Poor Gus!

[Islander]

Poor Gus injured his eye doing what Cairns do on Saturday. Chased something into the bushes and came out with his left eye definitely bothering him. Must have been scratched by a twig. Quick trip to the emergency clinic and came home with pain meds, antibiotic eye drops and a large cone of shame, which I switched up with this inflatable collar. (What was another few bucks after what I shelled out at the clinic?) He is healing well and not trying to paw his eye, but the clinic advised to keep the collar on until we see our vet for follow up on Thursday. Also to keep up the pain meds for 5 days and drops for 7 days. Poor little guy! Oh well, he had a lot of fun on Saturday until the nasty old twig got him!

[Sam I Am]

Oh Gus you poor Cairn. Sending lots of healing thought. . I know the cone of shame is by itself torture to any self respecting Cairn.

 

 

[hheldorfer]

Get well soon Gus.  Those collars are humiliating, aren't they?  I've never seen a Cairn (or any other dog, for that matter) look happy while wearing one.

[sanford]

Thanks, Islander for switching Gus to an inflatable collar! I would have done the same for Ruffy. Nothing is too good for our cairns!

(That photo of such misery really tugged at my heartstrings).

Edited February 15, 2016 by sanford

[Islander]

The home care instructions I got at the clinic said that dogs could panic when wearing the cone. Now I ask you, how does that promote healing? Gus might look unhappy with his Zen Collar, but at least he can see and isn't bashing into things. His only difficulty with the collar is trying to lift his leg against a wall.

Took him for a walk yesterday and someone asked me if he was going swimming! 

 

[Sam I Am]

[pkcrossley]

ouch and why do i have to have this dumb thing on? steady on, gus. next time wear a cool pair of shades.

[Hillscreek]

So a guy gets an injury in line of regular cairn work. No need to humiliate him with that collar thingy. Give him a meaty bone and a medal for his collar. Angus

PS Angus may say that but I do worry some about his eyes when he darts into the brush on a cairn mission 

[sanford]

Yes, I also worry about Ruffy's eyes when he darts into, and thrashes about in the underbrush. Although I don't know for sure, l assume that the cairn's natural "bushy" eyebrows, left untrimmed, hang down in front of their eyes like an early warning system. Just like our own eye lashes, they trigger an avoidance reflex to protect their eyes. (It helps that I also happen to like the naturally shaggy, cairnish, terrier look). Nevertheless, cairns will rarely be cautious!

Edited February 16, 2016 by sanford

[Islander]

I think the bushy eyebrows help, and Gus is pretty shaggy right now, but somehow managed to get a fair sized scratch and a pinhole on his cornea. But, that's a first in almost 8 years of patrolling the underbrush. 

He is fine now and I am considering leaving the collar off today because he hasn't been showing any signs of rubbing his eye.

 

[Dempsy's Mom]

Oh, glad Gus is better. Whew.

[_whits_]

Yeah for freedom from the collar!

[josie&holly]

Ivy has lots of sympathy for you Gus as she has been having to wear a cone or the inflatable collar for a while due to her dew claw removal.  Hope his eye quickly heals so he does not have to have that thing on for long!

[Islander]

Gus was cleared for normal activity by our vet! He has to go back next week to make sure cornea is 100% healed, but vet said he looks fine. She said it was a really flukey thing to happen, as eyebrows and blink reflex usually protect eyes. Gus is a happy boy! 

She also told me to keep up the antibiotic drops but stop the pain meds (Metacam) immediately. Seemed a bit disapproving of emergency vet for prescribing. Interesting.

Gus says, thanks everyone for your sympathy especially about that collar!

 

[hheldorfer]

Thank heavens you can say goodbye to that collar Gus!  Happy trails!

[Autumn & Lola]

Sorry I missed this!  Poor Gus!  Lola said his collar looks like a big, yummy doughnut.  I cracked up at the 'going swimming?' comment.    So glad he is better now.

 

[Islander]

I haven't been updating you folks because it's been such a waiting game, but Gus's cornea is not healing properly. We have just come from our third recheck, and the scratch has cleared up but the pinhole has not gotten any smaller...it is not infected because I have been diligently giving him antibiotic eye drops, but if it does not heal he could lose his eye. So tomorrow he is going for a surgical procedure, under anesthetic, called a grid keratotomy. The vet will incise a grid on his cornea that she says will stimulate healing. She said she has never known it not to work -  so I am very hopeful, but I know you can all imagine my anxiety.

I will post when I get him home tomorrow afternoon, but it will be a week before we know for sure whether this has worked.

Fingers and paws crossed, please!

 

[bradl]

Definitely many positive thoughts coming Gus' way, and yours.

[Hillscreek]

Oh goodness. Poor Gus. Even Angus is deeply concerned! Cairn work is cairn work but no need for serious stuff like this. We'll be thinking of you. Hope all goes smoothly.

[hheldorfer]

Poor Gus and poor you.  Fingers and paws are all crossed here.  The best of luck to you and Gus tomorrow.  We'll be waiting to see your post after the procedure.  

[Jack]

All fingers and paws crossed here. Good luck to Gus and you.

[Kathryn]

Gosh, Gus, I know you need those eagle eyes to spot those little rodents, lizards and snakes! So try not to rub those eyes and heal up quick!  Your mom is counting on you - and so are we.

[Islander]

He might have his donut collar on again.....

[Sam I Am]

The cone of shame is a no biggy  if it saves his eye. Keeping my fingers crossed and Rosie is sending a Scottie Vulcan mind melds for positive healing. It's coming your way Gus!

All kidding aside best wishes with a successful procedure. Please keep us updated.

[sanford]

So very sorry to read this! Like all of us here, please take hope at the vet's words... that she has never known the procedure to fail.