 |
| The Fox and Dreyfus |
Monday, February 6, 2012
What is "Cherry Eye"?
"Cherry Eye" is a term used for prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid. When the gland prolapses, owners will notice
a red lump in the corner of their dog’s eye or eyes.
Dogs receive their tear film from two
tear-producing glands. One gland is
located in the upper eyelid and the other is located in the lower lid within the pet's third eyelid. The gland of the third eyelid contributes a good
portion of the tear film to the eye. When out of
its normal position, blood does not circulate properly within the gland and it may
swell. It is usually not painful to the
dog but it will interfere with normal tear production.
The exact cause of "Cherry Eye" is not known,
but it is thought to be secondary to a weakness of the tissue that holds the
gland in place. Some breads especially Beagles,
Boston terriers, Cocker spaniels, and bulldogs have a higher incidence of this
condition.
Treatment
The only acceptable treatment of "Cherry
Eye" is replacement of the gland to its proper location. Preservation of
the gland is the goal. Years ago many
vets simply removed the gland but the importance of preserving tear production
is now recognized. There are two
techniques commonly used to replace the gland. Your veterinarian or a veterinary
ophthalmologist will decide which technique to use. Complications from "Cherry Eye" surgery are usually
rare but recurrence is common. Some swelling
after "Cherry Eye" surgery is normal but this should resolve and the eye should be
normal in appearance in about 7 days. If
the eye suddenly changes in the appearance or it appears painful, it is
important to contact your veterinarian right away.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
What's that thing on Jude’s collar?
You might have noticed something on Jude’s collar and wondered what it was.
It’s his GPS tracking system! All my Beagles have them. As we all know Beagles lead with their noses so it’s a safety device if they happen to get out of the yard unaccompanied. They are also all microchipped.
Fortunately, no Beagle has gotten out since owning the device so I can’t tell you how well it works. I can tell you that I can track where they are at all times on my phone and computer and that I’m notified both by text and email if they're out of their “safe zone” (i.e. we forgot to turn the device off when we take them for a walk). Also, the device is lightweight, attaches easily to any collar and the dogs don’t seem to mind wearing them. If you are interested in purchasing one I recommend researching them online to figure out which one is best for your dog.
If you're looking for a Beagle...
Polly Rescued, Now Needs Her Own Family
Paw Print: This beagle mix is really a southern gentleman
Mr. Bench is a 5- to 6-year-old tri-color beagle mix who was rescued from a shelter in Kentucky.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
How to Destroy a Perfectly Good (and Expensive) Plush Dog Toy in Less Than 3 minutes by Jude
 |
| First select your victim. As you can tell by the bandage this poor guy was already previously wounded. |
 |
| Ummm....what part to destroy first? |
 |
| Jude selects the wing. Not a bad choice. |
 |
| Success!!! The wing is removed. Noticed how Jude used the wall for support. |
 |
| Jude briefly admires his work. At this point I stepped in and took away the whole toy. No foreign bodies on my watch! Jude was mad but nothing a treat couldn't fix. |
Cutaneous Hemangiosarcoma
 |
| Victor |
As I mentioned in Victor's bio he has a history of cutaneous hemangiosarcoma. I thought I'd briefly talk about cutaneous hemangiosarcoma, so you know what to look for and how to potentially prevent it.
What is Hemangiosarcoma?
Hemangiosarcoma is a, fast growing, highly invasive malignant
form of cancer that arises from the lining of blood vessels. While
hemangiosarcoma can theoretically arise from any tissue where there are blood
vessels, there are generally three common presentations: spleen form, heart base form and skin form. Unfortunately, hemangiosarcoma
of the spleen and the heart base have a very guarded prognosis. Like any tumor of the spleen, splenic hemangiosarcoma has a high risk
of sudden death since these tumors like to rupture, causing the patient to
rapidly bleed to death. If you’re pet is going to have
hemangiosarcoma the skin form is the best type to get since it is usually
easily removed surgically, and therefore has the potential for complete cure.
The Skin Form
Hemangiosarcoma of the skin
usually appears as a small red or purple-bluish mass or multiple masses. They are typically found on non-haired areas
of the skin most commonly the abdomen, prepuce of male dogs or inner
thigh. So when you're giving your dog a belly rub take a really good look at their abdomen and inner thighs. If you notice any small red, blood blister or bruise like masses contact your veterinarian right away. The cause of skin hemangiosarcoma is not completely known
but it is believed that excessive sun exposure plays a role. Also, dogs with short white fur appear to be most
at risk. Approximately
1/3 of cases will spread internally so it is important to remove these growths
as soon as possible.
 |
| Victor enjoying the sun a little too much! |
Diagnosis
The method of choice for diagnosis is skin
biopsy. This is when a tissue sample
from the mass is taken and examined microscopically by a pathologist.
Since there is always a risk that the tumor
has spread I also recommend doing the following tests
- Routine blood tests
- Chest x-rays - hemangiosarcoma likes to spread to the lungs
- Ultrasound of the abdomen and heart - to look at the spleen and the heart base both detectable with ultrasound
- Possible CT
Treatment
Surgical removal with complete margins is the
treatment of choice but complete surgical excision can sometimes be difficult. Therefore, radiation and/or chemotherapy may
be required as well. Your veterinary
oncologist will decide this.
Prevention
Limit your dog's exposure to sunlight which can be very hard if your dog loves lying in the sun. If you can't then try using pet safe sunscreen or cover ups like a t-shirt.
 |
| Victor inside and out of the sun! |
Victor was fortunate because he had no evidence of metastasis and we were able to cure him with surgical removal. He's about 2 and half years out from surgery and is doing very well. I do however check his abdomen daily!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)