Charlie's eye surgery -- he's home (Callie)

 Smooches for baby Charlie.  I hope everything goes smoothly for his healing and he adjusts quickly to his change in vision.

Oh, poor Charlie!  He must be so uncomfortable.  I know how I feel when I'm having a severe allergy day and my eyes feel like they have sand in them.  I can't imagine what it feels like after that kind of surgery.  I hope he continues to show some increase in appetite and that you see his spirits rising and he's not so shut down.

I don't envy you having to do the eyedrops so often.  Ruby had an infected eye not long after we adopted her, and we had to put drops in it 3 times a day.  Let me tell you, it was a battle.  She is not at all cooperative about anything like that -- tooth brushing, ear cleaning -- but eye drops were 1,000 times worse.  She doesn't growl or bite -- she just wriggles away no matter how we try to hold her.  Even with both of us handling her, we wasted more drops falling everywhere but in her eye!  I don't know if we ever got the full dosage in there, to be honest. 

I hope you can work out your schedules as best as possible.  It stinks you can't take Charlie to your office or work from home yourself.  But I'm sure most people would struggle with that issue.  I suppose the only alternative the vet could offer if it's a MUST that drops be given at exact times is to keep the dog at the clinic for the first couple days post-op, so care could be provided on a strict schedule.  But that would be upsetting for the dog and expensive for the people!

Anyway, give him some more gentle pats from me, and I hope in another 24 hours you see a big improvement in how he's feeling.

Cathy has inspired me to have "brass eggs" (well, I AM a woman )

I went to my boss and said "It would be a whole lot better for YOU if I could just bring Charlie in here Wed - Friday.  But I'm not gonna sneak him in cos we'd get caught and I don't want to cause trouble for you.  But if YOU asked the office they might make an exception".

WE both think this is doomed to failure because it's so "public" but he feels it's worth a shot to ask (and he's going to go ask in person rather than just a phone call). 

The worst they can say is 'no' but at least Andy knows I was trying to mitigate our damages!

tacran

I don't envy you having to do the eyedrops so often.  Ruby had an infected eye not long after we adopted her, and we had to put drops in it 3 times a day.  Let me tell you, it was a battle.  She is not at all cooperative about anything like that -- tooth brushing, ear cleaning -- but eye drops were 1,000 times worse.  She doesn't growl or bite -- she just wriggles away no matter how we try to hold her.  Even with both of us handling her, we wasted more drops falling everywhere but in her eye!  I don't know if we ever got the full dosage in there, to be honest. 

David is hysterical -- HE is a mega baby about any medicine -- oops I should say "he never takes any medicine himself, particularly NOT eye drops";) (sorry - MY word "baby" -- he can't take pills b/c he can't swallow them.  and the very idea of these eye drops has him commiserating so with Charlie it's not funny) -- but David is also disciplined enough to realize we **gotta** do this and he IS helping me.  In fact he has been beyond awesome to take on fully his half (and sometimes more than his half).  Again stuff like this is easier for me because I was reared having to take meds without complaint.

tacran

I suppose the only alternative the vet could offer if it's a MUST that drops be given at exact times is to keep the dog at the clinic for the first couple days post-op, so care could be provided on a strict schedule.  But that would be upsetting for the dog and expensive for the people!

It's not the expense or hassle -- but it would truly shut Charlie down TOO much.   He's been thru SO much -- he still shakes when it rains outside (he doesn't care about thunder or lightning -- just a rainstorm will make him terrified because rain + rain = flood = terror!.

I just kinda wish the vet had been more forthcoming about the intensity of this -- I really wasn't prepared for how traumatic this was for him and how much pain he was in last night.  Never had cataract surgery myself and I should have known better I think.

Well, like you said, perhaps they don't give owners a full picture of how traumatic it can be because that might cause the person to avoid doing the surgery.  Some people just wouldn't be willing or able to provide that kind of post-op care, so it's a good thing you and David are more experienced with giving dogs some "medical attention" yourselves.  Can you imagine how overwhelmed someone would be if they'd never had to deal with anything other than a healthy dog getting the occasional vaccine or check-up?

Fingers crossed that your request to bring Charlie to work is approved!  Hopefully the building management could make an exception since it's a limited time-frame, and Charlie would be resting quietly near you (maybe even in a crate?) --- not running around barking, disturbing or scaring people, etc.  We have a new tenant in our building that brings his small dog to his office.  He's been here since January, and I had no idea the dog was with him -- that's how discreet he is. 

Anyway, I hope it works out for the rest of the week!

tacran

Can you imagine how overwhelmed someone would be if they'd never had to deal with anything other than a healthy dog getting the occasional vaccine or check-up?

Since *I* am getting such a wake up that's why I figured I'd better link some search words into this for others.  But yeah -- I CAN guess -- FIVE sets of drops.  Holy Moley ... I've got the name of each written on the side with a Sharpie just so I don't get them mixed up.

tacran

Hopefully the building management could make an exception since it's a limited time-frame, and Charlie would be resting quietly near you (maybe even in a crate?) 

