# Dry Eye Experiences?



## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Dry or KCS can be tricky to treat, and expensive if the tear duct completely fail or tear production is low. My first tpoo Baby had the severe form and produced no tears, she was on 2% strength Cyclosporine compounded in North Carolina, Tacrolimus, an OTC allergy eye med and OTC severe dry eye gel, she got these 2x daily. After 6 years of treatment she was so bad that surgery was seriously becoming an option sadly she died in a freak accident.

To answer your question yes, most dogs with Dry eye can be kept pain free and clear but that will cost money, some recover from what I've heard but that wasn't the case with my girl. I spent over 6 years carefully maintaining her eyes, basically keeping them ulcer free. 

I would bring your dog to an ophthalmologist and get a proper diagnosis because there really isn't an easy answer.


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

My last standard poodle Riley developed dry eye. He needed the compounded cyclosporine drops daily. Once we got the secondary infection cleared up, those were the only meds he needed to be on. Several places do compounding of this drug, so I would search around and see what pricing you can get. 

Once I got him on the drops, his eyes were completely back to normal! Happy healthy life. Riley's KCS did however get cured after he had to have both eyes surgically fixed for entropion (weird and we didn't have any expectations of it curing them).


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks guys. So far his eyes look a fair bit better. He's not squinting much anymore, isn't scratching at them as much. Still some goop. 
I chopped off 2 years of topknot growth so that no hair could be falling into his eyes to cause any additional irritation.
He's not finished here just quickly chopped it off in the morning then groomed him in the afternoon 








We'll see how his eyes keep coming.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

It was probably hard on you to lose that glorious topknot, but it will make it easier to treat his eyes and keep flyaways from becoming new irritants. You've got two arms full with Asher's show groom besides. Glad Stryder is doing better after only a few applications.


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## Poodlemanic (Jun 27, 2016)

I've got to say, I have dry-eye myself. The human treatment is, apply warm washcloths when you can, and keep the eyes lubricated throughout the day as needed. The advice for humans is, use a non-preservative eye lubricant, so I do. It's a big pain in the butt!!! But what can I do; I have it, so might as well just deal with it. Anyway just thought I would add the human perspective


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks. I had some dry eye issues when I was younger. Every now and again they get sensitive but it usually goes away on it's own.
Stryder's eyes aren't looking as good as I had hoped. I thought yesterday that they were improving a bit but today I'm not sure if he actually is. We'll be going back to the vet next week for a re-check and see how things are going and if we'll change his treatment.


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

Mysticrealm said:


> On Monday evening I noticed my 12 year old Mini Poodle, Stryder's, eyes looking like they were irritating him. One eye he was holding shut a bit, and they were a bit goopy and the eye lids looked a bit red. I thought maybe he'd gotten a touch of dust in it from our runs outside, but they didn't look better yesterday so I brought him in today. I expected that the vet would find mild irritation from dust and drops for a week and he'd be fine.
> But the vet diagnosed dry eyes. He used those strips to test tear production that there was not much.
> He sent me home with 3 different ointments 2-4 times a day and wants to check him in a week and dry eye is something that usually needs treatment for life with tiny tubes of ointment that cost $70+.
> 
> ...


I have that problem with Bella and have for over 6 years. The medication at my vets was 68.00. I put in the name of the medication "Optimmune 3.5G" and found it for 39.00 and they contacted my vet to get the. I also use Systane gel drops 5 minutes after I put medication in. I do it 2 to 3 times a day and after 6 years no sores on eye ball. She comes to me in the morning and evening without calling her, during the day I just say let mommy do your eyes and she comes running. She is 12 or 14 I forget which (need to check)


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

Poodlemanic said:


> I've got to say, I have dry-eye myself. The human treatment is, apply warm washcloths when you can, and keep the eyes lubricated throughout the day as needed. The advice for humans is, use a non-preservative eye lubricant, so I do. It's a big pain in the butt!!! But what can I do; I have it, so might as well just deal with it. Anyway just thought I would add the human perspective


Since my eye surgery in March I have awful dry eyes. I even watch Bella's more since I know what it feels like. From the human side I use drops 4 to 6 times a day and them have refresh I put in before I go to bed (get it across the counter. Dr recommended something that my cost was 416. per month. I siad oh no


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

thanks I'll look into the gel. I'm goign to make an appt for tomorrow again since his eyes are just not getting better.


