topic.

So my pup, Hank, is nearing 13 weeks old, I purchased him at nearly 7 weeks... ( I know, very young to purchase him. I bought him from a man off Craiglist who lives in the same town as me..)

4 days after living at the house with me, his left I was covered by a white film so I took him to the vet the next day and he thought it was just some sort of irritation.. about a week after, his right began looking the same as the left. after a few visits with different vets and after a lot of different medications, we were finally referred to an opthamologist.. He determined it is primary glaucoma. Other than his eyes, he is a completely happy and healthy pup with tons of energy!
Both eyes are bupthalmic and the Doctor told us his Haab/s striae are scattered in his corneas and both his eyes are cloudy. There's a lot of information, really.. I let the man who bought him from know what has been going on and that he should tell the other buyers about my pup, just incase something may happen to their precious bassets.. I don't know if he has or not, but we have been able to keep some what in contact.
Anyways, the doctor has perscribed poor Hank with Glycerin and he's taking two different eye drops currently. I've ran out of his other medications..

I've looked through other threads and haven't seen very much about pups with glaucoma, but I was really wondering, has anyone else experienced their pups developing glaucoma at such a young age?

If so, can you share your experience with it? How did you cope?
How has anyone with a young or old basset learned to cope with their baby(s) having glaucoma?
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 11 of 44 Posts
BassetHoundHank
Scully said:
I am so sorry that your pup has glaucoma, and at such a young age. I have no experience with it, but do know of someone who has a basset with glaucoma. Her name is Cat, and her website is: BassetHoundTown.com. She has a basset girl named Emma who developed glaucoma at a young age. Cat probably has quite a bit of info from her experience with it.

This is the specific link to the sub-blog about Emma: BassetHoundTown Blog/Vlog Emma’s blind wisdom – Seeing with your heart, and nose!
Click to expand...

Thank you for the links, I find her blog very interesting so far. It all makes me feel kind of sad, but I know that their eyesight isn't too much a loss (as for dog themselves) and they can adjust more easily if it goes at a young age...
Reply
Save
Like
BassetHoundHank
Mikey T said:
not sure that is the case.

The biggest concern going forward is pain. Often times the eye need to be removed. Hank is certainly the youngest basset I have hear of woth a gluacoma diagnoses. If you want to find out how stand up the breeder is have them contact univerity of IOWA Glaucoma Cell Biology Laboratoryfor submitting DNA samples or univerisity of Missouri Project Coordinator Liz Hansen at [email protected] or by calling 573-884-3712. see; Useful Research Families
Click to expand...
I'll have to look up more about this whenever possible. I hope they could use whatever "samples" I could provide for them to help this disease for dogs..
I'm glad your beagle could atleast adjust and still manage to have some fun with the cat. ;)

Soundtrack said:
I haven't had to deal with glaucoma, but based on discussions I've had with owners of dogs with the problem it is better to simply remove the eyes right away rather than try to save them. Everyone I've discussed this with said they never realized how much pain their dogs were in until the eyes were removed and their attitudes improved markedly.

I also have never heard of it in such a young puppy.
Click to expand...
Hmm.. If that were the best option, I would do it. He's so young still, so I'm more than sure his eyes will need to be taken out at some point since they are already so bad.. But looking up more about eye removal and seeing how expensive it can be, I don't think I can afford even one eye to be removed, let alone BOTH eyes.. Maybe if there were a place that is more affordable..

What caused your dog to become blind?
Reply
Save
Like
BassetHoundHank
Soundtrack said:
Check around with vets in your area - apparently eye removal is a pretty simple operation that any vet should be able to do, it doesn't require a specialist. The vet that was going to do it for me would have charged half the price of the opthamologist. Rural vets tend to be less expensive than city vets, and vets in affluent areas tend to charge a lot more. Big hospitals will tend to charge more than small clinics.
Click to expand...
Do you know how much you would have paid for the removal of your pet's eyes from the person that was going to do it? If so, may I ask how much it would have been for you?

Thank you for your information. I'm sorry about your poor dog.
I will definitely check around my local vets to compare prices, as long as it can be affordable. My sister is pushing me to euthanize him because she's worried about my expenses and the thought of me having a blind dog, but I know I can't do that to Hank.
Y'all be ready for some pictures of Hank if the surgery takes place! He's still gonna be a cutie.
Reply
Save
Like
BassetHoundHank
OHahaha! Qhat a delightful clip! Oh man I would love to take Hank to an even like that! He would have so much fun! He loves meeting new people and romping around with his own own doggie friends.
The Queen did look pretty happy.. I hope Hank can adjust like that.. And you're right, atleast it's not his hound-scent that's being lost. I really thought the "Nude Basset" part was hilarious. I'm going to make Hank his own costume once he gets bigger, since I'm quite a thrifty sewer and craft maker. I want to make him a "Jaws" costume or maybe just get a ukulele and pretend it's a guitar (since he's Hank Williams reincarnated *Wink* ) He sure can howl at the moon like Hank Williams..

