Tuesday 5 November 2013

Red eye in the morning – Vet’s a Calling!


As a Pet Sitter it’s always a bit of a dilemma deciding when a pet in your care needs to go to the vet. You don’t want to run up bills for owners – but I judge it on ‘if this were my pet, would I take them to the Vet?’

I had to make such a decision this week. Let me introduce you to Lotti - a totally adorable to the max one year old Chocolate Lab.

Her owners had left for Bali two hours before I got there - and as I looked at Lotti the first thing I noticed was her winking left eye! I managed to get the owners by text just before their flight. They said she has a history of unresolved eye problems and bathe with saline.

Seeing her eye was weeping I was concerned. Eye problems can go from mild to serious in very short time so I texted back to ask permission to take her to the vet. They said of course if I thought it warranted a visit.

Mark the Vet quickly diagnosed TWO corneal ulcers on Lotti’s left eye. Mark said they would have got much worse without treatment. I came away with drops to administer and the guide that if her eye was not fully normal in three days to bring her back. Thankfully after 5 doses I could see her eye was already improving so looks as if she won’t have to go back.

Sometimes you can afford to leave things a while and see if they settle. Example – Elly, my daughter’s dog, has come up in massive bumps from a bite or sting of an insect more than once. I suggest giving Elly an antihistamine - but invariably my daughter rushes Elly to the vet anyway – and by the time she gets there the bumps are always on the way down!

However, never hesitate in going to the Vet with eye problems or even the slightest sign of gagging/weakness - which can indicate a paralysis tick attack.

Elly has had so many illnesses and visits to SASH that she’s nicknamed ‘Mazda3’ (what she’s cost in medical Bills). But when you're passionate about your pets there’s almost no limit to what you’ll do to care for them - as any pet loving owner will testify!

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