Gia's Glaucoma Fund
Donation protected
In June 2017, my 6 year old dachshund Gia, was holding her eyes closed one night. After a trip to the ER vet I was told "she will sleep it off." Well she did not sleep it off, the next day her left eye turned cloudy gray and I rushed her into my local vet who got eye pressure readings through the roof at 85 (anything 25 and over is damaging to the eye and optic nerve). From there we were sent to the Animal opthamologist who was able to get her pressure down and we started a daily routine of eye drops that she will need for the rest of her life.
A month later in July, on a Saturday morning, Gia was holding her eyes shut again and I knew something was wrong. I rushed her to the ER vet in Sarasota, Florida (1.5 hours away) to have the on-call animal opthamologist work on her eye. After draining the eye it stabilized for the day, and the next day we drove back up there for another pressure spike.
After that awful weekend I rushed Gia into her local opthamologist Dr. Warren first thing Monday morning. She told me "we have to do surgery to try and control the pressure in the eye, to hopefully have long term care, and provide quality of life"...my heart sank, I knew surgery was coming but she had been fine all month and I thought I had more time until we were in an emergency surgery situation. We booked the surgery for that Friday, but she kept having pressure spikes, so surgery had to be moved up to Wednesday with round the clock observation and care from me.
Now post surgery, in her bad Glaucoma eye (left eye) shes on a regimine of eye drop every 2 hours and oral medications. This is an awful disease that strikes with out warning or reason. The worst part is that her inherited glaucoma diagnosis means that her right eye is at super high risk which means another surgery at some point. The first goal is to save visioin in her eyes, but aside from that Glaucoma can be very uncomfortable, can cause the eye to mis-shape (rought out) of the socket, and have other side effects.
I love my pets, Gunner and Gia are my fur babies, and I have turned into one of those pet owners who considers them her kiddos. Gia went from a full playful seeing dachshund to needing laser eye surgery with lens removal to possibly being blind in the left eye. Now we are moitoring and medicating the right eye to save her vision. Gia is a fighter, she is being so brave, strong, and still loving. She is only 6 years old and has her whole life to still live.
For me this could not come a worse possible time personally, professionally, and financially. I have tried paying for most of this out of pocket, applied for doggy insurance- they do not cover pre-existing/Glaucoma, I am applying for pet emergency grants (hope we get approved), but now I am at the point where every little bit helps. Espcially since this will be a life long battle for my Gia!
If you are able to help Gia, Gunner, and I greatly apprecaite it. If you are not able to donate we appreciate you sharing this campaign to get as many people seeing this cause and hopefully bring awareness to others about animal Glaucoma. I did not know about it until it happened to Gia & had I known more maybe she would have had a different outcome and experience. No animal should ever have to go through this!!!!
A month later in July, on a Saturday morning, Gia was holding her eyes shut again and I knew something was wrong. I rushed her to the ER vet in Sarasota, Florida (1.5 hours away) to have the on-call animal opthamologist work on her eye. After draining the eye it stabilized for the day, and the next day we drove back up there for another pressure spike.
After that awful weekend I rushed Gia into her local opthamologist Dr. Warren first thing Monday morning. She told me "we have to do surgery to try and control the pressure in the eye, to hopefully have long term care, and provide quality of life"...my heart sank, I knew surgery was coming but she had been fine all month and I thought I had more time until we were in an emergency surgery situation. We booked the surgery for that Friday, but she kept having pressure spikes, so surgery had to be moved up to Wednesday with round the clock observation and care from me.
Now post surgery, in her bad Glaucoma eye (left eye) shes on a regimine of eye drop every 2 hours and oral medications. This is an awful disease that strikes with out warning or reason. The worst part is that her inherited glaucoma diagnosis means that her right eye is at super high risk which means another surgery at some point. The first goal is to save visioin in her eyes, but aside from that Glaucoma can be very uncomfortable, can cause the eye to mis-shape (rought out) of the socket, and have other side effects.
I love my pets, Gunner and Gia are my fur babies, and I have turned into one of those pet owners who considers them her kiddos. Gia went from a full playful seeing dachshund to needing laser eye surgery with lens removal to possibly being blind in the left eye. Now we are moitoring and medicating the right eye to save her vision. Gia is a fighter, she is being so brave, strong, and still loving. She is only 6 years old and has her whole life to still live.
For me this could not come a worse possible time personally, professionally, and financially. I have tried paying for most of this out of pocket, applied for doggy insurance- they do not cover pre-existing/Glaucoma, I am applying for pet emergency grants (hope we get approved), but now I am at the point where every little bit helps. Espcially since this will be a life long battle for my Gia!
If you are able to help Gia, Gunner, and I greatly apprecaite it. If you are not able to donate we appreciate you sharing this campaign to get as many people seeing this cause and hopefully bring awareness to others about animal Glaucoma. I did not know about it until it happened to Gia & had I known more maybe she would have had a different outcome and experience. No animal should ever have to go through this!!!!
Organizer
Lindsay Pursglove
Organizer
Naples, FL