Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / September 2004

I have a 11 year old female brittany that in the course of the past 6
weeks has:
1.)Lost either all or a majority of her eyesight (onset was fairly
rapid).

2.)Gained about 15 pounds (she was a self feeder only eating
moderately but started overeating about the time she started losing
her eyesight, and I have limited her supply).

3.)Has a soft hacking cough when excited, picked up, stressed, or
tries to bark.

4.)Seems lethargic, depressed, she is sleeping or lying motionless
most of the time, getting up slowly and moving slowly.

5.)She has a couple of subcutaneous fat tumors,one at the hindquarter
of one leg and another at the shoulder that she has had for years that
her vet has looked at and considers benign.

6.)All other signs seem normal. Normal urinary and bowel functions.

7.)Cushings test was negative.

8.)Took her to a Canine Opthamologist who confirmed loss of eyesight,
but no glaucoma, no cataracts. During her visit, she had her tear
ducts opened to help tearing problem. She later developed a problem
with her left eye-it was red and tended to keep it closed.  The
Opthamologist thought it might be from bumping it and tests for
scratches or damage was negative, and prescribed a cortisone eye drops
which didn't help. Afterward, the dog started to show a greenish
discharge from the eye.  I then took her to my other vet who
prescribed antibiotic eye drops which helped clear up the red, and
allowed her to open her eye now.  Her lens on that eye appears to be a
little cloudier than her other eye now though.

9.)Sometime before a majority of this appeared, she encountered a male
and was possibly bred, but pregnancy tests at 4 or 5 weeks was
negative.

Any help and advice would be appreciated.

Robert