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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Posting here for traffic - need urgent opinions about my lovely Dog :-(

162 replies

Huskylover1 · 02/02/2017 20:07

I have posted in the doghouse section, but no replies, so posting here for traffic.

We have an awful predicament. Our dog is 8 years old. She suffered Glaucoma when she was 3 years old, and after treating the "bad" eye with multiple drops a day for 18 months, she had to have that eye removed (the tissue started to die).

On 22nd December, she walked in to a wall, and we knew something was wrong with her "good" eye. We got her to the vets and the pressure in her eye was too high, meaning that the Glaucoma had now hit her "good" eye, so she was hospitalised. She came home a few days later, and amazingly a week later had her sight back! Felt truly blessed!

She was placed on a treatment plan of about 11 drops a day. With a plan to gradually decrease this, as things stabilized. Thankfully, I work from home!

Anyway, since then she's had 2 more relapses (pressure in the eye too high). This is very painful. She was admitted again yesterday, to be placed on 2 IV drips. One reduces the pressure in the eye, the other hydrates her organs.

So, this is her 3rd admission and hooking up to IV's, since 22nd December. The vet says that with 3 admissions in 6 weeks, the prognosis for the eye doesn't look good, ie. she will be blind forever now, and we have 2 options :

1)Remove the remaining eye
2) Put to sleep

She is home now (picked her up this afternoon), and we don't have to make this decision until her next relapse. This could be tomorrow/next week/next month, no idea. The pressure will spike, she will be in pain, and we will have to quickly decide what to do.

I am not sure that I can see her with two sewn up eye sockets! It feels cruel. She is a magnificent beast, a black and white husky with bright blue eyes (well, she did have). She's a real hunter. Loves running wild off the lead and playing fetch, both of which will now be off the menu.

DH thinks we should remove the eye and see how she copes, but this is another major Op, and when we got the first eye out it was horrendous, she had a bad bleed and her whole face was matted in blood. I am thinking it would be kinder to PTS. I don't think it's fair to put her through another major Op, just to buy another 4 years (till her life expectancy), which would be a life of no sight and effectively no communication, as she can't speak!

That's the predicament....very grateful for any views.

OP posts:
Aeroflotgirl · 03/02/2017 12:39

I am not a dog owner and never have been (want to be in the future), but my heart goes out to you.

If she is otherwise healthy, I would see how it goes, how she copes with being blind. You never know, her other senses might develop more to help her cope, and she could have a very good life.

Aeroflotgirl · 03/02/2017 12:44

So what if she has sewn up eyes, she is still your dog, you would accept a disabled person, so the same with a dog!

RachelRagged · 03/02/2017 12:54

When you listed the things that she loves doing, would she be able to continue to do so, probably not.
Personally ? I would put her to sleep . so sad though , so sorry.

RachelRagged · 03/02/2017 12:55

Or, as I not PPs have said, give her a chance without her sight first ? You could see how it goes as pts is of course so final.

Aeroflotgirl · 03/02/2017 13:55

So, the dog might still be able to do these things, mabey op can get an animal behaviourist or a dog expert in, to mabey train her. The dog can still have a good life, might be a bit different, but give her a chance first. Unless her health is suffering, there is noway I could do that.

Mummyoflittledragon · 03/02/2017 14:36

Aww bless. I don't know if you've made a decision. But I'd definitely go for the op in your situation. Dogs need their eye sight a lot less than humans. So it's rather like comparing apples and pears. And her other senses will be more honed to compensate, which happens in humans.

piknmixer · 04/02/2017 02:16

Hope you're ok OP and you haven't had to make a decision yet

It's so hard - when our girl went blind I cried for a week, I worried about her eyes going white; about having cataract operations and if they would work; about her not being able to see our faces.

Until I realised she wasn't crying at all - she was just the same dog as she used to be, she just occasionally bumped into things.

Blueskyrain · 04/02/2017 03:41

I have a cat who is fully blind. She chases and bosses our sighted cat round, engages in the usual rough and tumble and most people don't even realise she's blind unless I mention it (or she occasionally walks into something). She was born blind, but her quality of life is as good as any sighted animal. She is currently purring on the bed as I try to sleep.

