Rita and I left early to go to Abilene for her monthly vet visit. It’s been five months since we learned she had glaucoma and had gone blind. Today was the first good report we’ve gotten about her eye pressure. The intraocular pressure should be between 10 and 20. The first time Rita’s eyes were checked in Austin, her pressure was over 90. We now see a vet in Abilene monthly to get the pressure checked. Drive almost two hours, spend 10 minutes with the vet, drive almost two hours back home. I suppose we need to add “a vet that can check dog’s eye pressure” to our list of retirement location must haves!
We use two drops in her eyes, Latanoprost and Dorzolomide. It’s been trial and error to get the combination right. We started out using the Latanoprost three times a day and the pressure was too low. Then we cut back to twice a day and it was still too low. The next time I went, the vet told me to use it once a day but her eyes were getting cloudy and the pupils too enlarged so I use it about every 36 hours. We’ve never changed the dosage for the Dorzolomide.
Today the pressure in the left eye was perfect! First time ever. The pressure in the right eye was just a little low. The vet told me “we’re knitpicking” but wanted to try to get it down. She said that even if it stays where it is now, she’ll be happy and she thinks Rita is pain free. She said we may eventually get on some weird schedule where we put Latanoprost in two days, skip a day, use it one day, skip one day. It’s crazy . . I wish I could get the pressure checked more often just to know if adding more or cutting back is helping. But, the four hour drive and about $50 each time they check the pressure . . just can’t do it.
Anyway, I was happy with the good report. Rita knows the routine now. She’s pretty nervous on the way over. She sits in her little bed and lets me pet her. On the way back . . she’s snoozing!
Rita
It’s so cute that she’s sleeping on her back with her paws curled under. I wish I could hold her and snuggle with her but she does not like being held.
Rita
She’s just so sweet . . I love her little brown nose.
Rita
She was so tired. Hardly anything I did caused her to wake up.
Rita
If she could talk, I think she would have said “Can you please just drive and leave me alone?”
I’m so happy she came to our house. I keep thinking how much I would miss having a dog right now if she hadn’t shown up here. Speaking of dogs, have you priced dachshund puppies lately? $900 to $1,500. WHAT?? We paid $150 for Speck in 2000. Is there a dachshund shortage? Unless one shows up on my doorstep, I don’t think I’ll be having a dachshund again any time soon. You never know what may show up around here but somehow, I’m not getting my hopes up that it will be a dachshund puppy.
Cilla Tyler says
I am so happy to hear Rita’s eye pressure is so much better. She is just too adorable the way she sleeps. When my Little Latte (Dachshund) died I needed . Not that I had a shortage of Dachshunds here at the time. I never do. I do Dachshund Rescue and there is rarely a puppy. I found a breeder 2 1/2 hrs away and bought my Neuschie for $750. That seems low now. Not quite a year later my friend bought his sister, same parents…different little. They were asking $9 but went down to $750 because she knew me. I now have the sister. Neusch is 3 and Heidel is 2. NOTHING alike in looks or temperament. So $1000 would not be unreasonable in this area. I can get you in touch, I’ll pick it up and housebreak it, you fly here and pick it up……….lol Hey Vince!!!!!!
Sara says
She is adorable!
Judy Laquidara says
Thank you! We think so! We would never have gotten a chihuahua but she is just perfect for us.
obed101 says
We get doxies to place in adoptive homes from time to time. In fact, we just had a litter of mixed doxies come through. They went to homes pretty quickly. Look at rescues, Austin has a great group of rescues in the city area.
Judy Laquidara says
Thanks! I’ll do that when we’re seriously ready for another one.
Sherrill Pecere says
She’s a lucky pup to have found you two! And my cat’s the same way..doesn’t like to be held. He stays near but not too near. I got my dachshund at the pound and he looked like a purebred (but then my cat looks like a purebred Siamese but his momma was a calico).
Pat says
Rita has the cuties sleeping positions. Just love seeing pictures of her.
Nelle Coursey says
So glad Rita is doing well. We bought both our Corgi’s for $300 and now they are $1500. I think it has something to do with the fact they can get it! Sometimes you can get a good dog from a reliable breeder for less just because there is some reason they can’t be show dogs. Or there is always the rescue groups. Look on the internet for Dachshund rescue groups and see if there is one near here or near Navada. They will sell you one for a lot less but you may have to have letters from your vet and references. I am not sure. They just don’t want to see them go to a bad home. Can’t blame them though. There is also a program at the Juvenile facility here. It is in conjunction with the animal shelter. Called the “PAWS” program. (pairing awareness with service or something like that) It is a prison thing. The kids train the dogs to be inside dogs, they are crate trained, taught tricks and when you get them they are already neutered/spayed and shots. I think the cost is $75. You can check with the animal shelter to see for sure. The kids who train them have to be on their best behavior. The dogs are not hurt or harmed in any way by the kids. They are thrown out of the program if there is any problem.Check it out!
Rebecca in SoCal says
I’m happy that Rita turned out to be such a sweetie. I was wondering what she was like in the car; I didn’t picture the sleeping! 😀
Donna says
Rita is so cute! Glad she got a good eye report!
cindy says
when my dog had glaucoma, the vet took out the liquid in her eyes and replaced it with something else and she never had to have any further treatment.