In February, when I had to have my left eye removed due to Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis (GRPU), Mom and Dad set out on a quest to gather as much information as possible to protect my right eye. So they made appointments to get second opinions. Don’t get me wrong, we love my ophthalmologist! But Mom and Dad know that GRPU is a nasty disease, and with something this serious, we wanted to make sure we are doing everything possible to maintain vision in my one eye. So way back in February they made the appointment that I recently went to in June. Yes, that ophthalmologist was scheduling that far out. However that worked in our favor, because now she could answer our additional concerns about the retinal hemorrhages that developed following my surgery, but are unrelated to GRPU.

Once again the ophthalmologist confirmed that we are on the right path, and doing all that is possible at this point. However, she explained to us how my eye can react to underlying issues in my body unrelated to it, such as infectious diseases, immune diseases, cancer, high blood pressure, or immune-mediated diseases. Basically, inflammation elsewhere in my body could cause issues in my eye. Which is why my primary eye specialist asked my veterinarian to run those series of tests back in March. Thankfully, those tests were able to rule out many underlying factors that could have caused the hemorrhages. So where does that leave us? Well as she explained to us, we may never know the cause. These small hemorrhages can simply be incidental found in older Golden Retrievers. Do I want to admit I’m getting old, on top of everything else? No! But at least hearing this does, ease my concerns that the tests didn’t find a root cause.

The eye specialist also told us about studies currently being conducted on GRPU, and suggested we add a supplement to my diet, Ocu-Glo. Now remember, we are NOT veterinarians or ophthalmologists. So before you give your dog anything, always check with your pet’s doctors first! Supplements can interact negatively with other medications and health conditions. But for me, because I’m only on non-steroid eyedrops at the moment, and otherwise healthy, she said it could be worth a try based on the research she has been following.

I think the biggest take away though for getting this third opinion, is that we are doing everything possible for me at the moment. Just like my primary ophthalmologist explained, Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis is a difficult disease that can escalate quickly, slowly, or not at all! We just need to stay the course and continue monitoring for any changes. However, what made this appointment especially good, is that she explained that if I’m diagnosed with any other illness, I need to get my eye examined too, because it could trigger an escalation in symptoms. Mom and Dad never made that connection before that something unrelated, could cause my eye problems to worsen. We need to stop thinking of it as an isolated issue confined to the eye, and more as a whole body cause and effect situation as well.

We are grateful for your continued support on my journey with Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis, thank you! We are NOT doctors. If you have questions about your dog’s eyes, please have a conversation with your veterinarian.