More health worries and an question about eye ointment

[JerryBerry]

I posted on here last week because Jerrys conjunctivitis hadnt cleared up.  Well I bathed him with tea as suggested and his eyes did look at alot better. But he was very quiet. Then on Friday I came home from work and my hubby who had been at home with Jerry said he was really worried about him. Right on cue Jerry started yelping and wimpering, we put him straight in the car and saw a vet who said he thinks his anal glands were infected - possibly he was starting with an abscess on them. He certainly SCREAMED the vets down when he examined him round that end! he drained the glands which resulted in another few mins of heart wrenching screams which had me in tears  He gave him a shot of antibiotics and anti inflammatories and some antibiotics to continue with for 5 days.  We've never had any experience with this and are surprised how off it he seems and worried about the fact he is still yelping occassionally.

ALSO! has anyone got any clever tricks of how to get ointment into his eyes?!  the new medication for the conjunctivitis is an ointment rather than the drops and to be quite frank its a nightmare getting it anywhere near him  for a dog who seems quite poorly at the moment hes as strong as a bull!!

Many thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.  Obviously if he isnt picking up I will be taking him back to the vets, that goes without saying.

Michelle and Jerry

[elaine.e]

Poor Jerry

I expect his anal glands are sore and that's why you're still getting the occasional whimpering. William has never had an anal gland infection but has them emptied every few months as his are slightly in the wrong place and don't empty naturally regardless of his diet. After he's had them emptied he's always either itchy or a bit uncomfortable for a day or two and will either sit down very suddenly or scoot a bit. So I expect it's like that for Jerry at the moment but more so, poor boy. If you think he's still in pain with it tomorrow you could phone the vet and maybe they'll give him another anti-inflammatory shot.

William has Optimmune ointment every day for Dry Eye. He doesn't really like having it done but we've got into a routine where I get the ointment and a nice treat out and William sees it and jumps up on the sofa in readiness. I put the ointment in and give him the treat. It took a bit of practice at first, especially as I'm on my own. I found that putting him on the grooming table helped initially as it made it easier for me than trying to do it when he was on the floor. Have you got somewhere above floor level where you can safely get Jerry to sit and then get your husband to hold him while you apply the ointment and then give him praise and a treat immediately?

Hope Jerry is back to normal soon

[JerryBerry]

Thanks Elaine, actually just as I was reading that my hubby said how about getting him up on the table to do it so thanks for that we will give that a shot along with the treat! Theyre such a worry eh? I worry about him like I do my kids!  xx

[JerryBerry]

and yes that sounds very much like Jerry, the sudden sit or bumping his back end against the sofa!

[JohnK]

Michelle

Just like Elaine, we have to put Optimmune is Rosie's eyes, twice daily for dry eye. Now she is used to it there are no problems putting it in. Our other two come to have their's done, so we have to pretend to do their's too 

[JerryBerry]

Michelle

Just like Elaine, we have to put Optimmune is Rosie's eyes, twice daily for dry eye. Now she is used to it there are no problems putting it in. Our other two come to have their's done, so we have to pretend to do their's too 

  that so sweet!

[elaine.e]

Michelle

Just like Elaine, we have to put Optimmune is Rosie's eyes, twice daily for dry eye. Now she is used to it there are no problems putting it in. Our other two come to have their's done, so we have to pretend to do their's too 

I do that with Louis too. He sits on the sofa near William and watches, so sometimes I pretend to put ointment in his eyes too. It's good practice for him as he's not as easy to handle as William and if I can get him used to the idea hopefully he won't be too tricky if I ever need to do it for real.

[siam]

Am sorry to hear about Jerry's rotten time between his eyes and his anal glands. Alfie has just finished almost 2 weeks of having ointment in his eye twice daily for a corneal ulcer. When I heard he was getting ointment I thought it might be tricky (thinking back to trying to put ointment rather than drops into the kids eyes when they were younger) but the vet showed me how to get one of us to hold his head steady, while the other gently held open his eye with one finger and thumb, before applying a 'strip' of ointment across the cornea. Luckily Alfie is very compliant and I was able to do it myself after a few days.  Hope you succeed with Jerry.