Skip to content

Going to the vet today for eye issue

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • Before you think that it may be worth the risk with fox tails, a friend of mine just spent $600 because her dog got a fox tail up between his toes. So be aware fox tail injuries can be very expensive.

    Did you see a vet opthamologist or just a regular vet? If she hasn't been seen by a vet opthamologist and has a chronic eye condition, you may want to get her checked out.

  • Poor baby. Obviously you will need to cook for her, let her sleep on the bed and cater to her every need. You know, a normal day.

  • Yikes, why did it cost so much?! Did they have to sedate the dog and surgically remove the thing?

    I've heard horror stories of foxtails up the nose, etc., so I know it can be an issue. But I'm not concerned about the way we play it. For example, I live in a neighborhood where, frankly, lawn care is not a priority. There are foxtail jungles landscaping at least three houses down my block. We march right by them when we're out on regular walks, and if I tried to avoid every clump of the weed in my neighborhood, we'd be tracing hieroglyphics up and down the street. Heh.

    The parks that we continue going to are far from foxtail-free, but the layout and general maintenance efforts make it possible to not be too troubled by them. That is NOT the case at this other park that we basically have to abandon over the summer because it becomes completely overrun by weeds of all kinds. =(

    This was just our regular vet. I haven't ruled out a specialist, as I'd love to get more customized answers, someday.

  • @agilebasenji:

    Poor baby. Obviously you will need to cook for her, let her sleep on the bed and cater to her every need. You know, a normal day.

    :D:D:D
    Doesn't take much to justify any of that though.

  • @curlytails:

    Yikes, why did it cost so much?! Did they have to sedate the dog and surgically remove the thing?

    Yes, and I know basenji owner who had a similar vet bill due to fox tail removal about 2 years ago.

  • @agilebasenji:

    Poor baby. Obviously you will need to cook for her, let her sleep on the bed and cater to her every need. You know, a normal day.

    LOL, yep normal day.

    On foxtails, wow, $600 is normal. I know a gal with a spaniel that ended up a couple of thousand between dx, specialist for the surgery because of how far into nasal cavity her reg doc wouldn't do it. Reminds me that somewhere I have a picture of the bandaged up dog. But I also know a gal who nearly lost her dog when it actually aspirated one into its lung. (Okay so just spent 10 min looking, so old of pic must be on my old computer files that were transferred to leora's new one). Anyway, yeah, they are terrible. My friend spent a fortune eradicating them from her yard and surrounding area after her dog got one in eye. Wasn't terrible cost to remove it as I recall. We don't have them here, btw,

    http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art29569.asp

  • What are foxtails?? … I happened onto this thread because today I'm taking oak to the vet because his eye ( which too has always been watery; not the one with corneal dystrophy either) has been red and extra wet but as of yesterday I came home from work to crusty green blobs, I thought it was allergies but now I think it's conjunctivitis...I felt like every ten minutes I was wetting a warm cloth to clean his eye...poor boppy with all this weird eye stuff! Naturally he got extra cookies and love from me....

  • They're a prickly little weed that's shaped like its namesake. Apparently it's only found West of the Mississippi River?

    http://speakingforspot.com/blog/2011/05/31/its-foxtail-season-again/

    They seem really bad this year so far (they haven't stiffened and dried out yet), so I'm a little nervous.

    Hope Oakley's eye troubles are a simple fix!

  • Oooo…. Out here we have things that look very similar to that, however they are in area near the wetlands, ponds and such...never anything I have to avoid.... They almost have wire like razor feel to the individual hairs...hmm, I learn something new everyday!

    I too hope we're done with vet visits for awhile ( knock on wood), I do just think its a case of mild conjunctivitis because he shows minimal to no irritation but it is crusting and forming mucous....I'm such a worrier now about his eyes (and gum!)
    Thanks

  • We have foxtails here in British Columbia (west coast of Canada). Kipawa had trouble with some in his ear last year, in addition to him having a small sea shell stuck in their too. Vet bill, if I remember correctly, was just under $500

  • Fox-tails are prevalent in most of Canada I believe. We have them here in northern Alberta, everywhere. They are just a weed. But if they get into the skin they will keep working their way in and are very hard to pull out, kind of like a porcupine quill. I have never had a problem with them or with the dogs and them for that matter, but I hear they can be a very nasty weed to deal with if they work their way into the skin. I have also heard of them gettin stuck up dog's noses. Not pleasant!

