eye problem (need help)

BIG MAC

New member
Apr 17, 2011
12
1
Hello about a week ago I noticed my bulldog to be in pain making whimpering sounds and trying to paw at his eye. When I tried to clean the morning junk out of his eye(only his left)like I do every morning he let out a painful scream(first time I ever heard that). Immediately I knew there was something wrong with his eye. I brought him to the vet and they really didn't seem to confident on a diagnosis but did point out a little divot/scratch on his eyeball(weird because there are no cats around)Anyway they went ahead and treated it like it was a eye ulcer even though when they did the ulcer test(try to stain the eye) it didn't hold no stain. I'm wondering if this sounds familiar with anybody and if so could u share your experiences. The vet put him on about four medications(antibiotic/pain killer/dilator)and wanted to schedule a follow up visit only two days later. I said let's wait a little on the follow up visit and see what the medication does first then we will have the follow up(money is a little tight right now plus I thought they misdiagnosed). I really hope this is something minor that will heal on it's own. My biggest fair is that he will need surgery because he has always had a problem with his lashes in his eye as his eyelids kind of fold inward and irritate the eye. Is it possible that the problem got so bad it's now causing him pain ? Anyway he has been on the medication for 3 days now and he's still in pain.
 

cali~jenn

..........
Mar 28, 2010
0
419
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Cutty, Miila and Mugsy the pug :)
Lashes folding in can def. cause pain and could need surgery BUT I have seen a lot of pups on here who have food allergies and a change of food can clear that up as well. You will get much better advice from others, I have no personal experience with this. What food do you feed now, if I may ask?
 
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BIG MAC

BIG MAC

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Apr 17, 2011
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Lashes folding in can def. cause pain and could need surgery BUT I have seen a lot of pups on here who have food allergies and a change of food can clear that up as well. You will get much better advice from others, I have no personal experience with this. What food do you feed now, if I may ask?


That very interesting because we switched foods the same week this started happening, I mentioned it to the vet and she didn't say nothing.

he was on puppy Wellness and I switched him to the adult white fish and sweet potato Welness

do u think this could be the cause ?
 

cali~jenn

..........
Mar 28, 2010
0
419
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Cutty, Miila and Mugsy the pug :)
If it started right when you switched then I would switch back right away and see if there is any change. Then if it fixes itself you will be having the problem we all have, finding the food that works with your bully. lol Most vets dont seem to understand how important food is and how much it creates and solves problems with our pups. Turns out most arent trained in nutrition at all and make their money off you coming back in, not solving the problem with a change of food. Please let us know how it is going with the change. :)
 
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BIG MAC

BIG MAC

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Apr 17, 2011
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If it started right when you switched then I would switch back right away and see if there is any change. Then if it fixes itself you will be having the problem we all have, finding the food that works with your bully. lol Most vets dont seem to understand how important food is and how much it creates and solves problems with our pups. Turns out most arent trained in nutrition at all and make their money off you coming back in, not solving the problem with a change of food. Please let us know how it is going with the change. :)

Next time I have a problem I will come here first and save $188

Your so right about them making their money off us coming back that's why they wanted follow up visits

well thanks for the help, I will keep everyone updated on Big Mac's status
 

GatorRay

I am in total control....I think
Feb 25, 2011
3,432
227
Louisville, KY
Bulldog(s) Names
Gator & Lucy Goosey, the Basset and Gigi (AKA Gypsy)
Well, for eye issues I would have told you to go to the vet before anything else. After all, that is a very sensitive area and I would hate for him to have something that went untreated by a vet.

That being said, I have never heard of food causing eye issues other than maybe runny eyes from an allergy? I would be interested in hearing about that (and no, I am not being a smart a$$ lol).
 

sheila

New member
Community Veteran
Nov 28, 2010
936
66
Phoenix, AZ
Bulldog(s) Names
Butler
poor little guy. if the eyelashes are irritating the eye, i would splurge on the surgery just for your dog's comfort and health. Butler had an ulcer on his cornea that ran wild while he was a stray until rescue took him in and got him medicine. he now has a large white scar on his cornea.
 

Vermont Millie

New member
May 19, 2011
39
5
Southern, Vermont
Bulldog(s) Names
Mildred (Millie, mildew, mil- a- stroni)
this sounds like the exact same thing that happened to my bullie Millie. About 5 weeks ago I noticed some "debris" in her eye that I assumed was just grass. I did my best to remove it with a cotton swab but two days later I woke up to Millie crying (whining). Her eye was swollen shut- this swelling was visible straight on and after prying her eye open I could see the inside of the eyelids were so swollen she couldn't see. I knew that eye-issues shouldn't be handled lightly so after about 30 minutes of the SADDEST face I brought her to the vet.

The vet did put dye in eye to look for any foreign body- there was a speck of something in the center which they removed with a swab. It left a pretty deep divet in the cornea which they claimed would heal with time. I was pretty unhappy with their diagnosis but trusted them. They gave me an antibiotic and dilating drop to use for a week or so. They also asked me to come back in just a few days for a follow up. At the follow up she didn't appear to be in any pain but they used same dye and found that the divet was deeper than expected. I was told that it would heal slowly and leave a scar.

