Ruby's Eye Surgery

I just got back from my appointment with the veterinary ophthalmologist. After doing a bunch of strange things to me, they discovered that my eye problems are more serious than they had originally thought.

Here's what the vet said:

"An Electroretinogram was performed on both eyes. Retinal function is extremely poor in both eyes. Therefore Ruby is most likely affected with Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA, which is an inherited retinal disorder causing gradual destruction of the rods and cones in the retina)."

"Progressive retinal degeneration is frequently accompanied by cataract formation. Unfortunately, PRA-affected dogs are not candidates for cataract surgery because of the retinal degeneration."



Of course this means that all of you who contributed to my surgery will be getting your money back. I greatly appreciate all of the support I've received. Who would have guessed that a little blind dog would have so many wonderful friends.

Naturally, I am very disappointed (I was so looking forward to being able to see), but now I will just have to accept it and learn to make the best of it. At least my nose works great (I always find tasty treats).

Thanks again,

Ruby

I'm a red, longhaired mini dachshund with cataracts causing me to lose my eyesight.




My life has had its ups and downs. I was passed around to at least four different homes (I lost count). I can't imagine what I did wrong to make them all want to get rid of me. Eventually though I found my forever home with wonderful people who take good care of me. Things were going great. I get home-cooked meals and lots of healthy treats. I go to work everyday with my mom and my sister, Etta (also a doxie). I get to sleep under the covers in the big bed. I have lots of friends and a very active social life. We often go to parks and beaches as well as pet fairs and dog walk events.

But just as I was starting to get use to this fabulous lifestyle, I developed cataracts. You may be familiar with this condition (I hear humans can get it too). This basically means my eyes got all cloudy and makes it difficult to see. It has been compared to trying to see through a piece of fabric, like a t-shirt pulled over your face. If it is too bright, I can't see. If it is too dark, I can't see. Even if the lighting is perfect, I can just make out some shapes.

This condition has made simple daily activites much more challenging. I'm constantly bumping into walls, falling off curbs, and tripping over things on the ground. I have learned that if I walk real slow it won't hurt as much. I can't use the doggie door anymore. In crowded places I sometimes lose track of my people. Then I don't know what's going on. This can be very upsetting. My sister, Etta, gets to do all sorts of fun things. She learned to dance and performed in a competition. She gets to go to agility class every week and tells me how much fun it is. I try my best to learn new things and participate, but it is just too hard and I get frustrated.

Surgery can repair my vision, but the cost is more than my family can bear. There is not much a blind dog can do to earn some extra cash. So with the support of my new friend and hero, Chris, I am trying to raise money to help my family pay for my much needed cataract removal surgery. I am so grateful for your contributions, even a little bit will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and offering your assistance.