Popeye's story has been full of ups and downs. Here are some pictures with Popeye's adventures.
January 2006: Popeye was just a
puppy when he was found on the road in Opelousas, LA. He had a very
bad case of demodectic mange and just looked terrible! He was treated
with heavy dosages of Ivermectin and he slowly looked better.
We suspect one the right eye, if not both, has entropion, which is a
rolling-in of the eyelid: the hair on the surface of the eyelid to
rub on the eyeball, which is both painful and often causes corneal
ulcers or erosions.
January 26, 2006: Popeye
when we first got him
January 26, 2006
January 30, 2006
January 30, 2006
January 30, 2006
February 03, 2006
February 19, 2006
March-April 2006: Popeye 's
condition is improving.
June 2006: Popeye's left
eye suddenly looks really bad. He is obviously in pain and something
is obviously seriously wrong. Since he is scheduled to be neutered,
we arrange for him to have his entropion fixed at the same time.
Unfortunately, the vet tells us this is the worse case of entropion
he has ever seen and that the surgery would require some special
equipment. Because Popeye has way too much skin, he will need
blepharoplasty, which is essentially plastic surgery where excessive
folds and sections of facial skin are removed (like a face lift,) and
the eyelids tightened. Popeye's left eye also has a "severe large
perforating ulcer" and we are told he will probably loose
it.
We are lucky to find a vet in
New Iberia (about one hour away) with the skills and necessary
equipment for the blepharoplasty, and with the referral of the first
vet we bring Popeye in. These pictures are taken that morning.
But... the vet says Popeye
does not need the surgery, that he is suffering from a stubborn case
of demodectic mange with a fungal infection. With an aggressive
treatment, his skin should tighten and Popeye should look absolutely
normal. However he performs "lid tacking" on his left eye (temporary
lid sutures placed to roll out the lids) but expresses doubts that
his eye can be saved.
One week later, on the follow-up visit we are told the unexpected good news: his eye is recovering and will be OK!
Aug. 2006: Popeye is
treated with weekly Mitaban dips and heavy dosages of Ivermectin.
First he is doing better but later both eyes are still swollen and
seem quite painful. Around the end of November, the mange also
reappeared on his feet, on his chest and on the sides of his head.
Every day we put some medicine in his eyes, hoping the problem will
finally disappear with the mange going away... but it does not, and
in January 2007 we take Popeye to the vet in New Iberia
again.
July 2006
July 2006
September 2006
December 2006
December 2006
Jan. 2007: The vet says
that Popeye will need the surgery on both eyes after all, but not the
blepharoplasty (i.e. the face lift.) However, he wants the skin to
tighten up before the surgery and we start a new treatment for mange:
weekly Mitaban dips and weekly injections of Dectomax. It may take up
to 8 injections/weeks before he is ready for the surgery, and then
each eye may require up to three surgeries! Poor Popeye! (What if we
don't do anything? His eyes will suffer from abrasions of the cornea
and he will be blind.)
The vet says that between the mange treatment and the surgery, the
wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes may disappear, but that
the ones on each side of his nose are probably here to stay! Popeye
will keep what one of his guardian angels calls "his distinctive
facial features"!
Jan. 2007 Feb. 2007 Feb. 2007
The mange is showing on the side of his face
and his eye is swollen.
The top of Popeye's head seems less wrinkled.
Popeye napping with his friend Rico
March 2007: Popeye has
surgery on both eyes and one seems to be enough.
His eyes look somewhat the
same, except that now the bottom eyelids are drooping. So... was it
worth is?
Yes, because he is not in pain anymore: his eyelids are not rubbing
against the cornea like they were.
July 2007: Popeye may still
look like a mutant (lol!) but he is a happy dog. He is very
strong and still growing.
Thanks to all of you who helped one dog, a very silly one named
Popeye!
End of April 2007 April.2007 May 2007 May 2007
Seven weeks after the surgery.
Popeye's bottom eye lids are now drooping
but he does not hurt anymore!
Big and silly!
April.2007
Big and very silly!
Having fun with his friend Suave...
Having fun with his friend Suave...
May 2007
A well deserved nap!
Aug. 2007: Popeye having
fun.
Popeye, the mermaid
Popeye on a mission
Popeye loves Ms.
Vickie...
Ms. Vickie has
enough...
Popeye with Mary
Kate