Reader Feedback on the Treatment of Glaucoma in Pets

Readers have sent in questions and comments on the treatment of glaucoma in pets.

Reader letters

The following subjects are covered:

• Glaucoma in Bicheon
• Cocker spaniel misdiagnosed
• 13 year old cat
• 5 year old dog
• Glaucoma in cocker spaniel

Glaucoma in Bicheon

April 16, 2003

My vet has just informed me about the glaucoma with my Bicheon. He’s almost 12 years old and has had cataracts for about 5 years in both eyes. Because of the expense, we never had the cataracts removed. Now we have this problem. He is possibly suggesting having the entire removed. What is your opinion and do you know what something like that will cost? Also, since he is blind anyways, how will this effect him overall?
Thanks for the info.

(no name given)

Answer

The big problem with glaucoma is that it can be painful to the dog unless treated. If the glaucoma has caused permanent blindness, it is easier to have the eye removed than to continue to treat it. Unfortunately, it may cost around $700 for the operation.

You can treat the glaucoma with drops or medication. But it is human medicine and not cheap.

Your dog probably can see a little, even with the cataracts. Having the eyes removed would make your dog completely blind. Dogs seem to get by fairly well being completely blind, since they have a good sense of smell.

It is not a pleasant choice to make, especially since it can be expensive.

Best wishes in your decisions concerning your pet.

Follow-up

Thank you for your response. My little fellow has been blind in both eyes for about 5 years. The left (one with glaucoma) went first. Both eyes are completely glazed however I think he maybe able to see shadows with the right. I understand there are two hospitals in our area (South Carolina) that does this type of surgery (eye removal). One is in Charlotte, NC and the other in Mt. Plesant, SC. Do you know where either hospitals are so I may be able to contact them about pricing.

If not, thank you anyway for your assistance to me.

Answer 2

If the glaucoma is to the point that the pressure is so high that it is painful to your dog, then some operation is advisable. You can often tell when a dog is in such pain, because it will act listless. It is just how you would act with a real bad headache.

Personally, I feel if an operation is not necessary, you can avoid it. Also, it depends on what the vet thinks is the best for the dog.

It is probably a good idea to check with your vet for a recommended place to see about having your dog’s eye removed, prices and such. I’m sure the vet would be able to give the proper advice as to where you should go for further care.

It is always tough when our loved ones have such problems.

Cocker spaniel misdiagnosed

October 18, 2002

My cocker spaniel was recently misdiagnosed by my Vet which I found out from a specialist that there is no way now to regain sight in her. My question is with today’s technology is there an option for transplanting a eye for pets. Has it been done? My other question is what am I to expect after introacular prosthesis surgery? Are there problems or concerns with this process? How long does it take to heal?

Thank you,
Theresa

Answer

Theresa:

Unfortunately, many vets do not correctly identify eye problems. If you dog lost the vision in one eye, it is not much of a problem. Even dogs that are completely blind are able to get around fairly well, with some guidance. I saw a woman walking her dog in the park without a leash, and the dog had been blind for 5 years.

References on blind dogs are:

http://www.blinddogs.com/ and http://home.attbi.com/~cdlevin/yellow-book.html

Eye transplants haven’t been that successful in humans and are not really an option for pets.

My dog lost her sight in one eye, and we kept it in. But then she got a painful ulcer on the cornea that wouldn’t heal, so we had to have the eye removed. There was a choice of replacing it with a silicon eyeball so the socket was not sunken in. Since that is only cosmetic, we opted for just having the eye removed. She had to wear a cone for a week or so to prevent her from scratching the stitches.

Personally, I would hold off on having a blind dog’s eyes removed unless they are infected or giving problems. You just have to be careful that the dog doesn’t get poked in the eyes. Check with your vet specialist or ophthalmologist on the best path to take.

Best wishes with your cocker spaniel.

Follow-up

Thank you for your email. My dog’s Ophthalmologist is highly recommending to have the eye remove due to the fluid in the eye is stable for now but she said will change eventually since the medication won’t last forever. The other issue is the cost of the medication is very expensive. I don’t see how most people can afford the cost of the doctor bills and medication. I was told by me regular vet that the pet insurance wasn’t worth it. Do you have any opinions on the insurance?

