Puppy with dry eye

[Heather_R11]

Hello,

I just adopted an 11-week-old CKCS and the last 2 weeks have been very difficult. I wanted to share my story in order to help others with their fur baby as well as seek advice/help for my fur baby.

I was looking for a companion for my 6-year-old female CKCS and to possibly have puppies, as I am extremely fond of Cavaliers! I knew the puppy had an eye infection when I bought him. The lady said one of his littermates scratched his eye and he was on meds, but he was about done with them. After closer examination of his eye I realized it was not better and immediately took him to my vet, who said he (Bentley) was not a well puppy. He did the Schirmer test and his eye was not producing any tears.

I bought him from a lady out in the country and her place reminded me of a puppy mill, with a bunch of dogs in cages, and there was no way I could take him back there. I thought she raised her dogs in her home. Nope, Bentley’s parents were in her stinky garage.  

My vet referred me to a vet ophthalmologist who said Bentley had dry eye, a corneal ulcer, and obviously, no tears. He prescribed Ofloxacin-antibiotic, Erythromycin-antibiotic, and Optixcare-eye lubricant, to be administered every 2 hours and recheck in 2 days. I diligently gave him the meds every 2 hours for 2 days and the doctor said the ulcer was nearly gone and his eye was 75% better. I was so happy and his eye looked so much better. The eye doctor said to continue the meds for another 5 days and recheck. The ulcer was gone and he took him off the Ofloxacin and started him on Cyclosporine to produce tears.

So that is where we are now, he’s been on the Cyclosporine for 4 days. The doctor said apply it 3 times a day, but I’ve read a lot of data that says most vets prescribe it 1-2 times daily. Since he’s so small, I’m only doing it twice daily. He has diarrhea and horrible gas, and he has vomit twice. Poor thing! I’m so worried about my sweet little boy.

Before all this I had never heard of dry eye. I’ve spent every spare minute researching it. I’m completely overwhelmed and not sure what to do! Most of the data I’ve found says dry eye usually occurs in older dogs, not puppies. I don’t know if Bentley was born with something wrong with his eye (congenital) or if he just caught an infection from the puppy mill/farm. I don’t know if his eye will heal and be normal or if I’ll have to give him eye drops for the rest of his life, much less, which eye drops do I give him?! (tear production drops, artificial tears, Tacrolimus, Genteal, I-Drops, Collidad Silver) I don’t know if the Cyclosporine will help produce tears or if it will give him cancer. I don’t know if he will go blind or they will want to take his eye out! I know one thing for sure, the saliva duct surgery sounds awful!

Sorry for going on and on. This is all new territory for me and I’m a little stressed. Not to mention, so far I’ve spent $500 at the eye doctor and I won't be able to breed Bentley. I realize Bentley has eye issues that have to be dealt with and they are not a death sentence, but it makes me so sad that I don’t have a clear solution to help my sweet little puppy.

Again, I hope my story will help others who have a puppy with dry eye, because I haven’t been able to find a lot of information about it. The doctor wants to see Bentley in 2 weeks and I’ll try to post an update then.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Heather  

[Misfits4Me]

Heather, You need to file a complaint against this backyard breeder & get him/her closed down!!!! Your Vet will know where to begin.....Post it on FB, her websight, anyplace you can find, to warn others.....

Thanks, Karla

[Misfits4Me]

Thank you Margot for answering this one...I felt myself going on a rampage!! You know me well enough to know why!!! ;)  Karla

[Margot49]

Cavaliers can have their share of health issues and eye problems.  Do a Google search for eye diseases in the CKCS.  Try cavalierhealth.org, for a start.
You obviously realized this was not a reputable breeder you got your pup from.  I assume you were not given any health guarantee?  This person is obviously breeding for profit.  Breeding us a big responsibility and there is a lot of science involved, if done correctly.  All pure bred dogs can have some genetic factors that a reputable breeder tests for whenever possible.  They do their best to try to maintain the integrity of the breed.  
Why do you want to breed?  Do you know the breed? Have you studied up on possible genetic problems?  Do you know the pedigrees of the dogs and have studied the ancestry?  The list goes on.  If you just want to breed your dogs for the sake of breeding, whether you are doing it in a barn or your nice home, makes you no better then the person you got this pup,from.  Sorry, but those are the facts.
Aside from that, you need to go on the recommendations of the Vet.  Do read up on the disease and treatment.  If need be, seek a second opinion.  This is certainly a condition that will take life long treatment.  
Akso, since you have been to the Vet, I assume the pup has been tested and treated for parasites and is on a shot plan.
Sorry, Heather, that I am being so blunt but, hopefully, others will read this and learn.
Yes, please do come back and update and I hope Bentley is better soon.