Gizmo's Eye Surgery Day!

The day finally arrived. The day Gizmo would have eye surgery to fix a common problem among dog breeds with bulging eyes like shih tzus, cocker spaniels, dachshunds, bulldogs, pekingese, poodles, flat-coated retrievers and shetland sheepdogs.

There are three general causes why dogs grow eye lashes on the inside of the eye lids: infection, genetics or neglect. The process is called distichiasis and causes scratches on the coronea, eye ulcers and eventually blindness. Gizmo is not quite three and already showing signs of blindness.

If you haven't read Gizmo's story you can find it on a separate page posted on this blog. Gizmo is a puppy mill rescue and the product of pure human neglect. Sadly, our "little dude" has had many medical problems, but is doing well after a year and a half of good food, clean living and excellent medical care.

We waited to have the surgery until Gizmo was healthy and then we waited for a surgery date. We took G-dude in at 0915 this morning and finally got home around 1600 this afternoon. They froze the unwanted eye lashes off! They used some machine that Austin Power's would love and treated both upper and lower lids to freeze and burn off the lashes - including dormant lashes! The vet said that nine times out of ten the procedure is a one time complete cure. The surgery is called: cryoepilation or cryotherapy where they apply liquid nitrogen to the lashes while trying not to damage the meilbomiam glands (sweat glands) that secrets oils to prevent the evaporation of the natural tears that lubricate the eyes.

I was nervous all day as we wandered around trying to shop (yeah) and be productive. I was quite proud that I only called the vet twice to check on his progress. I kept imagining the little guy in a steel cage terrified that this was going to be his life again. I told him over and over on the drive down that it was only for today, but he only looked at me his with sore eyes and wagged his tail. He wandered off with vet tech with a bounce in his step and barely a backwards glance.

When they brought him out after surgery it looked like he'd been punched in the eyes during a terrible Dain City bar fight. Both lids swollen so badly you could see the pink fleshy meat protruding beyond his now pale outer lid. Graphic. I saw him and couldn't stop the tears. His eyes nearly swollen shut, wearing a cone, heavily sedated and still that tail started wagging.

I took him outside and put him on the ground to pee, but he just fell over. We brought him home and tried to put him in the heated dog bed on the floor, but he tried to get up and move around. Falling again.

Well.... there's nothing I can do tonight, but sit and watch TV with a snoring Gizmo passed out on my chest. His little body limp with exhaustion and the level of relaxation that only comes from narcotics.

Me? I'm enjoying a well earned glass of wine. Cheers Gizmo and many good wishes for a healthy and quick recovery.