Eye Update

YEAAAA, went to the Eye Dr today and the graft is taking. They plan to remove part of the graft in 3 weeks and I also get to start coming off my eye drops. Man, 21 days until go back to the Eye Dr. That will be the longest time to wait...Thanks to all my PupPals fror keeping me in your prayers.

Eye Update

Mommy took Tanner to be "snipped" this morning and he will be back home tomorrow morning. After mommy got home, she put me in that darn box called a crate and took me to the Eye Dr.

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!! The Dr said that my eye is healing as it should. I still have to wear my lamp shade another 5 days, because mommy told on me, saying that I like to rub my face on the covers. I go back to the Eye Dr. in two weeks and they will do a tear test to make sure I have enough tears in my eye. If all goes well, we are looking at hopefully having the graft removed in about 5 weeks.

Thank You All for your Paw Prayers, they are working.

Help Protect Our Furbabies

Just to be able to catch everybody up to date on what happened with Tucker. I want each pet owner to be aware and LETS protect our Furbabies:

Tucker went to the groomer on December 16, 2006 for just a regular visit…bath, trim, nails, etc… The morning of December 17, 2006, when Tucker woke up, his left eye was matted shut with green gook coming out of it. We had to use a warm washrag to get his eye open. During the day, he kept his eye squinted. As the day went on, I noticed a pin- point dot in the middle of his eye. I sent an e-mail to my breeder to ask her what I needed to do. She said that it sounded like Tucker had an eye ulcer and pink eye and that I needed to get him to the vet ASAP. Thank goodness my vet is in on Sunday afternoons from 4:00-6:00. I got Tucker there right around 4:00 and he confirmed what my breeder stated and we started the first of many rounds of eye drops and creams. I told my vet that Tucker had been at his office the day before to be groomed and it was determined that some type of accident happened while being groomed. We are not sure if it was a shampoo burn, blow dryer burn, from the brush or from clipping around his face.

Tucker made 11 trips to the vet from December 17 to January 17 for follow up visits, to change his medication and to see if the ulcer had cleared up. They check the ulcer by doing a dye test in the eye. If the eye stains green, then there is still a lesion on the eye.

After the 11th trip to the vet, he recommenced that we go to a special Eye Dr.(we only have one in our county and it is not close to our house). (I hate to drive the interstates, but you will do ANYTHING for your furbaby) and went the following day. The vet stated that the ulcer had cleared and put him on drops to clear the scar in the eye. Two days later, we were back at the vet. The drops from the Eye Dr. made his eye worse.

Tucker had his first Corneal Graft on January 31, 2007 and when we went back the next week for his follow up, it was determined that the graft did not take. (The graft is where they take part of the white of the eye from the top and make a slit in it and fold it down and stitch it over the lesion. This is to help heal the lesion). Tuckers 3rd eye lid was so far below that they could not pull it up and use it.

Tucker had his second surgery on February 7, 2007 and they had to remove the first graft, shave part of his eye down, and harvest pig guts to place over the "hole" in the eye and they did the corneal graft from the bottom up this time.

He goes back to the Eye Dr. on Friday to determine if this graft is holding. **(This will be the 20th visit, between the vet and Eye Dr)** There is a slight possability that he could loose his eye. We are praying that this does not happen. We do know that he will be partially blind in the eye, but should be able to see from the sides.

My Vet did ALL that he could do to help clear Tucker's eye up and PRAISE GOD the vet has picked up each and every bill. We all know how much office visits are. Can you imagine how much the surgeries would have cost? I have figured out that the three visits to the Eye Dr. are WAY over $2000.00, and my vet is handling the bills.

I have spoken with a local groomer in my area and he made the suggestion that when looking for a groomer for your pet to walk in without notice and ask for a tour of the grooming area, if they do not want you to go back there, then they MAY have something to hide. We all need to be aware of what happens behind those closed doors when we leave our babies.

I am still going to use my vet for medical reasons, but I have not made up my mind if Tucker or Tanner will ever go back to the groomer. I am looking to see if there is a groomer who has special handling for Shih-Tzu's in my area.

LETS KEEP OUR BABIES SAFE!!!

Paw Hugs & Kisses,
Stephanie

**PS, PLEASE SCROLL THRU MY PHOTOS AND TOWARDS THE LAST OF THE PHOTOS, YOU CAN SEE TUCKER WITH HIS LAMP SHADE ON AND THERE IS ONE TO WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE GRAFT IN THE LEFT EYE** If no photos there, please visit: http://www.myspace.com/ask_again
Mommy has more photos listed there.

