Cookie & Bonnie
Cookie, 2 days prior to loss of vision.The following is the account of Cookie’s experience with SARDs diagnosis and treatment. The narrative is written by Cookie’s owner, Bonnie.
If you have questions for Bonnie, you can email her directly using this link: email Bonnie.
Bonnie writes,
I was very frustrated by the lack of knowledge of most veterinarians, even eye specialists.
When we first suspected Cookie had SARDS it was Saturday, Nov. 1. She couldn’t see out of her right eye but still had left eye vision.
At my vets office on Monday, Dr. Kevin Ade also suspected it was SARDS and admitted he knew very little about it. He secured us an appointment at University of TN (we live in Chattanooga) telling the ophthalmologist that he suspected SARDS.
We went there on Wednesday, Nov. 5 for testing. After an hour and several students doing eye tests, I was informed that their ERG machine was not working as they were waiting on a part. I was furious because we wasted valuable time and she should have informed Dr. Ade this when he talked to her on Monday so that I could have gone somewhere else.
They made us an appointment for the following Tuesday at another eye specialist in Knoxville and this was the soonest they could see us. By that time, Nov. 11, Cookie’s vision in her left eye was gone. Dr. Rhea Morgan confirmed the diagnosis after the ERG test and told me there was nothing I could do for her except to learn to live with a blind dog and that the new treatments were not “peer reviewed” and I should not pursue them. This was the same thing UT told me.
I was determined to get Cookie help so Dr. Grozdanic helped us through the necessary tests but by the time all of them were done and he determined she was a candidate for the IVIg treatment another week had gone by. He put us in touch with Dr. Nelms at Veterinary Eye Care in Birmingham, AL.
I certainly wish I had of been there that first week as she was wonderful and knows what she is doing. I left Cookie with her for the treatment although she informed me it was probably too late.
It cost me $4,000 but I had to try it and give Cookie a chance. All total, I spent close to $8,000 including the initial $1,000 on tests when she was developing SARDS and we didn’t know it a month before I noticed her vision was impaired. She had all the classic symptoms including lethargy and weight gain but nothing showed up in all the tests I had done.
It’s such a shame that vets do not know more about it. Had we known initially that this is what she had her vision may have been spared.
So far she is not experiencing any of the other health concerns so many other dogs have.
We just had routine blood tests run (I do this every 2 or 3 months) and everything is normal.
After about 6 weeks of depression Cookie started perking up. She has successfully mapped out her surroundings and is doing very well including stairs.
As per Dr. Grozdanic’s instructions, she takes Prednisone twice per week.
Comments are permitted on this posting.
Cookie next to Halloween pumpkin.
Cookie *in* the Halloween pumpkin.
Bonnie provided the following videos of Cookie exhibiting her navigational abilities even after SARDs.
Cookie walking up towards the doggie door.
Cookie talking the stairs going up.
Cooking taking stairs, going down.
Educational and loved the pics…especially the one of Cookie in the Jack O Lantern.
The stories of Cookie and Oscar per SARDs sound so very similar. Bonnie and Cookie’s experiences are a nice addition to this site.
It’s very interesting to see how Cookie walks up and down the stairs. Very similar to how Zippy does it. He always stays very close to one side, close but not touching. They must be getting some auditory cues from the adjacent wall. Interesting……..
Cookie stays close to the sides of everywhere she goes! I say she uses her nose like a blind person uses a cane and taps out where she is going. She has done remarkably well in finding her way around, has no problem getting in and out the dog door, up and down the steps and ramps to the furniture and yard. She moves quite slowly and deliberately using that nose and feeling for texture changes under her feet. Today I bought a door mat that won’t move to put in front of the dog door inside (the other kept sliding around). I think she also uses the tactile clues around the house to know exactly where she is. When I look at things through her mind I realize that many of those clues have always been there such as the changes from tile to carpet, raised edges, etc. That just shows how smart our dogs are! I consider us very lucky that she has no other health concerns at this time. Oh and Cookie in the pumpkin was when she was only 4 months old. The other was when she was 4 yrs. old, a little too big to fit inside again!
That’s really interesting.
Oscar follows “edges” whenever he can, such as the edge between sidewalk and grass, or the edge of an area rug over a hard floor.
We believed that it was due to his ability to discern a contrast and subsequently see a line to follow, but it could be due to the difference in odors between the two objects that make this virtual edge.
I have a Pug named Pugsly that was just diagnosed with SARD he has been blind since Jan 2010. And was just diagnosed 7-18-10.
Spent alot of money at one vet and took to another and she convinced me to take him to a specialist in Pitt. And that is where he was diagnosed.
I read treatments of pred is done on Cookie and I blame pred causing my dear Pugslys condition…he was on pred for 4 yrs for allergys went into cushings and got him off and that is when he started hitting into walls. Was very sick a month or more before all that.
He is the love of my life and my best friend and am trying to help him live a safe life. He also has learned to walk and be at the edge of walls or whatever he walks near.