Emma is out of surgery – Sigh – 6:00pm 3-24-07
Emma here, pawing in with another update! Poor girl. She looks so pathetic. The rain is pelting down and we meet with her surgeon. He informs us that it is the hardest procedure he has done in his life. Keep in mind, this guy is getting ready to retire. Emma, being the severely allergic hound that she is, has indeed had an allergic reaction to the surgical scrub. What more can this poor girl endure?
Prior to surgery, the surgeon tells us that he can determine if this is primary or secondary glaucoma. Primary is hereditary and secondary is trauma related. Of course, looking back on it there was no way it was going to be secondary. Emma’s eye examination, done as a pup, already stated that her drainage angles were mal-aligned in both eyes.
We are informed that Emma, indeed, has primary closed angle glaucoma and this means that she will go blind in her second eye eventually. The surgeon informs us that her left eye has severely mal-aligned angles and this has pre-disposed her from birth to glaucoma which means blindness.
This is why it is so important when you are buying a puppy you see a normal opthalmologic report with normal drainage angles. I will continue to harp on this. Basset hounds are already pre-disposed to this travesty and this is one way you can guard against blindness.
This was a heart wrenching lesson. One that I do not want you to go through. Keep in mind that I did not pick Emma from the litter. The breeder picked her for me. Had I been given a choice of picking a pup with normal eyes or a pup with abnormal eyes, I would have picked normal. We love Emma because she is our family member and we will love her though thick and thin. She is amazing and faces all of her many challenges with dignity and grace. I have learned so much from her.
Me giving Emma her first bath!
Next Blog………Emma’s first night with her prosthetic eye.
More later from Emma, seeing with your heart and your nose!