Thanks,
Theresa

Answer 2

Unfortunately, the medicine used for glaucoma is human medicine, so it costs much more than that for animals. But still, the eye drops we use on our dog cost about $20 a bottle, which lasts a month. If your dog is already blind in the eye, then it probably isn’t worth medicating.

Pet health insurance is relatively new. You would probably end up paying more for the insurance than you would for vet bills. And I don’t think you can get insurance to cover an existing condition.

Follow-up 2

Thanks for your help. It really does help. Yesterday Haley had her surgery and so far so good. Her healing shouldn’t take to long since her spirits are up. The only problem that I have is that she is really antsy. Since I have alot of stairs in my house my fear is that she is going to fall since her collar restricts her from climbing the stairs. I don’t feel comfortable taking the collar off since she wants to rub her eye. Any recommendations?

Theresa

Answer 3

Our dog had a skin condition on her leg that took very long to heal. To keep her from licking it, she had to wear the Elizabethan collar for over 3 months, day and night. We would only take it off to let her eat. She got used to it, but she sure was happy to not have to wear it after she healed. After a day or so of wearing it, she was able to go up and down the stairs. But it is clumsy for the dog.

It is better for Haley to be uncomfortable for a short time than to scratch the stitches.

13 year old cat

October 17, 2002

Hi. I went to my veterinarian this morning, to have my 13 yr old cat’s eyes tested for glaucome. He went blind about five weeks ago, at which time there was no suggestion of glaucoma, but in the last few days his eyes were tearing. One of his eyes was “17” on the pressure test and the other was was “29”, which was high. So he has been put on TIMOLOL 0.5% Three times a day.

After reading your article I’m wondering if it should be less as he might become immune to it. What do you think? Looking forward to hearing from you.

Tina Bonkowski

Answer

Tina:

I know that the medication loses its effectiveness in animals after a few years. But then there are other medications that then can be used. But still, I feel that it is better to give just enough to do the job. You could try a drop twice a day, but I would run that by the vet first and then go in for another glaucoma test in a few weeks or so to check if it is OK.

I started with two types of drops 3 times a day and have cut it down to 2 times a day now, and she seems to be fine.

Best wishes with your cat.

5 year old dog

September 12, 2002

My dog is 5 yrs old. He has been diagnosed with Glaucoma. He is taking Xalatan and Demercarium drops and Methamide tablets. We were surprised last month to find our dog walking into kitchen cabinets and chairs. We took him in immediately.

He seems to be responding to the Meds fine, but we will find our how well the pressure has been reduced today after our vet’s appointment.

In the morning and during the day our dog appears to be able to see fine, but every 5th night our so, he appears to stumble into things. During this time his eyes appear to be shut. Then the next morning he is fine again.

I’m hoping my dog’s Meds will be able to work permanetely, if not I’m hoping he will be able to save his vision and get the Laser Cyclotherapy. If not I guess the removal of his lens will be necessary.

Do you have any suggestions?

The Meds are costing about $150 per month and the Vet visits are considerable more. Do you know if there are organizations that contribute funds to these causes? I don’t think so, But I’m checking the Internet any way.

Bye,
Steve Lazalde

Answer

Steve:

It sounds like your dog has serious Glaucoma, if he is taking drops and medicine. I had been giving my dog the Methamide tablets, but the problem is that they can be tough on the liver and kidneys over the long term. Right now I give her Timolol and Tusopt (Dorzolamide) drops. She lost one eye to Glaucoma and we are trying to keep her remaining eye free from pressure. The drops aren’t cheap, but they are nowhere near $150 a month.

Our regular vet did not do a good job at checking for Glaucoma nor diagnosing it until my dog lost her vision in the one eye. The vet then recommended an animal ophthalmologist, who really seems to know his stuff. There aren’t many around, but if there is a university with a veterinary school nearby, I would suggest seeing if they have ophthalmologists and if you could get an appointment to have your dog checked there.

I don’t think removing the lens will help with Glaucoma, since it is internal pressure that causes the problem. The laser surgery may be an option.

If worse comes to worse and your dog loses his vision, he still can get around fairly well. I met a lady walking a lab that had been blind for over 5 years. The dog was not on a lease, either. But obviously, you don’t want that to happen.

Best wishes with your pet. It is heartbreaking to see them have such problems.

