Goldendoodle eye disease

[Heidi & Bella baby]

I was browsing the web a couple of days ago looking for answers and found this site. Grasping at straws, thought maybe someone here could help us.

A few weeks ago I noticed that Bella's right eye may look red. I checked them both and sure enough. It was definitely red. My husband took her the following Monday/ They gave anti biotic med & eye cream. We took her back in the following (this past Monday, and there was no change. They sent us to a specialist in Madison. Saw her the next day. Gave us some more meds & eye drops. Ran some tests like blood history, urine analysis, serum test ( organ function) blasto ( fungal infection ) they have all come back normal . The blasto has not come back yet. She is talking of losing her eye. We asked isn't there another test? Tomorrow she goes back in for an ocular ultra sound & possible aspiration of tissue from eye. also chest x-ray and a abdominal ultra sound. to see if there is something hiding somewhere. She doesn't seem very optimistic though.

Bella is acting perfectly normal. Eating, playing, except that she is not seeing from that eye. We are so very sick about this. She is only 2.5 yrs. such a loving, smart beauty. She loves everyone.

We lost our last dog, who was a boxer husky mix on 12/26/09.

It seems impossible that this could be happening so soon.

Can anyone help??

Thank you

Heidi

[Bonnie and Kona]

So happy Bella is back to being herself! I feed chicken breast and rice for sick dogs. I haven't used hamburger. Continuing to pray Bella will fully recover.

[Heidi & Bella baby]

Hi

Bella is eating better. The blasto test results came in today, they were negative, but the vet thought they would be. The last and the big one is the biopsy. Hopefully in by Monday. Hoping & praying it's not cancer or some other disease that could spread to other  eye or somewhere else.

We are just in shock about this. I wake up every morning thinking I had a horrible dream.

Is there a way I can post this response to everyone who responded to me???

Thank you & i'll keep you all posted.

Heidi

[F, Calla & Luca]

If you add an update under the original part of your discussion people will find it easily. But anyone following your discussion will receive a notice of your respose provided thay they get DK email.

[Bonnie and Kona]

I am continuing to pray for Bella's health to be completely restored.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Just read thru the posts and updates--so sorry you are going thru this and I hope Monday's news is good--but if it is cancer, you know what to do and hopefully that will be the end of it and Bella will be back to herself in no time. I have a dad with one eye--he lost it at the age of 8 and that was 85 years ago--he has had a normal life and Bella will too!!

[Heidi & Bella baby]

Hi all

We got the biopsy results back early this aft. OMG, it's not cancer. They think its something called (for short) NGE. I didn't talk to the vet ,but sounds like its her immune system is attacking her eye they think they may be able to restore her sight in the eye with a  regimen of oral steroids, if that doesn't work we are back to  having the eye removed.  We are so relieved that it is not cancer. Not out of the woods yet, but we both feel SO much better. I had been doing a lot of crying at work the past two days, so this was some very much needed good news.

Thank you all for the prayers & well wishes, now maybe I can relax a bit and add some more pic & converse some.

I left work a little early tonight so I could get home to give Bella big hugs & kisses!

From the bottom of my heart we thank you all

more to come

Heidi

[Carol and Banjo]

Praying she has positive results with the steroids.   I'm so happy you don't have to worry about the big "C"....it must have been a very difficult week for you.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Some info about NGE: http://veterinaryvision.com/for-veterinarians/clinical-forum/specif...

Nodular Granulomatous Episclerokeratitis

Nodular Granulomatous Episclerokeratitis (sometimes called Nodular Fasciitis, Fibrous Histiocytoma or Collie Granuloma) is thought to be an immune mediated disorder where a cellular proliferation occurs at the corneal scleral junction, and can invade into the cornea causing damage.   Interestingly, many collies with "Collie Nose" - depigmented ulcerated lesions at the nose will also have "Collie Granuloma" - NGE. The condition is treated with topical or systemic anti-inflammatories or in severe cases immunosupressives.

 Several of us have dogs with immune-mediated diseases, the difference being the part of the body that the immune system is attacking. With JD it's his GI tract. With Gracie Doodle, it's her jaw muscles. These diseases can be managed but not cured. Steroids or other, stronger  immunosuppressant drugs are used to keep the inflammation down and hopefully get it into remission. I hope Bella responds well to her treatment, and I'm glad she doesn't have cancer.

[Heidi & Bella baby]

Really? So Golden doodles are pron to this?

We did some research before we decided on a doodle, but nothing major seemed to stick out.

How does Gracie do with the meds? Is it helping? How old is she.?

I hope she is doing okay.

They are such a sweet breed. I wanted two when we first got her, but we have been through some job loss & couldn't really afford it. Then a while back my husband wanted another one. (that is on hold)

Bella is just so loyal, wants to please, she's smart & listens. The only not attractive thing about her is that when anyone comes over to the house she gets real hyper.

Thanks again /keep intouch

Heidi

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't know if Goldendoodles are prone to this, but Goldendoodles are prone to anything that Golden Retrievers and Poodles are prone to. When "researching" a mixed breed, you have to look at what diseases affect the parent breeds, and you don't do your research on breeders' websites.  In general, the more common a breed is, the greater the number of health problems there may be. Poodles and Golden Retrievers are very, very common breeds, and are both known to be subject to a large number of genetic diseases and problems.

Some immune-mediated diseases are genetic and some are not; in many cases, they don't know what causes them, but if there is a strong breed predilection for any particular disease, that indicates a genetic component.

[Heidi & Bella baby]

that's sad!

[Heidi & Bella baby]

So you have two doodles?

How are they doing with their problems?

The prednisone is making Bella lethargic. Her eye looks a bit better. some of the gray film across the eye has left.

How long do they stay on the steroids?

I feel so bad for her.

How old was jd when he started having problems?