[Dailydrool] Einstein's glaucoma

[dpmcquade at verizon.net]

Nancy:
I am so sorry about Einstein's diagnosis. Glaucoma is a terrible disease.

Two things I would suggest for you, in dealing with this disease. Join the Yahoo blind dogs site at www.blinddogs.com. It is wonderfully supportive and will give you plenty of information on the disease. The folks on this site pick up where the vets' skill ends, because they live with limited-sight or blind dogs. They know the daily nitty-gritty that vets don't usually have to deal with.

Also, buy the book by Carol Levin, Living with Blind Dogs. It will provide you with some information on the disease and give you ways to deal with the problems that come with a loss of vision. I didn't get this book until just recently, when Dexter completely lost his sight, but you might find it helpful even before that happens.

The bad news on glaucoma is that most dogs who lose the sight in one eye will also lose the second eye, too. It is also a very painful disease, when the pressures are high. So you will want to make your veterinary opthalmologist a good friend. I have never heard of sight returning once it's gone.

The good news is that bassets, being very low to the ground and having excellent noses, do well without sight. They will indeed amaze you at what they can do.

I hope that Einstein beats the terrible odds of glaucoma and does not completely lose his sight. But even if the worst happens, you will have support through the blind dogs list and probably here as well, since some of us have dealt with this.
 
I wish that this disease did not affect our favorite hounds. Going through this with Dexter has been a great challenge. But I am still not sorry that we adopted him, knowing this would happen. He is the greatest sweetheart and has been so brave through it all.
Pam, food slave to the Dashing Bassets