Emma Williams, Manchester Evening News Syndication
Ellie, a young cavalier King Charles spaniel in England, is almost completely blind. While her owner and a local animal organization are working to raise money for a vision-restoring operation, a German shepherd named Leo has taken matters into his own paws, and is protecting and guiding her.
"Ellie has cataracts on both eyes and is only aware of shadows," explains Jean Spencer, manager of Rochdale's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in an interview with the Manchester Evening News. "But Leo, who's an absolutely massive dog, has become her eyes. It's touching to watch them together. She follows him around and snuggles up to him."
Ellie was part of a litter of five puppies rescued from harsh conditions by the RSPCA, says Julie Lander, an RSPCA volunteer and Leo and Ellie's owner. "As well as having cataracts, Ellie's eye muscles haven't developed as they should have as she'd been kept in the dark. The puppies had no light or heating. I felt so sorry for her when she arrived, and knew she'd need a special home. But I also knew she would be all right with Leo, as he just loves little dogs and they took to one another straight away," Lander tells the Manchester Evening News.
Lander goes on to explain how Leo's almost 90 pounds of bulk helps keep his new charge safe. "I take them for walks in the park and Leo guides Ellie around. He is so protective and herds the more boisterous dogs away from her," Julie says.
No one has commented on whether Leo can actually tell that Ellie is disabled or if he is caring for her based solely on her size. If Ellie's problem is ever fixed, it will be interesting to see whether she will continue to share the same bond with Leo.
Although they already have had at least one fundraiser, the RSPCA does not yet have enough money to pay for Ellie's operation. If you would like to donate, go to www.rspca-rochdale.org.uk.
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NO, NO, NO! Cataract surgery does not work on older dogs! I spent 10K (usd) to remove cataracts from my dogs eyes. The first surgery initiated a glaucoma type symptom putting my dog into horrible pain. The second was to alleviate the pressure on the eyes resulting in the purchase of $108.00/per teeny tiny bottle of eyedrops that had to be administered every 4 hours, so I had to take time off of work. The third eye surgery was to ultimately remove both eyes and have prosthesis placed into the sockets. I went to the BEST (so called) animal eye clinic in SO. CAL and they admitted that there is no cure for glaucoma for older dogs....my question to them, so....then, why did you TAKE my money??
My dog adjusted to her blind state in a short 3 weeks, jumping off of the bed and climbing stairs. Dogs do OKAY, even if blind..it's not a big deal. By the way, my dog was deaf too, and lived another 3 years to a ripe old age of 17.
Ellie, a YOUNG King Charles cavalier spaniel...
My dog is completely blind, and only two years old. She gets around very well and adapted nicely.
What boggles my mind, is why anyone would spend money for prosthetic eyes. When dogs' eyes are removed for any reason (cancer, proptosis, etc), the socket can easily be sewn closed. The dog does not mind.
PLEASE RE-READ.!
IT IS A YOUNG DOG. A YOUNG DOG.!!
You seem to have enjoyed the last three years of your dogs life. Did you dog enjoy the extra years as much as you did?
You're a good person. You loved your dog to do what you thought was best. I wish there were more people like you in the world.
We had shepard mix that went blind from tick fever, took three vets before one figured out what was wrong with her, she lived 10 years after that and never missed a lick (literally). Dogs are not people. They have much more acute senses than we do. She'll be fine, don't put her through the pain of that surgery just for your own conscience.
Cataracts and Glaucoma are two different things. I'm a person who has had cataract surgery (cataracts caused by medication). I now have plastic lenses in my eyes and can see just fine. I'm not sure what the statistics are for this working on dogs. But Glaucoma is a different disease completely.
Oh Why don't you just shut up about your blind dog stpry telling all the whole damned world your problems. who gives a damn? no one ! You're nothing but a kill joy. You just shut up and let these people do what ever they want.
Wow, Rose has some anger issues.
I have never heard of someone putting prostheses into the animal's eyes. You had to put drops in, etc to keep the sockets cleaned. If you were that concerned about money, why didn't you do what every normal person would do and have the sockets sewn shut. Either you are fibbing about some of what you wrote, or you are vain about your pets and do not have their health and well-being in mind... Don't think I like either option~
I wish I had seen this before my dog had cataract surgery in April. The opthalmalogists and the internet scared me to death with comments like, "diabetic cataracts can lead to retinal detachment and painful eyes, possibly other complications. A medical and surgical emergency."
Well, he had EVERY complication that he could possibly have: corneal ulcers, a detached retina in one eye making it blind, corneal edema in the good eye, infection, and finally, glaucoma.
And, the opthalmologist did not tell me the drops I would have to administer were contraindicated for his insulin and that there could be many, many kinds of drops if there were complications. At one point, he was on SEVEN eye medications and two oral medications. Plus, there were many other eye medications that were tried when he had an infection.
Also, right after the surgery, he was on Rimadyl and a steroid eye drop, in addition to all the other drops that were given initially for high pressure right after surgery. I believe if we had left him on Rimadyl, he would have died. Also, the methazolomide oral medication they gave initially and continued him on is contraindicated for insulin. At one point, he wouldn't eat or drink and had diarrhea every time he went to the bathroom. I had to force feed him to give his insulin shot.
He remained on pressure eye drops because the pressure never went down enough to get off.
After four months and his glaucoma did not improve, we had to do an eye enucleation last week after putting him through all this.
Do not do this surgery. If you want more information, leave a way for me to get in touch with you and I will.
This surgery should not be offered at all.
What a wonderful story. Wouldn't it be great if the human race were as compassionate?
well said ! wish more ppl felt this way as those two dogs do !
Well said Robert! I became an animal lover & protector because of my compassionate mom. She used to say, "The more I see of some human beings, the more I love dogs". How right she was :) Human life has little to no value these days either; what a sad situation our situation is in.
hold on Bob. Can you not ever recall someone guiding a blind person about or providing a seeing eye dog for a person. Plus, this dog is having cataract surgery which will cost more than a child's income in the 3rd world for a number of years, I think the whole thing is stupid. Pay for a blind child or a neo natal care unit, or better still get the governments to do it, we already give them the money to pay for it, sod the dog.
Rincewind, if you think "the whole thing is stupid", I'll ask YOU to donate to a blind child or a neonatal unit. What are YOU spending on "stupid" things that could be donated instead??
What a heart warming story. I love animals, Sometimes more than people. My 2 dogs mean the world to me.
I have to agree. Animals are innocent creatures. They live simple lives and some depend on us. I wish people would see the awesome things we have in this life, like animals do. They just live. That simple.
Oh, I can so relate to your comment JoAnna...Infact, I say it quite often and really do mean it.