Kirska: That's actually one of the few first sites I found online after I found out Hank had Glaucoma. I read a lot of different stories from Blind Dogs.net - Where dogs see with their heart! - Home
Reply
Save
Like
BassetHoundHank
Soundtrack said:
I *think* the quote was for around $1600 CDN - this was a fairly reasonable city vet, probably a rural vet would have charged less. This also included the x-rays they took before the surgery to make sure there were no problems we were unaware of (which is how we found the tumor, resulting in the surgery being called off). She had already had a blood workup, but due to her age we wanted to make sure we weren't going to put her through the surgery if she was not well enough to withstand it, or have a reasonable length and quality of life afterward.
Click to expand...
That's a lot to happen to a dog and it's owners. I hope she rests happily in peace, and thank you for answering my question on your estimated cost

Boomer's Mom said:
Do NOT listen to anyone around you. PERIOD! You, and only you can make the decisions in Hank's life. Some may not be easy, but in your heart of hearts, if you know you can handle this and take care of Hank, then you won't regret it.

There will be a sense of loss and mourning of what "might have been", but Hank can still have a wonderful, full, happy life, especially with someone like you who obviously loves him so very much.

Love and drool to Hank and his human (ummm, momma?)
From Boomer and his momma.
Click to expand...
Yup, that's right. I'm in charge of his medical situation (as scary enough as it sounds to me right now) and I do love him very much and I would never put him down just because of "blindness".. even if I fell face first into something I had no idea about, I'm aware now.

love and drool back to ya, from this momma!

I will wait a half-week/week to see how his eyes are adjusting to the glycerin again(Because the opthalamogist asked me to take him off it at his last check up and if it got worse, start it back up again.) And if his eyes remain the same, no better and no worse, I'll call the opthalamogist and ask him for his opinion on whethor or not to remove his left/and or right eye.. Then I'll start calling around for clinic prices on eye removals in and around the DFW area..
Reply
Save
Like
BassetHoundHank
Boomer's Mom said:
Any updates on little Hank? How is he doing?
Click to expand...

He's doing good, other than the fact that he's blind. Went back for a checkup last Thursday and the doctor told me that from what he could see in Hank's eyes, the lens in his right eye had completed cupped and changed shape, and his left lens was completely detached.. He has no vision...
I tried contacting the person who I bought him from on last Friday and just like I expected, no answer!

Currently looking up estimates from places around me where I can get his eyes removed for an affordable cost...
Reply
Save
Like
BassetHoundHank
Boomer's Mom said:
Has little Hank had surgery yet? How has he adjusted to being blind?
Click to expand...
He bumps into things every now and then, but he's gotten used to the placement of the house so I don't have to worry about him bumping into things that much.
No surgery yet, but have one scheduled for this wednesday!
A lady my mother knows recommended us to her veterinarian and we went for a visit there today. The doctor is very nice :) Hank got 3 shots him today and is sleeping at home right now.

He'll be neutered and enucleated during the surgury, all for $600-800.
I'm very pleased with the service and the price! both ends for a reasonable payment. Hehe
Reply
Save
Like
BassetHoundHank
3
healing drool is working:p

Aw! thank y'all for the puppy love and posts! The vet called earlier and said Hank's operation went well. I'll pick him up some time tomorrow. I have butterflies in my stomach.. as strange as this sounds, I am so used to Hank's big, bulgy eyes, that I thought they were cute in their own creepy/scary sort of way. I'm glad he'll be feeling better after he heels though :)

I love my pup! can't wait to see how my sweetheart-basset brain, banana boy is doing.
pre-op pictures from the night before. More will be up by tomorrow!

Attachments

See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
BassetHoundHank
2
Y'all are so kind! Healing drool is working


The stitches on his left eye were bleeding quite a bit yesterday. No bleeding today! No nose bleeding either! He's been doing really good. We have a scheduled check up this monday and he gets his stitches out on August 1st.
He doesn't seem to mind his neutering stitches. I haven't seen him try to bite or lick down "there" at all.

But he has been bumping into a lot of things. whenever we go outside and he tries to sniff the ground, his E collar digs into the dirt and it gets all over him lol. He's such a cutie

Attachments

See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
BassetHoundHank
Kirska said:
Stating the obvious I know but this is proof of why you should do your research and either spend the time and money to buy from a reputable breeder or adopt a rescue.
Click to expand...

Oh yes. So true.. I really wish I had, but then again where would I be then..
I'm glad to have Hank, even without his eyes.
I think it makes me appreciate him more and I think this situation has helped me appreciate the blessing of sight, too. I love him so much.
If I didn't get him, who would have? Who knows what they would have done to him. Maybe in the future he will have a little sister or brother to help him along.

Hank is doing great! Full of energy with even more spunk than before. Even though he's blind, he managed to find his way through one side of the house to the other and managed to chew up a chair leg :) and my new shoes. Can't say I'm not upset, but I'm glad he's doing well enough to do it. My mom's shih tzu has grown somewhat attached to him. Whenever Hank cries, so will the other. The shih tzu will follow Hank around and eat his treats, too lol
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 11 of 44 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Basset Hounds Forum
A forum community dedicated to Basset Hound owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeds, health, behavior, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General Basset Hound Discussion Basset Hound Health and Genetics Basset Hound Conformation and Breeding Wanted
Top