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rds my eyes and scratching me every time I blinked, but I did figure out that if I clenched my eyelids closed really tight, then my eyes didn’t hurt as much. I guess this actually prevented the muscles around my eyes from relaxing. So, not only were my eyelids growing the wrong way, but my muscles also weren’t allowing them to move. The whole thing made my eyes hurt, and thinking about it makes my head hurt.
The people here at the rescue helped me with a surgery that used sutures to “unroll” my eyelids and hold them in the right position. Not only did this stop them from from scratching my eyes, but it also helped relax my muscles. The sutures stayed in for two weeks to give my eyes time to heal from all their scratches and to give my muscles time to “relearn” how to blink.
It turns out that if my eyelids aren’t clenched very tightly, I can see! Things are a little blurry, and my eyes kind of have a filmy look to them, but the people here keep putting ointment on my eyes to help clear things up. I guess my vision will never be perfect, but I’m so glad not to be living in the dark anymore!
When the sutures came out after my first surgery, things went great for a few days, but then I started waking up with gooey eyes and even after my eyes were cleaned and treated with ointment, they were gooey again by the afternoon.
So, I went back to see my friends at the vet and even though my eyelids were better, they weren’t perfect. They were still rolling in and causing fur and eyelashes to hurt my eyes. I still have so much growing to do, that no one wants to try a major surgery on me until my I’ve grown into my skin (and hopefully we can still avoid that), but my eyelids also have to learn to stay in the right place and stop hurting my eyes. So this time, I fell asleep and my vets once again repositioned my eyelids. This time though, they used surgical staples instead of sutures. I know, I look a little like Frankenstein, but this way, my eyelids will be able to be held in the right position for nearly a month. During that time, I’ll keep growing and my face muscles will continue to learn their place- and my eyes won’t hurt!
So, the bad news was that my eyelids are still a work in progress and I had to endure my cone for another week, but the good news is that my ear infections are gone and I’ve gained 11 pounds! I’m also growing lots of fur. I still need special baths and have some dry skin flakes, but overall my vets are very happy with my progress and I got my second medicine to treat the demodectic mange that was bothering me.
Okay, so I’m being honest, I am still a work in progress, but who isn’t?! Here’s the thing. I’m a puppy and I have tons of energy and learning to do… and I need a home. All my nice people, from my snugglers, to my walkers, to my vets, to my treat givers… everyone agrees I need a home! The people here are going to continue to help with my care and work with my forever family to make sure that my eyes are okay, but no one wants to see me growing up in a home other than my forever home.
So, here’s the deal:
I am about 13 weeks old and full of ALL the energy and ALL the curiosity. I want to go everywhere, all the time and meet everyone! I am going to need an active home that can keep up with my energy, but my people are going to need lots of patience while teaching my how to be the best dog I can be.
I am very cute and very cuddly, and I love everyone, but I really need to be in a home with people over the age of 14. I didn’t have other puppies around when I was growing up, so I’m still learning a lot about manners and inhibition, and that means that I need a family that can handle my puppy chewing. Young children are probably going to be overwhelmed by the way I like to explore the world with my mouth.
Aside from friendly, fun-loving and active people, what I would love is a very active canine friend that can help teach me appropriate dog manners. I want to run and play and chew, and I need help learning who to do that just right. Older dogs and very small dogs find my energy and enthusiasm too much, but another bigger playmate would be great!
I’m currently 21lbs, but when I’m full grown, I’ll probably be around 70 lbs. We hope that at that time, I’ll have finally grown into my face!
For the next two weeks, my staples will have to stay in, but my cone can stay off as long as I don’t rub my eyes (and I try to be very good about this). I no longer need my eye ointment, but I will need a check-up at the end of two weeks so that my vets can assess my progress. The staples may come out at that time, or they may stay in for a little longer. It all depends on how my face and eyelids looks.
If my eyelids need continued help while I grow, the nice people here are going to be there to help my forever family. If I end up needing eyelid surgery, they people here will be there to help for that too!
So, if you like to go on lots of adventures, play lots of games and have another four-legged family member that needs a buddy, please email the people here at Catkins_wi@yahoo.com so they can tell you more about me!