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## Mvinotime (May 25, 2015)

Not my poodle but one of my Cresteds was born with KCS severe. One of the eyes was also slightly shrunken. I was not a candidate for the cyclosporine as he can literally produce NO tears. A vet crazily suggested I put him down at 10 weeks old. I have used a severe dry eye gel over the counter drop plus a veterinary ointment religiously his whole life. He is 11 now. At about 3 years of age the right eye which was also slightly shrunken from birth developed a corneal ulcer that wasnt responding to treatment so I opted to remove it. His left eye has been remarkably healthy all these years. My vet cant get over it. I give him the drops about 6-8 times per day and i use the ointment at night and whenever i will be away for more than a few hours. I am lucky that he can go to work with me and get them thru out the day as well. I have always taken precautions such as Doggles when we would go to the beach due to the sand and also anytime he was out in much wind. He has led a very pain free and happy go lucky life. He has never had any infection of any kind or ulcer etc in the other eye. I believe with diligent care to keep the eye lubricated and clean they can live just as normal life as any other dog. My guy is so used to his drops he knows the drill and comes and stands perfectly still for them.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Wow! You are an excellent dog mommy! What you have done for your crested takes a lot of dedication! Kudos to you!


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thank you. Glad your crested has done so well. I'm not sure if I should see a specialist or not. It sounds like that main thing is to just keep on with the drops. But if they could somehow make a big difference for him then I'd want to do that.
Also, question. We did bloodwork and everything came back great but his kidney levels are 15 and normal levels are 0-14. They said I should do a urinalysis. He drinks and pees a normal amount, doesn't really seem to have any other issues than his eyes. Would you spend the 150 or so and do the urinalysis for a level that is just above normal?


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

Mysticrealm said:


> Thank you. Glad your crested has done so well. I'm not sure if I should see a specialist or not. It sounds like that main thing is to just keep on with the drops. But if they could somehow make a big difference for him then I'd want to do that.
> Also, question. We did bloodwork and everything came back great but his kidney levels are 15 and normal levels are 0-14. They said I should do a urinalysis. He drinks and pees a normal amount, doesn't really seem to have any other issues than his eyes. Would you spend the 150 or so and do the urinalysis for a level that is just above normal?


Yes I would whatever the vet says I do. Then you know everything is right. I mentioned earlier Bella has medication and liquid tears 2 to 4 times a day for the last 6 years. I was paying 68 per month for medication, I found same thing and order for 34 a month. Message me if you want to know where to get exact same medication for less


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## sunfunartist (Mar 24, 2017)

I adopted a little poodle with this condition. Her tear ducts never developed. I give her special eye drops at night. She has imperforate puncta, KC's, beginning of cataracts and medical trichiasis and wicking syndrome. Dr recommend surgery. However she will always need drops. It is worth going to an eye care specialist. All the vets said it was allergies which was not the case.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Entellechy (Jun 10, 2017)

Hi Mysticrealm
We have a 13 year old American Bull Dog/Pitt Bull Mix named Cooper. Earlier in the spring he developed (what we thought were allergies) where both his eyes became very irritated. The vet gave us Optixcare15g/.53oz. We were putting it in twice a day along with antibiotic drops to prevent infection because his eyes had discharge.

The Optixcare helped until he ended up puncturing his right eye when he was rubbing his eye on his front leg and caught the dewclaw. Luckily, we were able to save the eye which healed but he did lose his sight. In the meantime, we were putting the Optixcare in 2 to 3 times a day. 

At one of his visits to the vet while the eye was healing they suggested Oplimmune .2% Cyclosporine. It is pricey, but it has helped Cooper immensely. His left eye is almost back to normal. The bad eye needs a shot of Optixcare in the afternoon in addition to the twice a day Cyclosporine. We are trying to get the 'bad' eye back to the point where it isn't red so we can take the cone off. I take it off when I can watch him, but eventually he tries to rub it again so we have to put the cone back on. Luckily, the cone is not really big and he seems to tolerate it pretty good.

I hope Stryder is feeling better soon :act-up:


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks guys. HE is on Cycloyosporin. Some days his eyes look good some days they look not as good.
He ended up with a large lump that formed overnight and grew throughout hte day last week so I had to take him to the vet. It was an infection of some kind so on antibiotics, but the vet also found a grade 3 heart murmur that apparently wasn't there 3-4 weeks ago. So on top of getting a urinalysis done and seeing an ophthalmologist I'm supposed to see a cardiologist as well. sigh


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## Entellechy (Jun 10, 2017)

Oh my goodness! Keep us posted.


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