Blaze's deteriorating lenses.

Huskies and Labs are sight dogs.   Their eyes are their strongest sense.  All four of our dogs are about 3/4 Husky and a 1/4 Lab, so their eyes are important.

I started noticing a couple of years ago that Blaze's eyes were clouding over.  In fear of glaucoma, the vet checked her out and said,"It was lens deterioration.  Which is just as it sounds.  Old age catching up and the lenses begin to deteriorate.  For the most part she can still see and you may notice her struggle more at night."  

I wonder if it is hereditary?  If so, they probably got it from their mother, Silver, as she also had it.  Because I also see slight signs of it in the rest of the dogs.  Or is it normal old age? 

I don't really notice any difference with Blaze, except when we play "find it."  (I throw treats around the yard and they "find it")  When I throw the treats, she strains to see them fly and land.  Then she looks back at me, wondering if I really did throw them, because she can't see them.  There is a look of worry in her face.  At this point I throw a couple more closer to her, hoping she will see them, but it is mute.  Eventually she tries to find them with her nose.  I didn't realize how much she depended on her sight for that game.  And if I really think about it, I am sad for her, but honesty that's the only sign I see.  Otherwise she my silly, bouncing, mouthy Blaze who can still catch treats in the air, keep the cat in check and catch a chipmunk, like the rest of the gang. 

I'm sure there will be more things that show as she continues to age.  All I can do is take it in stride, don't dwell on it and give her the best life possible.  Really that's all any of us can do for our dogs and enjoy every minute with them.  

Thank you for your prayers and a Brut update.

Since we last left you:  Brut's eye cleared up and the color was back, but there was fear of blood still in the back of the eye.

We took Brut to the doggie eye specialist last Friday and came home with the diagnosis of high blood pressure/hypertension.  We were both quite shocked at the results of the eye test the doctor did.  By the way Brut did fantastic with this doctor.  Although after the about the fifth test, Brut had had enough and gave a warning growl and bark. lol  Which was fine the doctor had gotten the info he needed.  I was truly impressed with this specialist and would recommend him.  He was very professional and caring with Brut.  We didn't even need to sedate Brut like we thought we might have to do.  

So the appt. went well and the doc sent us home with some medicine for the high blood pressure and told us to continue the eye drops. Today we are taking Brut to our regular vet to get blood work done, urinalysis, and get his blood pressure checked to find the cause.  The doctor thinks Brut may be having kidney problems, which is a common cause of hypertension in dogs.

So what we were seeing in Brut's eye was hemorrhaging caused by the high blood pressure and isn't an eye issue at all.

The diagnosis would explain a lot of Brut's behaviors when he gets so worked up and very touchy.  He's probably had it for a while.  I don't think it explains his aggression, but it would explain the extreme of it and what I could never put my finger on.  Thank goodness he's calmed down so much over the years and his aggression isn't as much of an issue.

We've been in shock for the last couple of days digesting the news and what it means for our boy.  But all in all, I think we caught it early enough to get him the help that he needs.

We will know more in the next few days and will let you know the progress.
Thank you again for your prayers and well wishes.  We needed them.

Update: Brut's eye, our next step

We will be taking Brut to an eye specialist next week.  We were in luck as this doctor only makes a trip up our way once a month and we were able to get an appointment.  It will save a trip downstate which would have been a 4 hour drive and this way we will only have an hour drive (one way) to see the doc, making it convienent for everyone.  Brut doesn't like riding in the car very much, but does eventually settle down some as we drive on.   So it will be just long enough to calm him down so he won't be so hyper seeing this eye doctor.  The whole experience will be nerve racking enough.

Our vet had a look at Brut's eye this past Wednesday and did all she could do with an anxious Brut in a muzzle.  The last thing she could do was measure his eye pressure, but with the difficulty of just trying to keep Brut still so she could look in his eye with a light was about the limited of it.  And I appreciated her honesty.  Brut is not the easiest patient.  She said the eye specialist will know how to sedate him and get a good eye reading.

This specialist is someone our vet knows well and trust, and we trust her judgement.  I also received another confirmation from a friend who knows another vet, who also gave her stamp of approval.  Thanks Friend! ☺

So it sounds like Brut is in the best hands possible.  Now we just have to wait out this week, continue with the eye drops and hope we will find out what the problem is with Brut's eye and a solution to go with it.

