A blind dog adapts to life

Earlier this year on the blog, Deborah Thomson of Christchurch told of her dog Jogi's failing eyesight and the worry and sadness it caused her. Here, Deborah gives an update on Jogi. Some of it will make you sad, but it's also uplifting.

Wednesday: Jogi is 100% blind. Now we have the battle to save his eyes: four lots of drops, two four times a day, one three times a day, one twice a day; some can't be given with in 10 min of each other plus he has antibiotics for the toxoplasmosis, steroids and painkillers. Because of the steroids his appetite is huge - thank god for cheap No 24 chickens. I drive home at lunchtime every day to put drops in and give him  tablets and lunch. The drops sting - he hates them.

Wednesday two weeks later: Back to see Steve. I already know what the outcome is: Jogi's eyes haven't gone down, they are still swollen and he can't close his lids properly; I can see tiny ulcers forming on his eyes, though I tell myself that is a buildup of medication but who am I kidding? I used to be a nurse, I know what I'm looking at. Steve confirms the worst: Jogi needs surgery to remove his eyes, surgery is on Friday, two bottles of wine night.

Friday: No breakfast for Jogi. Off to the vet - he doesn't want to get in the car, he starts whining when we turn into the vet's driveway. I take him in. I promise myself that I won't cry... yeah right.

I'm fine until I give him a goodbye hug. I start to cry and he's up on his hind legs trying to lick my tears away. Go to work, wait to hear from the vet. At 4pm vet phones: surgery went well, no problems; he is on pain meds and resting comfortably.

Saturday 9am: We pick up Jogi. Once again I should have taken shares in Kleenex. His wee face is all shaved, the wound sites are bruised, bloody and swollen. The sutures look like obscene insects that have eaten his eyes. He has an Elizabethan collar on,  his hind leg  is heavily bandaged to keep a painkilling patch on, front legs are bandaged where the IVs have been. He is groggy but he wags his tail, while I struggle to rein in the hysteria, pay the bill ( there goes the anniversary weekend in Wellington) and take on board the instructions about medications. My husband takes him out for a sniff and a pee, manage to drive home through the tears without crashing.

The weekend is very quiet. Jogi sleeps most of the time; the Elizabethan collar is off. He wakes for chicken and walks in the garden for poos and wees...the cat attacks him, cuts his face...just what he needs.

Monday: I have taken Monday off work. He is doing very well, getting around the house okay, and using the dog flap. Monday night we take him to the dog park; we keep him on lead but he is very happy to be out and about.

Tuesday: His pain patch comes off. He perks up once the drugs are out of his system and runs around off lead. I have continual heart attacks worried about him running into things and pulling his sutures but he is very happy barking, sniffing the air, running.

Friday 10 days later: Sutures are out, the wound sites have healed very well, there is some sinkage back into the empty eye sockets but this was to be expected. His fur is growing back and he doesn't look so alien. He still has facial expressions: he lifts his eyebrows and when he dreams his eyelids still flicker...which is a little disconcerting.

He is fully recovered and back to his normal self. We go to the dog park every day and he runs around by himself off lead, occasionally bangs into things, and gets annoyed that he can't run in the pack any more. If you see him at the park you wouldn't know he was blind but for me saying CAREFUL when he gets too close to trees and fences, he uses the dog flap, gets up on the couch and the bed, jumps into and out of the car, sticks his head out of the car window and still scrunches up his face when it gets too windy. If this weather ever improves enough to resemble a summer we will take him swimming.

For us there was no choice. If we hadn't had the surgery, Jogi would have been put to sleep, something that we wouldn't contemplate.

Anyone else facing the same agonizing decision, have the surgery. Jogi has excellent quality of life and has adapted better than I could have imagined or hoped.

Many thanks to all those who sent good thoughts and to the regulars at the dog park who are extra eyes for Jogi.

Deborah

Join Four Legs Good on Facebook.