Acute Glaucoma - watch your dogs eyes

[Stella]

Thankfully this isn't about my dogs but a colleague from work. Her GSD developed acute glaucoma and went blind almost overnight. By the time they realized something was wrong it was too late to save her sight. This dog is only four years old. Their vet said there is nothing to be done except to remove her eyes (for pain relief), which will cost in the region of $2000. There is no way my colleagues husband would allow this kind of money to be spent on a dog, and I doubt he has the patience to make the changes needed to accommodate a blind dog in the house. I'm pretty sure they are going to have the dog euthanized, which I think is tragic.

I did a quick Google search and it appears there are very few early symptoms other than the dog is in pain, less willing to exercise and may be grumpy (a couple of articles likened it to having a migraine). Later there are more obvious signs, cloudiness, bulging of the eye, reddening of the white of the eye etc. Most owners don't notice anything is wrong until it is too late. This is a veterinary emergency, you only have hours to save your dogs sight. So, if you suspect something is wrong, please take your dog to the vet immediately. I am so sad thinking of that poor puppy being put to sleep just because she can't see.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

thank you for posting this for our awareness.

[Shari & Bella M.]

So very sorry for your colleague and her furbaby. Thank you for posting. It is amazing to me all the illness/diseases that dogs are susceptible to, just like humans. Although since K9s age at a faster rate, I wonder if that is why the onset is so quick in this case? It touches home for me as I lost my Goldendoodle girl last May to lymphoma. She was just shy of her 5th birthday. My husband refused to let me get another as he feared I would get another with medical problems and go thru it all again. I begged him for another dog. Finally, on Christmas Eve, he brought me home as GSD puppy. She is 5 months old now and has brought back our "family joy". As much as I love her, her personality is so much different than my doodle. "Her herding instincts" make her not quite as gentle as a dood. Anyway, your post made me realize once again that there is no health guarantee with any breed of dog. I pray that your friend and her husband reconsider euthanizing and adopt her out to someone who is willing to help. She can find GSD rescues online or Facebook and I have no doubt they will help quickly.

[Stella]

In saw my colleague today. Sadly they have decided that the dog will be euthanized, they are going to do it on Friday. I tried to talk to her about trying a rescue organization, but she feels that the kindest thing is to put her to sleep. I don't really agree with her, but didn't want to make a big thing out if it as she is clearly upset about the whole thing. I have decided that I will make a donation to a GSD rescue organization in the dogs memory, it is all I can do and I think my colleague would appreciate it.