[Dailydrool] Reba's eye

[Pamela McQuade via Dailydrool]

OK, Dale, I'm saying it again: Basset eye issues require an eye 
specialist. Your vet may be wonderful, Tina, but chances are eyes were a 
very small part of the curriculum in vet school. Many vets (ER vets 
included) do not know how to accurately do the glaucoma test. So Reba 
needs a specialist. When you call, tell them your vet says it's a 
glaucoma situation, which may help you get a quicker appointment. Eye 
docs see plenty of things that are not as critical as glaucoma, so see 
if they can squeeze you in.

Having a dog with glaucoma can be very traumatic. Your vet cannot hold 
your hand. That's why I also strongly recommend that you sign up for the 
www.blinddogs.com Yahoo list--they have plenty of information at that 
site, but sign up for the e-mail list too. The folks there are very 
caring. Sometimes you will get someone whose dog has just lost sight or 
been diagnosed who is going crazy, but most of the folks there are very 
kind and helpful and sane. They will walk you through the things your 
vet cannot help you with. They will tell you how to help a dog who is 
losing its sight and advise you on getting drugs at more reasonable 
prices (go with generics, when possible, and shop around for a better 
price than what your eye doc will charge you, or you may spend a 
fortune). They will cry with you when necessary and tell you what to 
expect so that when sight is lost, you will know it is not the end of 
the world.

Most of all, know that bassets generally do very well partially sighted 
or without sight. Our Dexter came to us and was a one-hour (literally) 
foster. He'd been given up because his former folks could not stand the 
idea of a blind dog in their home, and Dex had just lost his first eye. 
Before we got him home from the vet's, Dex had his new forever home. 
He's the sweetest dog in the world. He has Dexter groupies all around 
our area, because every vet and vet tech he's met has fallen in love 
with him--it happened again yesterday, when he went to have a followup 
visit after having dental extractions last week. How his former folks 
gave him up I will never know. Without sight he's still a charmer. He 
amazes everyone with how well he gets around.

If you are on Facebook, friend me, and feel free to ask me any 
questions. Having someone who's been there before can be very helpful.

Pamela McQuade (you'll know me on Facebook because Horton and Dexter are 
the first things on my page)