400. Plug the leaking aqueous from deep inside the eye.

Sunday April 11, 2011

14 days ago, the young couple was referred by Vet 1 to another "dog's eye expert" at another vet surgery. However the "dog's eye expert" had no time for them. So my associate wanted to refer them to another vet as this was a highly charged emotional case. Some vets refer away the difficult and emotional cases to preserve their reputations. Others do their best as the vets being referred to are no better qualified in many cases, depending on their track record. It is hard to know the track record of other vets as we are all generalists and we don't publicise our clinical experiences.

Eye injuries are emergencies and should be treated within 4 hours of injury. The dog had been injured at the pet shop. Aqueous humour was licking out daily but it was hard for a layman to know what's happening. Under general anaesthesia, I could see the outflow. Like a damaged oil disaster in the Gulf Of Mexico. Instead of from deep inside the earth, the leaking was from deep inside the anterior chamber.

I took out the two stitches. The leak was sealed with a larger piece of white tissue. The eye, at 14th day, always looks horrible to the owner. A big white piece of tissue plugging the perforated cornea (I will show the image later). This case was a successful case.

However, the couple still has lots of nursing to do for the next 30 days. E-collar 24 hours/day. Medication & Eye drops and clean eyes as advised. No freedom to run around - restricted area. No sunlight and breezes and dusts. Follow up after 2 weeks. "The mass will shrink to a white spot some weeks later, if this eye is well cared for," I said. "The oil well has been plugged." I guessed the couple must be well read as they could relate this case to the Gulf Of Mexico oil spill which took several weeks or months to plug and caused environmental disaster!

It is just a pity that many Singapore pet owners of breeds with protruding eye balls do not know that eye injuries are emergencies.