Animals can cope with these things better than humans I find. I can see why you find the whole situation so distressing, but your dear dog may well be able to adjust fine.

Original poster
Huskylover1 · 04/02/2017 05:04

Thank you for all the advice. I am a mess. I've been sleeping in her bed, fgs.

OP posts:
Original poster
Huskylover1 · 04/02/2017 05:14

And have cried my mascara off. Who needs wipes?!

OP posts:
gardenangels · 04/02/2017 05:32

I think you have your answer right there. You love her and she really deserves a chance. If it does not work out you will have no regrets having her PTS.

If you do have her PTS I think you will always regret not giving her a chance.

BillyDaveysDaughter · 04/02/2017 05:48

Aww. I'm here and reading, sorry you're going through this.

For me, if the dog will have no quality of life, pts. I have a working terrier who partially ruptured a disc in her spine at the age of 2, which was when her behavioural issues started (excessive anxiety, vocalising and aggression). She had spinal surgery at the age of 4 when the disc ruptured fully, and recovery was difficult. We are agreed that when the next disc goes, she's not having another surgery...its too much for all of us.

She is now nearly 10, and is in constant low grade pain, managed with drugs on her bad days. She has had a few episodes of severe pain and neuro deficits, but she always rallies with morphine, rest and steroids. She's nervous, excitable, noisy and aggressive. Horrible to walk and can't be out in public. She cannot be around strangers or other dogs - at Christmas she tried to savage someone who got too close, luckily she was wearing a muzzle. She has severe tremors - probable nerve damage - which make her entire body shake. She's seen 6 behaviourists, the last of which was a clinical one, who said she was not a good candidate for anxiety medication (it could disinhibit her and cause her to bite without warning). She licks and worries at her back feet due to suspected nerve pain.

And yet, she appears to be a bouncy healthy dog on the outside...it's impossible to say goodbye when she's still tearing around the house flinging toys around and getting under my feet!

I feel for you. Make the decision you know to be best. Flowers

Floralnomad · 04/02/2017 10:20

The thing is you won't know what her quality of life will be unless you give her the chance , I'm sure dogs can adapt and the things that make her happy now might not be the things that make her happy when she is blind but other things can then make her happy hopefully .

Original poster
Huskylover1 · 04/02/2017 23:34

So, the pressure spiked this morning. Despite me and DH agreeing that we would let her go, he had a massive turnaround at vets. So she's had her eye out. I am beyond devastated. I cannot bear to have a dog with two sewn up eyes. I cannot speak. Came home and threw myself in to bed. After a few hours I managed to call the kids. Neither thinks this is right. Opened the wine at 5.15pm, went to bed at about 9pm (drunk) and now I'm up again with some more wine. I actually cannot bear what tomorrow will bring - picking her up, with 2 fucking sewn up eyes, I just want to run away.

OP posts:
user1482443190 · 04/02/2017 23:49

I don't think I can say anything useful but have been reading your post for a few days and wanted to know know that someone was listening to you.

I have 2 dogs, both relatively young and healthy, they are my life, so I can understand to some extent how you feel about your huskies impact on your life. Mine are active farm dogs and would have to make major adaptations in your pups circumstances. I would make the choice you felt best too.

Don't feel guilty for your reactions - drink your wine, don't feel bad for feeling like you do.

Do you have any other RL support? x

Strokethefurrywall · 04/02/2017 23:57

I'm so sorry. I read your earlier thread and all I can say is wait until tomorrow. Let her rest and recover.
She may bounce back quicker than you'd anticipated once she's free from the pain.

I have no words, I would have wanted her PTS as well OP, horrible thing for you to face Thanks

tobecontinued2000 · 04/02/2017 23:59

One of my dogs is blind and she's adapted very well.

She runs, plays, sleeps fine and still loves swimming. You wouldn't even know which dog was blind if I posted a video of all 4 of them running on a walk.