It would be lovely but the chances are unbelieveably slim (it makes Deb's odds of winning her long shot look positively "easy" in comparison LOL) cos they just DON'T do stuff like that.  And yeah, Andy and I have already discussed the crate, etc. (and I have a door that closes on my office even).

 Don't know how I missed this; glad the surgery went well. He'll probably heal quickly and have his eyes wide open before you know it. Bless his heart; having both eyes done at the same time must be tough. 

cakana

Yay for having a boss willing to give it a try for you though.

  Absolutely; sounds like a great boss. I hope Charlie can come to work with you.

 Charlie boy, heal up good because the gift of sight is heaven! Also, do you know that you have the best and most caring human parents? Best of luck, Callie on bringing the boy to work.

Hoping Charlie is having a more comfortable day ...and hoping he was able to help you at work today!

Janice

I've been following along, keeping all paws crossed for Charlie - and for David to get through the "meds" trauma, lol.

Callie, my Sugar and my Dad both had cataract surgery; they did not have that complication of needing the entire membrane removed and they did not have near the trauma you are describing poor Charlie has.  They both came home with eyes opened.  I think this may also be why the drops regimen is so much more intensive than you were led to believe in advance.  

I feel for you, it is so hard when our babies hurt, and can't tell us how much, where, etc.  Dear Charlie, trying to get into a new life situation, dealing with his fears, and now this not quite going as we expected.  But it will get better, Charlie, honest little doggie.

I hope there's no serious complications going on and the redness is nothing to worry about. Hopefully the healing is going ok.  I had cataract surgery this past Novemeber.  My surgery was pretty straightforward, thank goodness.  The pre and post eye drops were mind boggling. 

I'm glad Charlie is good about the drops. Good boy. :)  I read an article recently about teaching your dog to accept eye drops without struggling.  It really doesn't take long for most dogs to make a positive association.  I know Erin was working with one of her clients to help a dog accept drops. Just sharing for anyone who might need this at some point.

http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/training-a-dog-to-love-eye-drops-will-this-also-train-the-dog-to-chew

After I went home at lunch yesterday to give Charlie his drops I called the vet.  Both David and I thought his eyes were still far too red and I didn't like how that third eyelid was still so much in evidence.  They weren't overly concerned but they'd like to see him.   

My wonderful husband is taking his turn to do the noon drops today so he's working from home -- so HE took Billy to the vet (my husband has been awesome here!).

Saw the 'head' of the practice today.  Charlie is sort of at the upper limits of "it's ok but we sure wouldn't want to see it any worse!"  Meaning it will be ok, but they upped the pred drops to SIX times a day, and we can't begin wean-off of the oral pred yet (which was scheduled for tomorrow). 

Apparently from Dr. M's original notes -- the original surgery was difficult because those membrane "envelopes" were so fibrous and scarred.  So it makes recovery a bit more difficult.  They were surely glad we brought him in,  but this isn't "terrible" -- he's not in trouble, but we'll just have to be extremely cautious. 

JackieG

 Good boy. :)  I read an article recently about teaching your dog to accept eye drops without struggling. 

Jackie -- THANK YOU for saying that!!  It is **SO** critical to teach your dog to let you handle them for stuff like eye drops, examining teeth, toes, and even taking meds in general.  It can honestly **save their life**.  A dog who can't allow themselves to be helped may either die because it won't take the meds to save its life, or pass early from complications from infection or lack of treatment.

It doesn't have to be cataract surgery -- it can be getting an eyeful of ash from sniffing a BBQ grill or pile of dirt or what have you.  And even if it's an older rescue -- they CAN learn.  It may take some effort, tho.

I admit this is a hot button of mine.  I wish I had a nickel for every time I've heard someone say "Oh he HATES the vet and hates the car!" or similar.  So that means you train them, not avoid the car!

Sometimes you have to break the training down into tiny tiny incremental steps to desensitize stuff like this and patience is difficult for some folks.  But it's a battle you **can** win if approached with some gentle training.

Jackie, that link is golden!!!

In my case, the first day I started the drops I assembled all 3 dogs showed the drops bottle and treated.  I didn't want Charlie to run when he knew it was drops time.  So we start every drops time with just a few moments of super easy "can't fail" obedience. 

All 3 "sit" and all 3 get a treat.  btw Charlie got an extra treat just for coming when I said "Come!  Time for your drops".

Essentially I created some eagerness by making it treats time (which is just some kibbles), then do the drop, after which Charlie gets a couple of kibbles.  Then I do just a bit more easy & fun obedience things.

I'm not so much trying to 'train' as simply making the time fun and not scarey.  These drops have to be separated by like 5-10 minutes so I don't want it to be anything at all negative.  I don't deliberately call all of them together every time, but making it a bit of a party tends to make Charlie like being the center of attention.

I've just decreased everyone's food.  For actual obedience I use other reinforcers other than food-- but when I'm asking a dog to do something that is scarey or painful (and some of these drops ARE painful) nothing beats a food reward for a dog who is (thankfully) food-motivated.