Molly’s Eyes - update 3

We kept our appointment at the Davies Vet Specialist Centre where we met with opthalmologist Rose Linn-Pearl. 

 After an extremely thorough examination using lots of state of the art equipment to look through Molly’s eyes to see what was going on there Rose was able to give us her prognosis.  Molly has a luxated lens, glaucoma and optic nerve damage in her right eye and has less vision here than in her left eye, a real surprise to us as we thought the right eye was her ‘best’ one.  Optic nerve damage cannot be reversed.  In Molly’s left eye as well as the luxated lens the ‘gel’ in the anterior section is loose and floating about within the eye.

She explained that the ‘gold standard’ treatment in cases of lens luxation was to remove the lens completely which would give/save some vision albeit distant mainly, there would be some loss of near sight.  The second option would be drops to constrict the pupil to prevent the luxated lens from being able to slip through to the front of the eye. 

We discussed the options thoroughly.  The removal of the lens would not solve all the problems, the optic nerve damage will become worse and the loose ‘gel’ will still float about, apart from the fact that this is a serious operation and cannot guarantee a good outcome every time.

The opthalmolgist recommended that we initially try the drops to constrict the pupil and she inserted them at the end of the consultation, we were to return in an hour’s time to see if they had worked.  She checked the pupils when we returned and they had worked, so that was a great relief.

We are to continue with the Trusopt (anti-glaucoma) drops and commence the Travatan eye drops to keep the pupils small to prevent luxation and have an appointment to return for a check up on Wednesday next week to discuss her further longterm treatment.

I would like to thank you all for the kind comments and best wishes you have expressed to us at this rather troubling time while we sort out our Molly’s eyes.

We were pretty much knackered when we got back to Still Rockin’ and decided that cooking a meal was just too much ...

… so we got back into the car and drove to the Greyhound pub at Wigginton where we had a excellent food, rib-eye for George and a very juicy burger for me!

Molly’s eyes .. update 2

We took Molly to the Vets in Tring again yesterday as we were worried about her lack of vision a few days ago.  It was back in December when we first noticed a problem with her left eye and now things were getting a bit more serious.

Faye (Veterinary Surgeon) is lovely, so gentle and calm with owners as well as their pets.  On our first visit in early February when Faye did the initial pressure test, her left eye, the cloudy one, was 65, and 45 in the right eye; bearing in mind that the normal range is up to 25, hers was very high.  On our second visit after using the eye drops the pressure dropped to 15 in her left and 24 in her right.  

After explaining to Faye yesterday about Molly’s lack of vision and  discomfort she performed the pressure test yet again, it was way up again in her right eye measuring 33 and slightly down in her ring eye at 22. Regarding the continued cloudiness in her eye she wondered if the lens had now become completely detached and had moved to the front of her iris, this would cause the discomfort/pain and lack of vision.

Options were discussed (1) referral to an ophthalmologist to discuss removal or repositioning of the lens and future treatment/outcome to both eyes. (2) removal of the eye hence no more pain but she would obviously be blind on that side. Any operation on the eye will be very expensive, the removal of the eye being the least so.

Molly about five weeks old.

We do not have pet insurance, we’ve had dogs most of our married life and have never felt the need before now although I doubt that with the problems Molly's had from the moment she was born that we could have got any insurance for her anyway.

We’ve got the appointment with the ophthalmologist tomorrow so we’ve hired a car to take us to Hitchen about an hour away from here to discuss our options.  A tense time indeed.

Slight change of plan

The forecast for today (Monday) was gusting winds of over 40mph, so we decided it would be preferable to move yesterday in winds of only 30 mph instead!

We were moored below Marsworth lock 37 and the nearest winding hole (turning point) was 3.5 miles and 4 locks away, so instead we (George) reversed Still Rockin’ up the 2 locks ...

… and .75 of a mile where we  filled the water tank at the sanitary station just beyond the bridge and then winded in the Aylsbury Arm junction. 

George took Still Rockin’ up the first few locks and afterwards said that the cruise through the pound (stretch of water between two locks on a canal) by Startops Reservoir was the worst he’d had to do due to the cross wind broadside on the boat!

Molly had been in her usual position on the hatch on top of Still Rockin’ but George just managed to save her from blowing off into the canal, box and all, so she has been demoted to the top of the gas locker!  The non-slip mat that her bed usually sits on blew away I’m afraid, so I apologise in advance if a small rectangular mat gets round a boaters propellor.

 Lots of Gongoozlers about today braving the cold wind.  The lady facing the camera with her daughter (left) and son behind her helped me with the gates of three locks … so thank you very much your help was much appreciated.

The Waterman’s Cottage was probably the home of the canal lengthsman in times gone by.  As the name suggests he would have looked after this particular length of the canal to ensure it stayed in good condition.

 We treated a few to a short trip too!

(don’t forget to visit The Gongoozler’s Rest when you get to Braunston on your canal holiday and say hello to Avril from us on Still Rockin',  good luck)

We dropped our passengers off at Bulbourne and moored up just around the corner, battened down the hatches against the coming wind and rain, brought in everything that could move on the roof … and relax!

And we were rewarded for our efforts today with a lovely sunset over the golden wheat field.

On a lighter note

We’ve decided to turn round on Monday and head back as quickly as we can to Tring to get Molly back to the vet. Click here

My original blog for Friday was our walk into Pitstone for groceries ...

 After all the rain on Thursday the sunset was another stunner as the temperature plummeted and it was -3 when we were up at 7 o’clock this morning

The sun rising

 … threw long shadows and light over the field and into the hedgerow

 10am and C&RT contractors hedge cutting as we set out for Pitstone about a mile and half away.  They warned us that they would start the grass cutting on the towpath on Monday - another good reason to be gone by then!

 Good views away from the muddy towpath

 … and a sunken boat between the railway swing bridges, looks like the plastic shroud is leaking, I hope it’s removed before it sinks and becomes more of a hazard to boaters.

 Molly waiting for us to catch up

 … as we cross the swing bridge and continue down the lane

View on the way back to Still Rockin’.