SUBWAY
Winston’s Vision Victory AN EYEFUL OF EASE
PERFECT PET HEALT
Hello there! I hope you and your animal companions are having a great year so far. Not to spoil any good times, but I need to tell you a scary fact about your dogs and cats: One out of three of us will likely need emergency treatment this year — and it may cost you between $1,200 and $3,500 to make us feel better. Since you’re already such a good animal guardian by spending so much money on our food and general care, it’s possible you may not be ready to part with the extra funds needed to help us when we get really sick. That’s where pet health insurance comes in. Like human health insurance, pet insurance helps remove your anxiety and worry over caring for us when the unexpected occurs. It costs about $65 monthly for dogs and $32 for cats. There are a variety of pet insurance plans available. Generally, they cover accidental injury, fractured legs, ingested foreign objects, unexpected illnesses (allergies, digestive upset, etc.), dental diseases, chronic diseases (diabetes, arthritis, heart conditions, etc.), non-elective surgeries, and prescription medications. Please be
Sam
Winston is a very boisterous and handsome 3-year-old English bulldog who came to us with a history of chronically swollen, rolled eyelids and a corneal ulcer. On examination, it was clear he had difficulty opening his swollen eyes, which were red and tearing up. On closer examination, all four of Winston’s eyelids were rolled in, and the hair from each was rubbing on his eyes. Entropion (abnormally rolled-in eyelids) is a common eyelid issue observed in many breeds, including bulldogs, Chinese shar-peis, and chow chows. We started Winston on an eye lubricant, antibiotic eye drop, and allergy medication called Apoquel to help decrease his eyelid swelling and better evaluate the severity of his entropion at the baseline. At his two-week recheck, his eyelids were much less swollen and showed decreased discharge. His entropion was still present but less severe. After discussing the best treatment options, Dr. McGinty and Winston’s loving owners decided it was best to move forward with a surgical procedure to correct his entropion and make him more comfortable.
Depending on the severity of the entropion, correction may require two surgical procedures. This surgery aims to remove enough tissue to better align
the eyelid margins and keep hairs and eyelashes from chronically rubbing on the eye. It is also important not to remove too much tissue, as this can result in pets not being able to fully close their eyes, causing exposure keratitis and dry eye.
Winston was admitted for surgery, and his eyelids were shaved and sterilely prepared. Dr. McGinty then surgically
removed a small layer of excessive skin in a crescent shape. Holding the edges of the incision together, he evaluated the improvement of entropion and removed smaller amounts as needed until the alignment was more typical. These incisions were then closed with skin sutures.
Winston
Winston recovered well from surgery and anesthesia, and he was sent home with a cone collar. At his two-week recheck, his eyelid incision had healed well, and his eyelids were in a much more normal position. His eyes were also wide open and comfortable. As Winston ages, he may need additional corrective surgery. We will continue to monitor him at his annual examinations and correct any issues if needed.
Contact us! 319-743-0554
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