The time finally came for dear Treasure to have his eye appointment. We already suspected he would be permanently blind, but I wanted a specialist to give us their opinion. Dr. Anne Cook is a Veterinary Ophthalmologist who takes care of our eye issues at Noah's Arks Rescue. Sweet Treasure was on his best behavior with Dr. Cook, allowing her to do a thorough eye exam.
Treasure has hypermature cataracts in both eyes. As a result, he has minimal to no functional vision. Hypermature cataracts have generally progressed past the optimal point for surgery. There are a lot of adverse effects of these cataracts sitting in the eyes for so long that have occurred. Both lenses are "loose" or subluxated, meaning they are falling out of position. The vitreous or jelly in the back of the eye has degenerated markedly and is migrating to the front of the eyes. On ultrasound, both retinas have areas of detachment, which is common with this course of events and, unfortunately, prevents successful restoration of vision.
The good news is that his eyes are mostly comfortable with normal pressures (glaucoma is often a result of the above conditions). His tears are low, which is why he is making so much discharge. He has special medication for his eyes, which should keep him comfortable. One of the main reasons for the eye exam was to make sure Treasure was not in pain with the condition of his eyes. The good news is that he is not, and the new medications will ensure he is always comfortable.
Treasure still needs help walking. He has been sedentary for so long that he has little muscle mass. He gets physical therapy, including [specific exercises or treatments], to help him develop muscles and learn how to balance. We have him fitted in a cart to help him move around, which he is learning to use. The cart enables him to interact with all the other dogs during playtime.
Treasure is missing a foot and part of his ankle. Initially, we decided not to post this information because many people contacted us saying he was their dog and had been stolen. Not one person mentioned his missing foot or other characteristics unique to Treasure. His foot is something that happened quite a long time ago based on how it had healed completely. We have asked for medical records and pictures of anyone who said he was their dog. No one has come forward with reliable information, and the DNA taken has not proven successful.
We have also discovered that Treasure has lost almost all of his hearing. This means he relies on other senses to navigate his world. Treasure only knows you are there by feeling or vibration from his surroundings. He loves the touch of humans and the interaction with other dogs and is not scared.
Sweet Treasure is taking Life one day at a time and loving all the attention. His next major undertaking is having many of his teeth removed because they are abscessed. We have put this off as long as possible, but now is the time since we think his teeth bother him. Treasure is now stable enough for our vet to sedate him and undergo surgery, which is happening in the coming week.
We will update you again once he has had his surgery. In the meantime, we must raise funds for his eye procedure and upcoming dental surgery. We are so grateful for your past donations, which have helped us provide the best care for Treasure. Please help us and help him by DONATING.