  • Oak went to the vet and low and behold, just what I thought- conjunctivitis…poor bop, extra treats, sticks and love...

Suggested Topics

  • Eye issues causing vision impairment

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    20
    0 Votes
    20 Posts
    3k Views
    tanzaT
    @senjisilly - I believe that she was seen by a Ophth so they would have seen if it was PRA since she had already been losing her sight
  • Eating Issues

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    13
    0 Votes
    13 Posts
    4k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    The FDA can only do what the laws allow and if the govt is controlled by lobbyist, well.... But this isn't the place for politics so I'll leave it at that. I am very sorry about your horse. :( With meat.. it's particularly red meat that research is linking to cancer... early research shows amount is a big factor (recommendations from 4 oz a day to max 18 oz a week), but who knows. Processed meat is the worse, and I saw some headline (didn't bother to read since I like my beef shortly after it stops mooing) that well done steaks more carcinogenic. For the world, reducing red meat is good for the environment and health. I was reading a study last week on red meat and joint inflammation. Studies the last 15 years actually only have general connection, but that most do is a pretty good indicator. I had a doctor tell me to stop all red meat and milk when I was a teen and experiencing joint pain. It helped, but back then, no internet and not much access to current research. Here we are 45+ years later, and still no strong proof and some show that reducing carbs with increased LEAN red meat actually decreased inflammation. However, we then get this Science Catch-up. Red Meat And Gut Inflammation: Harvard Study ... https://thehealthsciencesacademy.org/science-catch-up/science-catch-up-28/ Jan 18, 2017 - Red meat and gut inflammation: Harvard study. According this new Harvard study involving 46,500 participants, eating high amounts of red meat daily might be a risk factor for gut inflammation and the development of diverticulitis. << So no one has absolute proof, but my money is on reducing red meat is more likely to be healthier than not. I just don't rule out all meat (ie fish and fowl) as getting enough protein is pretty hard and we don't have enough hard research for ME to go vegetarian. But I'm open to it and glad you are having success.
  • Eye issue

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    71
    0 Votes
    71 Posts
    29k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    Pat, yeah, it was many but the specialist from GA (who does CERF btw, or did, could be retired at this point) said all were iris to iris and none should cause her issues. But you can still see them. I am comforted to know that a lot of strands don't pass as I honestly don't remember seeing that limitation, only on placement. Been a long time since I looked at CERF. But the issue was and then, the person LIED. She sent me a puppy for my child, who already had more on her than any child should with my health issues, that she obviously had no clue about– a puppy she had no clue about it's eye health. And then wanted her back if I wasn't going to breed her as she would. Yeah, over my dead body.
  • Issues with legs

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    3
    0 Votes
    3 Posts
    2k Views
    D
    How old is your dog? I would take her to a specialty clinic or university clinic that would have both a neurologist and an orthopedist. My 1 year old deaf rescue girl who is a herding/spitz mix has shuffling feet, tremors, and other problems. She was seen first by the neurologist and they suggested x-rays and more testing. My regular vet did take x-rays of the neck, back and hips. I took her to an orthopedist to review the x-rays. Since she was a stray they do not know what caused the problem but it was suggested distemper or perhaps another infectious disease. I just took her to an opthalmologist and her eyes are good but she does have sensitivity to light. Distemper almost always causes eye problems. The specialists are suggesting an MRI of the back, neck and a spinal tap for her. If your dog was adopted as a puppy or an older pup, I would check with the Humane Society to see if she may have had distemper or some other disease. Did she have an accident where she might have injured her back or neck? You might want to look into getting a doggy wheelchair since she has good movement in her front legs. I am sorry for the problems your girl is having and I hope you find out what is causing it. Jennifer
  • Today's Vet Visit

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    2k Views
    RedVelvetLynxR
    Thanks for the advice. I bought a small pack of unscented, alcohol-free Pampers wipes - so far, so good. If the Wet Ones are safe to use, then I'd like to try those - I use those everyday anyway (I'm a germ-a-phob). And as always, Trinity is so compliant - totally helps the process!
  • Watery eyes??

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    11
    0 Votes
    11 Posts
    5k Views
    DiegosMomD
    thanks for the link tanza!