So MINI has distichia. It's not often talked about here...

[oscarmayer]

so I'll do my best to keep ya'll well-informed on how things go. We've always noticed her squinting her eyes a little but never thought much about it. We were told a couple years ago that she might have some entropion going on but at present, that's been ruled out as a cause of her current condition. She has ulcers in both eyes and the distichia is preventing them from healing. She's been prescribed 3 different drops to knock back the inflammation. After a week of treatment we go back to the specialist for a re-eval.

For those that aren't familiar, distichia is a condition where eyelashes grow toward the eye, they're backwards! It's not so uncommon but MINI's are rather severe as she has multiple reversed lashes on both eyes. She will eventually need surgery to freeze the follicles and render them inactive. Because of her Megaesophagus, MINI is a high risk candidate for any surgery. Next week we will decide on when/if to move forward with the procedure. I'm pretty sure it will happen.

More to come...

 

[Lalaloopsie]

I wonder if they can use electrolysis on her to remove bad eyelashes, I know for sure in people this is how they do it, bcs people also can have trichiasis, it doesn’t require general anaesthesia and may be done with partial sedation of a dog. Poor Mini!

did you try btw to remove them yourself? IDK if Mini would tolerate it...but mechanical removal also temporarily does the job. In people, at least.

 

[Dollys Owner]

Sorry to hear !!! It's incredible what a wonderful life you've given MINI after you adopted her, and we've all seen the videos how full of life she is.

I'm sure if they use latest medications for concious sedation like combination propofol and dexmedetomidine infusion she would sail through it even with her megaesophagus.
Pasting this from my vet manual ( sounds like freezing the hairs works best ) :
Distichiasis:
Usually does not produce clinical signs; no treatment required
Hairs regrow within 4-5 weeks with mechanical epilation/plucking.
If clinical signs are present, consider surgical treatment:
Before removal, expression of the meibomian glands pushes hidden hairs from the glands.
Cryotherapy along the palpebral surface of the meibomian glands using a double freeze/thaw cycle is effective treatment for a large number of distichia in a patient.
Electrolysis is useful for single or a low number of cilia; procedure is tedious, and excessive current may cause tissue damage.
Carbon dioxide laser removal is tedious and can predispose to excessive tissue damage.
Resection from the conjunctival surface effective for single or multiple cilia
Eyelid-splitting techniques are not recommended because of the potential for postoperative eyelid deformities and regrowth of hairs.

 

[helsonwheels]

I wonder if they can use electrolysis on her to remove bad eyelashes, I know for sure in people this is how they do it, bcs people also can have trichiasis, it doesn’t require general anaesthesia and may be done with partial sedation of a dog. Poor Mini!

did you try btw to remove them yourself? IDK if Mini would tolerate it...but mechanical removal also temporarily does the job. In people, at least.

Now that’s interesting enough to investigate.

 

[cefe13]

Sorry to hear about this. Castor has had in-growing eye-lashes and an eye specialist plucked them with a pair of tweezers. We held him and he just sat there while she did it - no sedation or anything.

 

[Lalaloopsie]

Sorry to hear about this. Castor has had in-growing eye-lashes and an eye specialist plucked them with a pair of tweezers. We held him and he just sat there while she did it - no sedation or anything.

Yeah, this is what I meant, simple tweezers can help to eliminate problem temporarily and electrical treatment can help permanently. It is unpleasant procedure but not impossible to tolerate even without any sedation.

 

[cefe13]

Yeah, this is what I meant, simple tweezers can help to eliminate problem temporarily and electrical treatment can help permanently. It is unpleasant procedure but not impossible to tolerate even without any sedation.

The vet needs to have a steady hand, though!

 

[oscarmayer]

We will explore all options when we speak with the Eye Specialist next week. We asked about chance of recurrence and he stated that ONLY does the cryo method and has literally ZERO rate of return. He spoke in detail about MINI's Mega E and how she will be handled during the procedure, anesthesia-wise, bringing her around, & keeping her upright.

 

[oscarmayer]

did you try btw to remove them yourself? IDK if Mini would tolerate it...but mechanical removal also temporarily does the job. In people, at least.

OMG! When all this started (it came on quite suddenly) we tried to put lubricating drops in her left eye and she was having none of it. She was squirming all over and she can clamp her eye shut so tight it took both Sandy and me just to give her the drops. I never could get her eye open enough to see the eyeball. The Vet did get numbing drops in and then could get it open to see the ulcer(s) and the lashes. MINI is just not very cooperative when it comes to treating her so as of last Monday we put her in her Bailey Chair to give her the drops. That seems to work much better. FWIW, Lala is my Angel and MINI is my little Devil girl...she's BAAAAAAAD!

 

[ddnene]

We had the surgery done on Wally... it was years ago, and honestly I can't even remember what our vet decided to do. I will have to do some research on it, sorry... our Winston had the Entropion surgery done, and honestly I get the two confused since both of my male bullies had eye issues.

 

[helsonwheels]

MINI is my little Devil girl...she's BAAAAAAAD!

I can imagine her n Duke....

 

[Cbrugs]

OMG! When all this started (it came on quite suddenly) we tried to put lubricating drops in her left eye and she was having none of it. She was squirming all over and she can clamp her eye shut so tight it took both Sandy and me just to give her the drops. I never could get her eye open enough to see the eyeball. The Vet did get numbing drops in and then could get it open to see the ulcer(s) and the lashes. MINI is just not very cooperative when it comes to treating her so as of last Monday we put her in her Bailey Chair to give her the drops. That seems to work much better. FWIW, Lala is my Angel and MINI is my little Devil girl...she's BAAAAAAAD!

She sounds like me when I am at the eye doctor...get away from my eyes!!

 

[rjisaterp]

Sorry to hear about mini. Jewel too has to have drops daily. Sending positive vibes your way.

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[Dollys Owner]

OMG! When all this started (it came on quite suddenly) we tried to put lubricating drops in her left eye and she was having none of it. She was squirming all over and she can clamp her eye shut so tight it took both Sandy and me just to give her the drops. I never could get her eye open enough to see the eyeball. The Vet did get numbing drops in and then could get it open to see the ulcer(s) and the lashes. MINI is just not very cooperative when it comes to treating her so as of last Monday we put her in her Bailey Chair to give her the drops. That seems to work much better. FWIW, Lala is my Angel and MINI is my little Devil girl...she's BAAAAAAAD!

You mean you didn't use the forum's method of choice for cutting dog's nails- " the Doggie Lift" ?

 

[2BullyMama]

OMG! When all this started (it came on quite suddenly) we tried to put lubricating drops in her left eye and she was having none of it. She was squirming all over and she can clamp her eye shut so tight it took both Sandy and me just to give her the drops. I never could get her eye open enough to see the eyeball. The Vet did get numbing drops in and then could get it open to see the ulcer(s) and the lashes. MINI is just not very cooperative when it comes to treating her so as of last Monday we put her in her Bailey Chair to give her the drops. That seems to work much better. FWIW, Lala is my Angel and MINI is my little Devil girl...she's BAAAAAAAD!

Sorry to hear about this, I’m sure she is in great hands all the way around!!

And— of course Lala is an angel.. she is the lead angel and Mini is still learning the ropes


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