Droopy lower lid

[GinnyB]

Since being a pup, Elsie has had a droopy lid on her right eye. She's six now and this past year she has been getting repeated bouts of conjunctivitis. Recently, she has been having drops up to five times a day, which is really stressing her out. We have been to the vet last week, this week and have to return again in two weeks after trying a different drug.

The vet seems to think that the 'pocket', formed by the droop may be holding dust etc which is in turn causing the infections. He mentioned an "experimental operation" to close the droop to establish if the 'pocket' is indeed causing the infections. He didn't seem convinced that it would solve anything so he's trying the new stuff to see what difference it will make. I'm not sure where he intends to go in two weeks time so I thought I'd ask if anyone else had experienced similar issues and how they were resolved.

Someone mentioned entriopion so I looked it up online but that's not what Elsie seems to be suffering with. Any ideas?

[elaine.e]

Is the vet an ophthalmologist or an "ordinary" vet? I think I'd be inclined to see an ophthalmologist if it gets to the stage where the vet is serious about the experimental operation.

[Pearly]

It sounds more like intropropion not entroprion which is where the eyelid rolls in on itself

I believe introprprion is easier to sort and is a straight forward procedure - effectively a nip and tuck!

Depending on where you are, I am aware of two eye specialist vets, both of whom are very good!

An entroprion procedure on two eyes, lower lids, quoted c £400 earlier this year 

[GinnyB]

That's really helpful, thank you both. The vet that I see in our practice is not a specialist optometrist but the senior vet is. I always try to see the same guy with Elsie because she is so nervous and she's seen Will so many times recently that she can at least be held reasonably calmly but I will ask to see the specialist before making any big decisions.

We are in Swansea and I know PennyB visits an eye specialist in Leominster which is only two hours away so I could go there if necessary. Will said that there is a muscle in the eye which can retract the eye at will (if I've understood him correctly) and depending on how that muscle is operating, the eye can look 'normal'. That's why there is some reticence to go for surgery. (Elsie's eye often looks to have no droop).

However, if surgery is the best solution, I'd gladly pay whatever it costs to go ahead. Two 'nip and tucks' for £400 sounds very reasonable so at least I'll have some idea of what's in store now. Thank you so much xx

[GinnyB]

This is it at its worst

[Pearly]

Bless her  Elsie is beautiful

The one vet I mentioned is at he Leominster Eye Specialist Hospital - if you are going up there let me know as there is a fantastic pub nearby with great food 

The other is a bit further North in Stoke and is the Vet practice that CAESSR use......

If it's a muscle related condition, that is different again to both entroprion and introprion 

[GinnyB]

Well that's good news. I know Leominster a bit as we travel through there regularly to go to shrewsbury. Thank you.

I guess it's wait and see what this new stuff does and what Will has to say on the 16th.

Elsie is lovely, thank you x