Poor Harvey!

FBRN's greatest expense is veterinary care.  If you have been to the vet recently, we are sure you believe that!  We don't begrudge the cost, but we do try to find the best vets we can who will offer a discount to rescues.  We understand that there are lots of rescues in the world, and vet clinics have big expenses and no government funding as some hospitals do; so we are always so grateful to find a clinic or individual vet who knows that our resources are limited and helps us by giving a discounted rate.

One of our newest intakes, Harvey, had to go to the veterinary specialist to see if we could improve the tear production in his eyes.  Here's his foster mom's report of the visit.

"Today was a big day for Harvey . . . we visited a veterinary ophthalmologist, and for the first time I feel we are truly on the right path. The doctor gave Harvey a very thorough exam and we walked out with solid explanations for the symptoms we have been dealing with and a plan of action.

 Harvey has apparently been treated for cherry eye previous to coming to FBRN, as it was discovered today the gland of the third eye has been removed in both eyes. This, of course, is not helping in the quest to produce more tears.  Although we have made progress . . . Harvey scored a 20 (yeah, yipeee, celebrations) in the left eye and a 3 in the right eye on the Schirmer tear test today!  That was the first time the right eye has registered any moisture.  I was doing a little dance in the exam room. The doctor said the inflamed tissue surrounding Harvey's eyes in and around the interior of his eye lids is due to what appears to be a staph infection.  She took a culture sample and is sending it off to the lab for confirmation.  This infection originates in the oil glands and is also not helping with the tear production efforts.

Monday night the interior tissue surrounding his right eye was so inflamed the eye ball looked recessed in the socket. She said that is a result of the infection in the oil glands flaring up and today she was surprised at just how inflamed it was considering he is on an anti-inflammatory.



He does still have a considerable amount of cloudiness to his eyes but she said she can see it is beginning to heal.  She could tell his right eye has been under a lot of stress for a long time.  She is optimistic he will fully recover and the current corneal scarring will clear.  She did say his eyelids are still excessive and with time he will probably need entropion corrective surgery again.  She said the first entropion surgery was done very well but at each end he still has excessive lid which may cause problems in due time. 

We are to continue on with the Cyclosporine but we have been upgraded from artificial tears to GenTeal gel and Puralube for moisture, Ciprofloxacin has been added to treat the staph infection and, as always, eye wash as necessary to wash out the goop.   He is due back in three weeks for a check up.

Harvey was a charmer and greeted everyone at the office with kisses.  Here is a picture of a not so happy Harvey at the eye doc and a cute doggy eye chart."

Like boxers, pugs, and other dogs with prominent eyes, Frenchies are prone to eye problems.  Adopters should be aware that it is common for Frenchies to suffer ulcers, corneal scratches, or abrasions at some point in their lives.  Most often, an abrasion or ulcer can be treated with eye ointment.  Occasionally, more specialized treatment is required.

Harvey is one of our medical case fosters, and FBRN needs volunteers like Harvey's foster mom who are willing to help with dogs who require regular medications, like pills and eye-drops, before their fosters can be made available for adoption.   If you feel you could make the commitment to become a volunteer and help with medical case fosters (or any other kind!) please be sure to email Kathi Luljak, our volunteer coordinator.  We match our volunteers to the kind of cases they feel most comfortable handling.

Meanwhile, as a special note to Harvey, we would like to say that we are especially susceptible to those Frenchies who appear to have been applying lip rouge as the car jounced over the railroad tracks.  Adorable!  How we would love a smackeroo or two from those darling lips! cries

The Frog Princess