Vision Loss

[fourpaws]

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One of our whippets has suddenly developed a loss of vision, she can see a little but she does not track movement as normal. She is 6 years old and the vet diagnosed conjunctivitis. However we are not sold on this idea and want to take her to an opthomologist does anyone know of one around East Anglia area?

She has always been a lean dog but of recent months she has gained weight and eating more than normal. The vet did a thorough blood test and came up with nothing, called it middle age! Now we notice she is drinking quite a bit too.

Searching on the net we have found SARDS.

We know there is a vast amount of experience on here and wondered if anyone had any input?

 

[Avalonia]

Have you considered diabetes? Canine diabetes is quite common and some of the symptoms you describe suggest she could be diabetic. She is the right age, and the right gender, as diabetes seems to strike female dogs in mid-life more than at any other stage in life. Over the years we have boarded several dogs at our boarding facility who had remarkably similar symptoms before diagnosis, and two of them developed cataracts related to the diabetes that caused acute vision loss. Both dogs (one a Dalmation called Riff Raff and the other a mixed breed who seemed to be mostly a Husky) were put on special canine diets and medication which seems to have kept it under control. Riff Raff, who was already deaf, went progressively more vision impaired as she aged, but bless her owners, she got lots of exercise and was well taken care of for six or seven years after diagnosis. With her small amount of vision she had little difficulty navigating her own yard, or ours when she visited, and she never seemed upset at the changes she had undergone. It was only this summer when her back legs failed that they had to make the reluctant decision to let her cross the Rainbow Bridge. She was fourteen.

Good luck on this.

Lanny

 

[fourpaws]

Thank you for taking the time to give us your thoughts Lanny.

About a month ago we were concerned about her big weight gain and the fact she appeared to drink more than usual and the vet did a full blood test and ruled out diabetes .

Then just this week we noticed the vision loss, the vet said her eyes were ok and it was conjunctivitis. We are going back on Monday to request another opinion as this dog cannot see.

 

[JAX]

Sorry to hear about your whippet ,

dont have any answers Im afraid , Lets hope a different Vet finds the cause , Keep us informed please

jackie

 

[dragonfly]

Why don't you ask your vet for a referral to a specialist practice like Dick White in Newmarket. They will soon get to the bottom of it.

Good Luck

Cathie

 

[whippetgood]

Diabetes is definitely what springs to mind and excessive drinking maybe the kidneys but a second opinion sounds like the next port of call :luck: :luck: :luck:

 

[fourpaws]

Thanks Cathie that was just the information we wanted, being new to the area we did not know where to go. We were thinking maybe we had to travel back to our old vets who knew our dogs and we could trust him to guide us in the right direction. Now we can ask about ask about a referral.

 

[fourpaws]

We have had a second opinion and we have a referral to the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket. The one you suggested Cathie does not have an opthamologist according to the vet.

 

[dragonfly]

The Animal Health Trust is excellent too.

:luck: :luck: :luck:

Cathie

 

[fourpaws]

The Animal Health Trust is excellent too.

:luck: :luck: :luck:

Cathie

Thank you Cathie for pointing us in the right direction of Newmarket and to the few others who wrote a comment thank you.

We have been to a specialist at the Animal Health Trust and the opinion is that it is probably SARDS which is not unknown in any breed but is most common in long haired dachshund and german sheppards. If it is SARDS then there is no pain and it is a matter of living with a blind dog which we can and certainly will do.

However there is a slight possibility that it could in some way be connected with the brain and we have to discuss with the vet whether it would be a good idea to have a scan.

For the sake of the breeder we questioned whether any of it could be heredity and the answer was no.

This place is not cheap but the staff were very helpful and kind to the dogs.