Any ideas about Bizzy?

Started by gschellinger, February 20, 2014, 02:37:44 PM

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gschellinger

Hi everyone,
As most of you know Bizzy, my well dog, Boston terrier, I thought I would throw this out to see if there are any ideas from anyone. For three months in a row she has had one of her eyes swell, the tissue around the eye. No fluid could be extracted from the swelling. Skin appears very inflamed, red. White of eye is red. It begins with what looks like conjunctivitis and quickly blows up. Swelling is above and below the eye. It seems like a cycle now as it has come a month apart each time.

The latest event was last Sunday. On Friday evening before, she vomited her meal at 10:30. It was totally undigested from 5:30 feeding. She vomited about six times during the night, and twice in the morning. Tinged with blood. I took her straight to the vet. No fever, not dehydrated (still drinking) gums pink and wet. She had not eaten anything different. She got pepcid, cerenia and went home with sucralfate.

Sunday she was depressed and then the eye swelled. It never seems to bother her but when examined the two times before, was found to have a pressure reading of high 30's. Treatment the first two times was a shot of Dex. and followed with pred or dex and weaned down. She doesn't present with usual symptoms of glaucoma. The first shot produced results before we even left the hospital. The second one took about four hours.

The emergency vet I talked to by phone on Sunday suggested I try diphenhydramine first, which did nothing to reduce the swelling. So he agreed that I should give her one mg. of dex. which after about 2 hours reduced the swelling. Since this process went on for most of the day, I wonder if it would have gotten better on it's own by evening. I talked to her regular vet Monday. He suggested that this could be an immune system problem, since it happened again after the vomiting. He would like to do CBC now. Not sure what he will be looking for. He did not suggest it was an auto immune problem. But I wonder if that could be next.

She does have something going on with this eye problem for sure. The first two times it was her left eye, but the last time it was her right eye. If anyone has any ideas I would surely welcome hearing them. We have not changed any products or food in the house. It is winter here so it is unlikely it is something outside affecting her. I am stumped and so is the vet. I am concerned that it is glaucoma and not presenting as usual. Repeat eye pressure tests the first two times showed normal pressure.

Thanks you and sorry it is so long!
gail
gail and Lola (SLE, hereditary cerebellar ataxia, chronic undiagnosed nasal congestion) usa

Catherine

I can not help with the eye problem as have not come across it. Has the vomiting occurred each time before the swelling of the eye? Perhaps pressure is put on that particular eye by the actual act of vomiting. That seems a lot of vomiting in such a short time - I would also be trying to find out what is causing the vomiting.

gschellinger

No vomiting the first two times with the eye swelling. The vomiting is distressing since she has never vomited before. She is seven 1/2 and really only had one episode of vomiting after she ate Lola's poo, with Lola being on meds at the time. But two weeks ago she did spit up a hair ball, of all things. She wasn't sick just retched a bit and up came a hair ball...my hair evidently :(  and yes I vacuum, but she must have been collecting it for a long time in her belly, very strange. I wonder if the vomiting had anything to do with that....maybe more hair?

No eye pressure test was done with this episode since it was a Sunday ($$$) and I had Dex tabs at home to give.
gail and Lola (SLE, hereditary cerebellar ataxia, chronic undiagnosed nasal congestion) usa

Jo CIMDA

Hi Gail

I'm sorry  you are having this problem with Bizzy.  Can't help you much but my thoughts are if it was an AI disease then it is more likely to happen in both eyes at the same time.  I wonder if the vomiting has nothing to do with it?  Have you considered she may have a blockage in her stomach/gut?

I do hope you get an answer very soon.

Jo

gschellinger

Jo,

My feeling is that the vomiting is unrelated. I wish the vet had not even mentioned immune system to me. He should know better (haha.) It could be that something was blocked, perhaps with hair since she did have that one hairball recently. But she didn't seem to be in any pain at all. I also agree with your comment about the eye swelling. Why only one eye? If it happens again I may take her to the University in Minnesota. I have had her there once before for small scars on the cornea. They told me they would never go away but they did.

gail

gail and Lola (SLE, hereditary cerebellar ataxia, chronic undiagnosed nasal congestion) usa

Jo CIMDA

Hi Gail

I wonder if Bizzy has a tiny foreign body lurking in her eye that flares up from time to time?  Hope she improves very soon.

Jo


gschellinger

Jo,

Her eyes do protrude more than they should, so I think she might pick up more bits of things from the environment. I use the sterile artificial tear drops at night for her. Since this has happened twice in one eye and once in the other, it seems like it is something she is coming in contact with. hmmm...I recently changed her bedding. I wonder if that is what could be going on. Maybe I wash her blankets once a month? I just do it when I notice they are not fresh, don't really keep track. But maybe that's it.


gail
gail and Lola (SLE, hereditary cerebellar ataxia, chronic undiagnosed nasal congestion) usa

Jo CIMDA

Hi Gail

Something within her environment does sound feasible but that can be a nightmare to identify.

Good luck with that!

Jo