Hi,
I took Beano to the vets on tuesday as I knew he had an ear infection.
And he also had a gunky eye, so asked Julian about that as well.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm I hadnt thought anything of it, but thought something wasnt good when before doing anything he asked i I was insured :-o :-o
He tested both eyes, they should have been between 18-22. Left was 12, Right didnt even register on the strip :(
He has been on antibiotic cream twice a day and lubricant drops 8+ times a day.
Back again today and he is now on lubricant in the middle of the day and optimmune.
Back on Tuesday to check tear production again.
Beano is 7.
OI know it is the body attacking the tear production.
I would just like personal experience of this in your dogs.
What happened with it etc etc
Lea :) :)

Hi Lea, one of my Yankees has that too.

Duncan is 10 years old now, but he also has dry eye (reduced tear production) as you've found the eye produces more mucus when there's less tears. I clean Duncans eye's every morning with an unscented baby wipe, then I put hypromellose eye drops into them. I have to be very carefull not to forget otherwise I found on one occasion that he got a blue tinge to the iris and has once had a corneal ulcer too. So I put the hypromellose in as many times as I remember in the day.

PS I buy the drops from Boots for £2.49 a bottle. Originally prescribed by my Vet, but much cheaper from the chemist.

Dawn R.

Luckily I am insured so the cost is takien care of,
The problem I have had is administering the Hypromelluse drops 8+ times a day,
As I out them in when I go to work, and then he is left until son comes home from school and puts more in. So putting the optimmune twice a day is alot better for him :)
Beano only tends to get gunky eyes every so often, which is why I hadnt realised he had aproblem :o :o :o But now know it has been going on for over a year :o :o :o (how guilty do I feel :( :( :( :( )
The ones Beano has are human ones. but not for soft contacts otherwise I would have bought some for a dual perpose LMAO
How long has duncan had it??? and does it aFFECT HIM AT ALL?????
Lea :) :)

Looking back, I think he probably always had it, but as he got older the eye boogers just got worse. It really doesn't seem to affect his day to day life though.

Dawn R.

My boy has dry eye and found out about 4 years ago- I have been prescribed visco tears the vet sell it for £9 a tube but rspca vet told me to get it from any chemist over the counter and is £5 so worth going elsewhere than vets.

The main worry I have found is I have left my dog in kennels- first time for one night only still a manky mess and I did inform the owner to put in his gel 3 times a day. Second kennel snoop stayed in I assumed would be all looked after [as cost me] for 2 weeks and I did tell this lady owner about my worry the first time he stayed in kennels and that he could lose his eye sight. Still  he came back with his eyes disgusting. Had to take him to the vet and they had become infected.
Never putting him in kennels again. :-(

My other dog had something like this and I never really noticed but I guess as she got older her eyes did get drier looking back.  Think the advice I got was the same - rather than paying the vet for the gel with enzymes in or something, just to get it from the chemist but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was called.  Guess Ive not been much help to you really :D

poor baby.
hope he feels better soon.
xx

Was back at vets tonight
Julian did another tear test.
Left eye was 12 now 14 :)
Right eye was 0 now 9 :D
I have to carry on with optimmune for another 2 weeks then go back and see him.
He is looking to reduce it to either once a day, or once every other day if possible :)
He checked his ears, and I have to finish the antibiotic drops but they look alot better :)
Will be pleased to get them finished as will then give him a bath and clip him as he is looking rather raggerdy!!! LOL
Lea :) :)

I thought once the vet prescribed Optimmune it was for the rest of the dogs life not something to stop using.

Yes but he wants himn on the smallest dose he can manage on :)
Lea :) :)

Oh right sorry I misunderstood your previous post.

I know from experience once a vet prescribes Optimmune it's a life long medication.

Thats ok. :) LOL
Have spoken to someone about optimmune and they said it will need to be kept going for rest of his life :(
But it is working and his eyes are looking better already :) :) :)
Lea :) :)

I have been using it on 1 of my dogs for about 14months now. Never crossed my mind of dry eye before taking her to vet just thought it was conjuntivitus as she had no previous problems. After vet did tear count she diagnosed dry eye.
Can't remember what the tear counts were originally but her right eye was nil. After using Optimmune tear count improved considerably. I only use once per day at night, she is due to go back for a review so will let you know if there has been anymore improvement. To look at her you wouldn't think she had any problem at all with her tear production, she never has eye bogey's and I don't use Hypromellose either.

If I hadn't actually been there when the vet did the tear tests I would swear blind the vet was out to rip me off. Wouldn't risk not using Optimmune though. Thank god for insurance...

Thanks guys :)
And Sadie :) :) I am so pleased I am not the only one!!!!
I just asked about his eye because of the gunk.
It is only now I am administering meds 2-3 times a day I realised how dry his eyes are :o
Julian seems confident I can reduce amount :)
And after £95 for 2 visits. The 3rd visit was HUGELY expensive :( :( :( :( :( :( £00000000000000000000000000.69p!!!!!!!
I didnt bother filling in the forms for that one PML
Lea :) :)

Hi Lea, Just to update you.
I am really pleased with the results of recent tear test, tear production has certainly improved.
The right eye now has normal production at 20 and the left eye which before using Optimune was 0 is now reading 11.
The vet is really pleased and has told me she doesn't need to see her for 6 months then she will do another tear test just to see if there is more improvement.
Sadie

THats Brilliant Sadie :) :)
We went in for the month test yesterday.
Last month the production was 11 and 12.
We reduced the amount down to once a day instead of twice.
And production BEFORE the minute was up is ........
23 and 24 :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Now just got to sort out the severe ear infection we thought was sorted last month :o :o
Lea :) :)