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Eye Removal or Prosthetic Eye?

This forum is for dog lovers seeking everyday advice and suggestions on health-related issues. Remember, however, that advice on a public forum simply can't be a substitute for proper medical attention. Only your vet can say assuredly what is best for your dog.

  
Wilson

1281466		 
 
Barked: Wed Jan 9, '13 12:35pm PST 
Hi-
First time poster, we just joined today! Wilson has one eye as you can see from his picture. His other eye is set to be removed on 1/22/13. Yes, that's less than 2 weeks(Aghhh!) I am hoping to hear from others who have chosen to have their dog either have no eyes or a prosthetic eye and what your experieince has been. Also, I have found pictures of dogs with no eyes, but only 1 or 2 with prosthetic eyes. If you have any pictures of your pal and want to share them I would appreciate it. I am really on the fence on what to do. I think he would be handsome either way, I just want to do whats best for him. Thanks for your input!
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Harvey

Design jewelry,- not dogs!
 
 
Barked: Wed Jan 9, '13 1:27pm PST 
I have two Chinese crested and one Frenchie missing one eye as well as a Frenchie who has lost both eyes. I seriously looked into prosthetic eyes but was not at all encouraged with the information I found.
Apparently it is very difficult to get a correct fit in dogs and most dogs end up digging at the eye and causing more damage, if not outright losing it, and they are extremely expensive. They also have to be periodically removed and cleaned which is uncomfortable for the dog.
Your dog really doesn't care how he looks, false eyes are mainly for looks and fortunately, dogs aren't vain like humans.
As for getting around with both eyes missing, my girl does extremely well as long as stuff isn't moved around! She actually lives in a home with an elderly lady and they both take care of each other. Obviously, unless the yard is fenced, a leash is going to be necessary when your guy is out and my friend does keep a baby gate at the top of the stairs so there isn't any chance of Thelma falling.
IMO. the dog looks more balanced when both eyes are gone.
Good luck with the surgery!!!
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Wilson

1281466		 
 
Barked: Wed Jan 9, '13 3:10pm PST 
Thank you!!hail
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Aina- Aloysius de- LeMaitre

work hard, play- hard		 
 
Barked: Wed Jan 9, '13 6:21pm PST 
My sister's dog is half chow half lab and had all the genetic eye issues associated with chow dogs. Which means that he no longer has either of his eyes. One eye is prosthetic though. The main reason is so that they can tell when he is blinking, sleeping, awake, etc. rather than for cosmetic reasons. He gets around great too. He goes to the dog park (during quieter hours), spends the day at the beach, has overnight stays at friends' homes, plays games that use his other senses since they have become heightened, living a dog's life!
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Vance CGC

You kids g'off- my lawn!		 
 
Barked: Wed Jan 9, '13 7:53pm PST 
Vance had a rather unconventional prosthetic eye, in that it was completely internal. The vet measured his eye after removal and fit a sterile silicon ball in it's place to hold up the musculature of his face. Both eyelids were sewn closed over it.

It cost an extra $50. Our vet gave around a 1% chance of complication, less than 1% of serious complication involving the prosthetic. While it is not considered medically necessary - and therefore for appearances only - the deciding factor for me was our extremely social lifestyle. Since Vance had a very fine, narrow build, without his eye to hold up the musculature of his face, it would have collapsed into his empty eye socket.

I didn't care what he looked like. But I didn't want my dog, used to being oo-ed and ah-ed over, to suddenly have to suffer the distaste of the rather shallow general public. Plus other dogs would notice, and some would react with fear or aggression because he'd be different and perceived as weak.

I have absolutely no regrets. If I had to do it over, I'd make the same choice in a heartbeat. When all was said and done, most people didn't even realize he was missing an eye. Some dogs noticed it smelled different, but that was the extent of it.

I never had any trouble telling if he was awake or blinking or whathave, but in his case all of the musculature around his eye was left completely intact. It moved exactly the same as it always had, only his eyelid didn't open anymore.

It's nice to be able to research this... I had the prosthetic question sprung on me when I dropped him off for surgery, so I had roughly 3 min to make a choice. Just consider the factors in your life and his specific surgery (Obviously fine skeletal structure isn't going to play into your choice!), and you'll come to your answer...

Edited by author Wed Jan 9, '13 7:57pm PST

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Scooter,- PAWS

Power of the Paw- for those who- need it
 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 10, '13 5:14am PST 
I think it's what you are comfortable with. I had a dog whose eye was removed, but only one eye. She was my little winkie cloud 9 Another friend of mine, one of the moderators here, had both her eyes removed due to glaucoma. She was really precious.

Here's her dogster page: http://www.dogster.com/dogs/469390 cloud 9

Whatever you decide, good luck way to gohug
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Member Since
03/25/2013		 
 
Barked: Mon Mar 25, '13 8:21pm PST 
I think I may be making at decision as well. I never thought about not knowing if awake or sleeping. This comes so hard for me. They said recover could be longer If I choose the prosthetic. She has PRA which caused cataracts and now the fibers that hold the eye disengrated and the eye slipped forward. We are first trying to inject it with strong antibiotic to kill the eye and flyers that are causing pressure.

No one said we have to take the eye out and clean it?? Is there any maintence. She has no sight really at all BC of PRA. I don't know If her other eye could soon need it in which case I'd rather just do it at once..
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