03/02/07

YEAAAA, went to the Eye Dr today and the graft is taking. They plan to remove part of the graft in 3 weeks and I also get to start coming off my eye drops. Man, 21 days until go back to the Eye Dr. That will be the longest time to wait...Thanks to all my PupPals fror keeping me in your prayers.

03/16/07

Well, one more week until Tucker goes back to the Eye Dr. and they are suppose to remove the graft that holds the blood flow to the pig implant. Lets say a prayer that all is well. We will know next Friday the 23rd. I told Tucker last nite that we are on countdown until we go to the Dr. I do not think that he wants to go, but I think that I am going to have his daddy go with us, maybe that will make him feel better.

**I have made the decision to go ahead and take Tanner to the groomer tomorrow (03/24), BUT I am first going to call them** I am going by faith and going back to the groomer at my vet office**

03/23/07 -WOOHOOO - Went to the Eye Dr. and got the graft removed. I do not have to go back to the Eye Dr, unless a problem occurs.

05/18/07 - WOW, cannot believe it has been almost 2 months since the eye graft was removed. Tucker is doing better. He still shys away from the bath that I give him. I am going to contact a Myspace Groomer who lives in my town and speak with him about bringing both Tucker & Tanner to visit him and see what kind of reaction Tucker gives. This sorta makes me a little scared. I have been protecting him since December and am now trying to get him use to the "normal" life again.

05/25/07 - Tucker & Tanner are going to visit a new groomer in the morning. This groomer knows what Tuckers issue is and has promised me that Tucker will be much Loved during his visit. I still worry.

05/26/07 - Whew, we made it thru the groomer just fine. We even got home earlier than we thought. The groomer must have wore us out. We came home, got water and layed down and have not gotten up, except for mommy to take more pictures, which will be posted soon.

Home at Last

Just got Tucker home and he is not feeling to well right now. He is sorta walking sideways. Put him streight to bed with his daddy and maybe he will sleep thru the nite. His eye looks yucky, but hopefully this graft will take. More tomorrow when he will let me look at him more....He just wants to be left alone for now.

Please say your dog prayers for a good recovery.

Mommy's Sad

Mommy talked with the vet and found out that I am going to be partially blind in my left eye. The first graft did not take at all and they had to do more surgery then they told her today. They took the first graft off and thinned to top layer of the eye down and did a pig gut harvest for coverage on the eye and now my graft comes from the bottom up. Mommy did not know that I would not have full vision, until a little while ago.

Mommy and daddy are coming to pick me up in about an hour. I want to come home.

Tucker :'(

Oh No, Again (Eye)

Mommy had to leave me at the Eye Dr. again. They have to re-do the graft. The bottom of the graft has worked loose and they have to re-stitch it. Which means, I will have to wear that stupid funnel another week.....Mommy and Daddy can come pick me up late this evening. I hated to see mommy leave me again. She is sitting at home writing you this letter waiting on the Dr. to call and let her know how I am doing.

TUCKER

Not Again

I heard mommy telling daddy this morning that I have to go back to the Eye Dr. today. Well at least, I should get this funny looking funnel off of my head and suppose to take the stitch out of the corner of my eye. Hummm, maybe then I can open my eye more. I have started to run and hide when I know that mommy has to put those wet things in my eye 4 times a day, I think that she calls it eye drops. I call it gross. Wish me luck today. Maybe mommy can write for me again tonite to give my pup pals an updates.

I am Home

Got Tucker home a little while ago. He talked ALL the way home, he did not want to be in the crate, but that was the only way that I could get him home safe. He is sleeping now and getting much needed rest. I hope to be able to take a picture of him later today and post what he looks like... Poor Baby

Morning

MOMMY CALLED TO CHECK ON ME THIS MORNING AND THEY TOLD HER THAT I AM DOING WELL. I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO COME HOME SOMETIME THIS MORNING....MOMMY WILL CALL BACK LATER TO CHECK.

Eye Update

Mommy is writing this for me since I am still in ICU at the hospital. Mommy and Daddy and Tanner came to see me this evening. I was so happy to see all of them, but I still cannot figure out what this thing is around my head/neck. It is like a funnel. The Dr. said that I have to wear this thing for a week, but Heck, I cannot even walk with it on.. but they said that I will learn to walk with it. Thanks to all of my Pup Pals for the prayers and paws. Mommy will try to update tomorrow when she gets me home.

Love and Paw Kisses,
Tucker