Mine is blind due to different circumstances and will never regain her sight, however, she is happy and bouncy and still very happy in her life.

It's a very personal decision, but I thought I would share my blind dogs story and that it's not all negative for a blind dog.

Original poster
Huskylover1 · 05/02/2017 00:09

I feel numb. I have kind of felt like crawling in to a ball all day. I'm so annoyed that DH turned around his opinion in the vets he was crying and I felt backed in to the corner. I cannot bear what tomorrow will bring. 2 fucking sewn up eyes on a majestic beast. I'm so cross.

OP posts:
Girlwhowearsglasses · 05/02/2017 00:09

Op have a look at this m.youtube.com/watch?v=DZjMo06QSMM it's a blind whippet called Kiera - she's quite well known. I have met this dog - she is gorgeous and really friendly and happy. As you can imagine she is a whippet and has to run- but she does run!! Her owner writs a blog.

I can honestly say she is still a. Eautiful dog and she has a good quality of life. I met her at a whippet show and she was getting so much love!

I hope your dog is ok and I think you will find a way.

TheoriginalLEM · 05/02/2017 00:10

Oh you poor thing Flowers

Did she even have any vision left? if thats the case the eye being gone will be nothing but relief for her.

I would be in two minds and like i said upthread i have a dog losing his sight due to cataracts. It is gradual for ddog and hopefully he will adapt.

I am a vet nurse and see a surprising amount of totally blind dogs. What is even more surprising is how well they cope. We had one little dear recently, totally blind, in for something unrelayed. He was miserable just stood with his head in the corner. Utterly dispondent and i felt he should be pts. Until i took him out to his owner! The change in that little dog reduced me to tears in a waiting room full of clients Blush He was just soooo happy. He was miserable because he was in the vets just like other patients. He had good quality of life and his blindness didn't stop that.

They also don't have the stigma attached to disability the way we do as they are aware of the here and now. They don't care if they look odd. That side of things is very much your problem although totally understandable. You'll get used to it, especially as she finds her way around.

The blind dogs i know still go for walks and lead a happy life. It probably feels like the end of the world just now but she will adapt. If she doesn't then at least you gave her that chance.

UnbornMortificado · 05/02/2017 01:15

Oh Husky I'm sorry. I couldn't of told you what the right thing to do was but I don't think it's right you were backed into a corner like that Flowers

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 05/02/2017 07:17

Oh Husky, she's still your dog, despite the sewn up eyes, she'll need all you live now.
Let her have some time to recover and see how she does.

Lumberries · 05/02/2017 07:36

I have basset hounds and there's a whole community of basset owners. Eye removal is really common in the breed and often at a similar age to your girl.

Herman (a basset we regularly walk with) has had both eyes removed not long ago but his quality of life is awesome. He has a sister (babs) who's younger than him and they've worked out a sort of guidance system between them. Their owner walks them in the same place all the time, started on a 10 metre horse lunge line and gradually increased it once Herman had worked out the area he was in. If he's unsure, he finds babs and puts his head on her back or walks with his body in contact with hers until he's got his bearings. He's now off the lead again and they use a dog whistle for recall.

They've worked hard on his recall so that it's instant. The dog whistle is a highly directional sound so he knows exactly where it's coming from and can find his owners with that and his sense of smell.

When we meet up with them, my dogs ply with him as they would with any other dog and they have a great time.

Herman has adapted brilliantly so it is possible, his eyes were removed at 8 and he's 14 now!

Mummyoflittledragon · 05/02/2017 07:52

This isn't a competition between how you and your partner feel. This is about an animal, who loves you to bits. Your dog is still alive and probably has a few years left in them. They are at the vet surgery right now pining after you. I really think you need to take a big step back and be the person your dog needs you to be. Getting drunk and wallowing in self pity is not going to solve the situation.

fizzingmum · 05/02/2017 08:00

First time I have cried reading AIBU. What a beautiful dog. Such a tough position for you OP. I couldn't imagine having to make that decision Flowers for you.