Follow-up

I visited my dog’s ophthalmologist. My wife saw him Aug 20th. My dog’s eye pressure is down from 66 to 44 in both eyes. This is still too high. So he recommends the laser surgery. This surgery kills the cells that cause the fluid pressure. This procedure will also save my dog’s vision, or what he has left.

This surgery will cost over $1600 and there will most likely be a follow-up surgery which is included in the original $1600. However, I’m not sure what Meds will be necessary after the surgery, or how much that will cost. It’s too expensive to get a 2nd opinion. So we will have to go for it. I’ll probably schedule in the next 2 weeks.

This eye clinic is in La Habra off of Beach Ave.

Answer 2

Yes, 44 is still too high. It sounds like your dog has a serious case, if the pressure was up to 66. Although $1600 is a lot of money, it cost us around $700 to have our dog’s blind eye removed. After she lost her vision in the eye from Glaucoma, it developed a painful ulcer that would not heal.

I think the success rate for humans with that laser surgery is fairly good, but I’m not sure for animals. One problem with treating with medication is that animals seem to get immune to the medication and drops after a few years.

Although it won’t make you feel any better about having to spend more than $1600 on your dog, five years ago, we spend close to $4000 on treatments to save our dog’s life from a threatening fungal disease. But, what can you do when it is a part of the family?

I’m glad your dog is under good care, and I hope the surgery will successfully save his vision.

Give him a dog biscuit from me.

Glaucoma in cocker spaniel

July 4, 2002

I found a cocker spaniel (female) about two months ago tied to a pole at a construction site. I took her to the ASPCA for observation over night and all tests were done. They found her to be in good health, just under weight, a urinary track infection and a possible glaucoma problem. I was referred to an Ophtamologist and pressure was taken and yes, they did find glaucoma, so they prescribed METHAZOLAMIDE 50MG half a tablet three times a day.

Before taking this medication, she was full of energy, playing with the ball and with our other pet, a young poodle. We live next to the park, so she would walk all around the reservoir and sometimes even want to jump in the water and wanting to chase the birds. It has not been 2 weeks since she has been on this medication and she has become very lathargic, depressed, loss of appetite and just not herself.

I took her back to her treating physician at the ASPCA (Bergh Memorial Hospital) and her treating physician immediately told me to stop the medication, since it has so many of these side effects.

I then got a call from the Ophtamologist because I had left several messages about all of this and they told me to stop the medication for 24 hours, if she feels better arter that, to stop the medication and make another appointment. If she does not get better, then resume the medication, but instead of three times a day, half a tablet, to reduce it to two half tablets a day.

I had found your web site and found it quite informative and just wanted to see what you thought about all of this as well. The Ophtamologist is a very luxurious NY doctor and I just have a gut feeling that they just don’t do they homework as well, besides charging the large fees.

Her treating physician at THE BERGH MEMORIAL HOSPITAL – ASPCA, returns my calls, remembers the different ailements without having to look them up, and is really a “hands on” Dr. I trust this Dr. very much and she told me to totally discontinue the pills. She took new blood samples, urine, etc…, just the other day and wants to see if there is any change in her blood since the ingestion of these pills.

Well, I think I have explained enough… I really care about this dog and I just want her to enjoy the last years that she has left (they think she might be between 7-8 years old. I would really appreciate if you could get back to me with your thoughts about all of this.

Thanks,
Tim

Answer

Tim:

The problem with giving your dog tablets is that the medicine goes through the blood stream until it reaches the eye to do its work. This can be hard on the kidneys and liver. According to our dog ophthalmologist, it is much better to use drops directly in the eye.

My Golden Retriever lost one eye to glaucoma. We treat the other with eye drops. We give her a drop of Timolol and a drop of Trusopt, twice a day to keep the pressure down. These are common medicines for both humans and animals with glaucoma problems.

Note that an ordinary vet often does not have the equipment or know-how to check for glaucoma pressure. Does your ophthalmologist specialize in animals or humans? We go to an ophthalmologist/vet specializing in dog vision. You might check with some nearby universities that have veterinary schools. Quite often you can get an appointment with a dog ophthalmologist through them or they can refer you to someone.

Best wishes with taking care of your dog’s eyes.

In conclusion

Hopefully, these letters will help you to deal with glaucoma with your pet.

Also see: Treatment of Glaucoma in Pets

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Positive thoughts can comfort your pet

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