Hello Jennifer here from New Zealand with a corneal ulcer problem I am desperately trying to get help with. I have two amazing labs – Kai (14 years young) and Teapot (13 years young). Both are completely blind due to PRA, have cataracts and also have recently been battling corneal ulcers. Teapot's ulcers have healed wonderfully well, but Kai has developed a rather stubborn ulcer that hasn't improved after a cotton-tip debridement. Now here's where I am really really hoping to get some sage advice from all you other wonderful lab owners out there. Kai also has stress-induced seizures (tonic-clonic seizures), and getting procedures done at the vet are at the top of the list for inducing a seizure. So I am trying to find out about the various eye drops/alternative treatments out there that might help her ulcer heal rather than go through a keratotomy and more than likely a seizure thereafter. My vet has been absolutely wonderful but they are stuck for solutions as the keratotomy is the best solution but they can’t guarantee that she won’t have a seizure, it’s kind of a hard thing to prevent. Any advice, tips, drops you know about, anything would be very much appreciated. I have been searching the internet intensely over the last couple of days but need to talk to people who know Labradors the best. Thanks for any help at all. Cheers Jennifer
Hi Jennifer and welcome to the forum. I'm sorry I don't have any advice, not having had to deal with this myself, but I'm sure some of the more experienced owners will be along shortly. I just didn't want to read and run. Kai and Teapot sound like lovely dogs, and obviously very loved. Good luck with your search. Fiona, Willow and Shadow
Hi Jennifer, like Fiona I can't offer any advice as it's something I haven't any experience of. Hoping you find a solution to the problem very soon and that Kai recovers well. Let us know how you get on with your search.
Hi Jennifer, so very sorry to read your dilemma unfortunately I don't have any advice either it's not something I know anything about. I just wanted to wish you the very best of luck. Love Claire and Labrador licks from Mabel xx
Hello, and welcome to the forum! I must say, I haven't heard of any non-vet ways of managing corneal ulcers. The risk of treating wrongly is blindness, so mostly the advice is not to take risks and seek expert advice. Corneal ulcers in humans are caused either by infection (bacteria, virus or fungi) or by trauma. Although infections could be fought off eventually with a strong immune system, that would likely be risking further damage to the cornea, so we wouldn't want that to happen normally - not sure what the consequences of that would be in a blind person/dog = pain I would guess. If trauma is an issue, then looking for causes - ingrown eyelashes, tear deficiency, blink or eye closure issues, repeat foreign bodies - might be worthwhile. Something to protect the eye like a good thick moisturising eye ointment could help in this instance (I would use VitA-Pos which is a bit like preservative-free vaseline for eyes) This isn't really likely to be of any practical use to you however, unless it gives you something to discuss with your vet. Because that I would most definitely be my advice. If the Keratotomy is likely to be curative here, is the benefit of the procedure not likely to weigh out the cost of a further stress seizure? - I assume this would occur whilst with the vet so your dog would be in the best possible hands. I guess you have the option of going with the procedure and its risks, or doing what you are right now and giving it more time. How much pain is Teapot in? How distressed by the application of drops and dressings as it stands? Could any pain be increased? I think that is likely to be the biggest factor to me. I hope that you and your vet can work out a solution to this. Can I just say, I am NOT a vet, so can't offer you expert advice, just my opinion, and the only reason I have chipped in here is because your dogs are already blind, otherwise I would say nothing other than see your vet! jac
Hello there and welcome. I'm sorry to hear about the problems with your girl. It does sound though as though it's quite serious, and simple effective drops are perhaps not available - if they were, I assume your vet would have offered them. I know you are just looking for every way to help your girl, but it's a sad thing that lots of "alternative" and unproven remedies are available on the internet for people who are desperate to find a solution....so do take care. Is there anything that the vets can do about the stress induced seizures? Any options for sedation before she gets to the vet or things like that? Perhaps a different vet might have some more ideas along those lines..... I wish you all the very best in finding a way to help your girl.
Hello Everybody Thank you all so much for your lovely welcomes, wishes and advice, which is all very much appreciated. It's been a relief for me to read other Labrador owners experiences and advice as there is always something that someone else has thought of or experienced that really does make sense. I know I get a little too emotional when anything happens to my two, that I kind of lose my “common sense” so that’s where the support from a forum like this is really helpful for me. Kai’s ulcer does appear to be getting better, albeit very slowly, and I am due back at the vet for a review in a couple of days. I think I just want to be able to find something that is instantly going to relieve the pain/discomfort she is in at the moment, which perhaps is not quite possible until the ulcer starts healing properly. We did try anti-inflammatory eye drops but she had a bit of a reaction to them. Will also ask about underlying conditions that may be making the ulcer harder to heal. Jac – thank you so much for the info/advice The Vitapos sounds good so will try that out as I have seen it at my local chemist. Also will be having another look under all of her eyelids etc just to make sure there isn’t something lurking that is causing extra irritation in her eye. We did have try to have a good look around her eye when we had the anaesthetic in her eye to do the cotton-tip debridement but our wonderful Kai is extremely good at keeping her eye closed (took the Vet, the Vet Nurse and myself to pry it open) and she refuses to let me put drops easily in her eye. Unfortunately, her seizures tend to always happen in the early hours (around 3am-5am) if they are going to happen so the vet can’t do anything to prevent them. They can try and help her stress levels with some sedation, but she is a super-sensitive dog, always has been ever since she started going blind and even had a seizure when we moved some furniture one day. Julie – thank you very much also for your advice Sorry, I should have been clearer on the word alternatives – I was looking for perhaps the occasional human medication that is used safely for treating dogs. So thank you everyone – all info-advice gladly received. Cheers Jennifer