Thank you so much everybody for your prayers, well wishes and good thoughts.  We can not thank you enough for being part of our doggie family.  Please keep them coming!

We will keep you up to date.

Thank you again.

Update: Brut's eye

While we still don't know how Brut injured his eye, it is better than it was.  We have been giving him prescription eye drops 3 to 4 times a day.  The white cloudiness dissappeared and the color of his eye was looking better as a whole.  

The problem is that it hasn't improved anymore in the last 4 to 5 days.  The eye is starting to have a discharge and Brut has begun squinting in that eye.  I'm not sure what to make of it.  The vet said to watch for the color of the iris to come back, a sure sign he was be getting better.   Instead it has stayed bloody looking.  We may be headed to a specialist if we are unable to find an answer.  

WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS, POTP, AND ANY GOOD VIBES YOU CAN SEND OUR WAY!

Going to a specialist would mean a 4 hour one way trip in a single cab truck with a hyper Brut who would have no way to lay down and would want to stick his head out the window.  Which I don't think would help his eye situation.  

This whole thing has been like a bad dream that just keeps going on and on.  My husband, Mark has been an emotional wreck over the whole thing from the time we first noticed it.  It was such a relief when we went to the vet to find out it wasn't cataracts.  Then she said it looked like an injury, with the bloodliness of it and we prayed the eye drops would work.  And they did for the first week, but now it doesn't look like they are helping anymore.  

Of course we are afraid of the worse, like Brut losing his eye, or losing some vision or all.  We don't know what we are going to do.  Mark is going to talk to the vet about the situation and see what she advises.  

Keep your paws crossed we find out some good news.  Thank you.   

Brut's eye injury-Need prayers please!

Somehow Brut hurt his right eye.  (your left) It was tough trying to get a pic of it.  

The injured eye is full of blood and it is tough to see the pupil.

Mr. Observant

My husband calls from the other room, "Honey come here!"  There is a sense of urgency in his voice and I can't tell whether to be concerned or not, but I hurry to meet him.

 

There's my husband on the toilet holding Blaze's head in his hands.  With this wondrous grin on his face,  he looks at me and says, "Did you know Blaze has these long black hairs above her eye?"

I rushed in here for this?  I roll my eyes and say, "They are part of her eyebrows."

He giggles with his eyes all aglow and replies, " I never noticed them before.  Look!  There are 7 of them!"

 "They all have them,"  And he says I'm the one who'd make a lousy detective!!  

If it took him three years to notice the girl had long, black eyebrow hairs.  3 YEARS!!  Nice going Sherlock!!   Lord knows how many things he's really missed all these years together!!  Can anyone relate??

BOYS!!     

What is Missing?

Have you ever met a dog who's eyes stayed with you long after you had left?  I met a dog whom we hope will be our future stud for Blaze.  I had seen him from a far and in pictures, but I had my first face to face meeting with him today.  As I walked to the fence, he cautiously crouched a bit, sniffed my hand through the gate, then popped up with his paws on top of the fence.  I looked deeply into his eyes and felt his warm tender soul.  His spirit so gentle and forgiving.  I was stunned.  Never had I met a dog with such a heart of kindness.  I captured his spirit and let it follow me on the ride home.

I instantly began to compare this dog to what was missing in Brut.  Brut has always been more of a wild animal spirit and has never been calm by nature.  He reminds me sometimes of a lion or tiger on the prowl.  His spirit is more primitive like that of an native drum.  He thrives to survive and runs on complete instinct.  Every move he makes is with vibrant passion.  He has been sculpted with our care and training, but I don't believe there will ever be a true taming of the beast within.

Brut was the first to greet me as I walked in the door, the second our eyes met I burst into tears.  For I knew instantly what our future stud was missing and why he had stared at me with wonder in his eyes as we held our gaze.  The difference was love.  Brut may never have the kindred spirit of the this dog, but his eyes flow with the passion of being loved.  The other dog has been cared for but has never really been loved.

I am astounded by this other dog and how this beautiful creature can stay so loving and true to his nature without really being loved.  I am so touched that this dog let me see into his heart and show me who he really is.  He is everything I am looking for in a male and I feel honored for him to be our stud for Blaze.