Just 3 weeks after the original visit Millie seemed to have another eye issue- this time the sclera (white of the eye) was swollen- which my vet claimed had no connection with the foreign body. I didn't trust the diagnosis so I sought out another vet- we found that the first foreign body had gone too deep. She treated it by creating a "cornea grid" basically dragging a needle on the cornea in a grid pattern to help healing. The grid was suppose to create better blood flow.

Her eye seems to be fine today... But I learned my lesson and Millie's eyes are top priority. I wanted the issue to be cleared up after the first visit but one vet's misdiagnosis led to more vet visits. Your issue seems alot like what I went through... I even thought the vet was clueless. I would suggest going back to the vet if you don't see your bullie without pain because a cornea puncture's can go deep and I would suggest that you ask for them to use dye. Pain after three days of pain killer, antibiotics, and dilater seems like the problem needs more attention.

I know how frustrating this was for me and I hope it gets better.
Katie
 

cali~jenn

..........
Mar 28, 2010
0
419
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Cutty, Miila and Mugsy the pug :)
Well, for eye issues I would have told you to go to the vet before anything else. After all, that is a very sensitive area and I would hate for him to have something that went untreated by a vet.

That being said, I have never heard of food causing eye issues other than maybe runny eyes from an allergy? I would be interested in hearing about that (and no, I am not being a smart a$$ lol).

I agree eyes are nothing to mess with but with having already been to the vet and already having started the meds as prescribed, the fact that the dr didnt find anything in the eye and didnt notice or mention entropian, I think looking at the food is a good idea. I am not disregarding the meds or any of that but being that there was no clear "reason" it certainly cannot hurt to try going back to the old food and see what happens. Oh and I didnt take it to be that you are being a smart a$$, lol. I do believe there have been clear cases on here in the past (and correct me if I am wrong [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION]) where food allergies have caused runny eyes and even swelling around the eye which in turn caused the lid to turn in and rub.
 

GatorRay

I am in total control....I think
Feb 25, 2011
3,432
227
Louisville, KY
Bulldog(s) Names
Gator & Lucy Goosey, the Basset and Gigi (AKA Gypsy)
I agree eyes are nothing to mess with but with having already been to the vet and already having started the meds as prescribed, the fact that the dr didnt find anything in the eye and didnt notice or mention entropian, I think looking at the food is a good idea. I am not disregarding the meds or any of that but being that there was no clear "reason" it certainly cannot hurt to try going back to the old food and see what happens. Oh and I didnt take it to be that you are being a smart a$$, lol. I do believe there have been clear cases on here in the past (and correct me if I am wrong [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION]) where food allergies have caused runny eyes and even swelling around the eye which in turn caused the lid to turn in and rub.

I could see that happening for sure! I just didn't think of it. lol. The swelling I mean. I think you are right to point that out. I am hoping one or the other works!

Thank you :)
 

Sweetfaceforme

New member
May 9, 2011
25
1
Tennessee
Bulldog(s) Names
Biscuit
:cry:I don't know how dogs pain levels are compared to humans, but if he has a scratch on his eye I would think it would be awfully painful. I had a scratch on my cornea several years ago and it was awful. I hope your bully gets better fast.
 

NJBullyMommy

New member
Apr 20, 2011
323
59
New Jersey
Bulldog(s) Names
Brutus (Bruty, Bru Bru, Brutus Maximus)
When you take your bully outside is it possible that he could have run into anything? I know my Brutus like to eat sticks and chew leaves off bushes and he has scratched his face a couple times and his eye once. It was gooey for a couple days, but then cleared up. I hope you find out what's hurting your baby :(
 
OP
BIG MAC

BIG MAC

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Apr 17, 2011
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Okay guys sorry for the late reply but we have been around the world and back trying to solve this eye problem.

After i noticed no improvement with my dog after a week of the initial meds and vet visit I sought more professional help.

I ended up bringing Big Mac to a opthamologist specialist at Tufts Veterinarian Medical school in Grafton Mass.

Come to find out he actually had ulcers in both eyes, one superficial and one very severe.

The opthamologist believed that the ulcers were caused from a bad case of entropion.

They said the ulcers were treatable with medications but without entropion surgery the meds would be pointless.

So after the $1,800 surgery and another round of meds(8 total) we're hopefully on the road to recovery.

My only concern now is that Mac still appears to be in some pain(surgery was on 6/2) and still isn't acting like himself.

Could the pain be because the stitches and swelling ? I think the mood change is probably from all the meds but i thought the pain would be gone by now.
 

JAKEISGREAT

.................
Mar 25, 2011
14,802
1,155
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Jake
Oh...I'm so sorry for all you and Big Mac have been through. I can't really offer my opinion on the actual eye surgery and his healing..but I do think he won't be himself until he FEELS like himself physically. Just like humans who are ill..they get depressed. If he is in ANY pain at all...he won't perk up and be your Big Mac! I would ask the surgeon and/or specialist how long he will feel pain and what can be done to ease it. I would put myself in his place and he has been through a lot...hang in there...he will come around! :hug:
 

GatorRay

I am in total control....I think
Feb 25, 2011
3,432
227
Louisville, KY
Bulldog(s) Names
Gator & Lucy Goosey, the Basset and Gigi (AKA Gypsy)
Oh, I am so glad you took him someplace for a second opinion! Poor guy :). I am sorry he is still having pain. Hopefully it won't take too long to feel better.
 

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