Pannus Health

I don't have any experience with pannus but i know GSD’s are one of the breeds affected by it , I took Heiko to the vet last week as I suspected he might have it, ( he has brown discoloration in the outside rim of his iris in both eyes )but she reckoned it was just conjunctivitis ,im not convinced (hopefully it will be just ‘colour run’ as his cornea is clear so far , going to go back, just wondered if anyone has experienced this .

Sorry can't help Vee non of my GSD had it

Can you get a referral to an eye specialist? I should imagine that Heiko's insurance should cover it, although obviously I do not really know.

I hope he is OK and that it is nothing to worry about.

The cardinal sign of pannus is vascular or pigment infiltration into the clear cornea, causing whitish, pink or brown discoloration. This typically starts at the outside edge of the clear cornea and extends inward. The blood vessel in-growth and pigmentation of the cornea may progress across the entire corneal surface and in extreme instances, may result in blindness.

How worrying for you Vee. I know what it's like having a dog with eye problems. I was terrified when Georgina, after months of battling with her entropion, spiked herself on a bush and suffered a hematoma of the cornea.

I hope it's nothing serious Vee.
Fingers crossed for Heiko.

Just back from the eye specialist, Heiko has ‘Plasmoma’, not curable but treatable, so he will be on eye drops for life, which im not looking forward to as hes such a big wimp Mum what you doing to my eyes you're killing me! Umm,Heiko I haven't done anything yet.".
http://www.schoster.org/oi/Ophthalmic_Images/Plasmoma.html

Welcome to the world of being an "eye drop torturer"! Georgina screws her eyes up as tightly as she possibly can so to make sure the eye drops go in I have to prise them open ... silly girl! Then 'cos I've been horrid and cruel to her she won't speak to me for hours afterwards!

So sorry to hear that Heiko has been diagnosed with a long term condition. How old is he btw? It seems that with dogs you can go for years and hardly see a vet, then suddenly hit a period when everyone has a problem of some kind. I had not heard of Plasmoma. Is it common? Is it a Shepherd thing?
Well done on picking up on it. A big hug to you both anyway.

Poor Heiko and poor you being the now forever eye-torturer. But if it helps, it helps, and Heiko will have to put up with his cruel Mom putting drops in his eyes. How many times a day will he need them?

He will get used to them even though he will probably grumble every time - quite ofter just for the sake of grumbling and making you feel bad.

I have recently had months of shoving pills down Pereg's throat five times a day for some time now, whereas she used to be quite happy to just take them, but she has to have them just as Heiko will have to have the drops in his eyes. So she has to put up with them and I am sure that Heiko will put up with the drops.

Or he will cooperate or he will not. But he will accept them although if he has the grumblies and then he will grumble to make poor Mom feel guilty.

(((Hugs)) to Heiko and bigger (((HUGS))) to you. xx

You going to have to have extra treats now you are an eye torturer Vee, either that or ware Heiko out by playing tuggy first xx

Thank you all for your concerns, @ Carole C yes its primarily found in the GSD although other breeds include Greyhounds, Belgian shepherds, border collie, dachshund, and the Siberian husky. Heiko will be 8 this year, Seems to mostly occur around that age
@ Malka, he cries like a big baby, when I had the drops before when vet?? thought it was conjunctivitis, he started as soon as he seen the bottle.
in all the years of owning shepherds this is the first one ive had with this condition.
Hes put him on mild drops hoping that will control it’ and thankfully its only once per day.
It appears that Ultraviolet light and altitude influence the severity of it, so I have to be careful to keep him out the sun, though if in garden he always goes under shade .

PS .Tina NO I wont be getting him sunglasses/goggles

Oh Vee - he will cry and make you feel so guilty, but you must be strong. And he will probably, hopefully, learn to accept the drops, but whether he will stop complaining - who knows.

Do what I do. Talk to him - come one Heiko, this to make you better. Like I say - come on Pereg, medicine to make you better. And sometimes she will take the pills and sometimes I have to push them down her throat - but even then, once she has swallowed I tell her what a good girl she has been.

Be strong Vee and know it is just - how can I put it? - just a booger that Heiko has developed this problem. But you have caught it early and so what if he needs drops in his eyes for the rest of his life? Many people, me included, need medication for the rest of our lives for various reasons.

And my beloved Pereg also needs medication and will do for the rest of her life, and if she does not want to take her pills well she has no choice.

But I talk to her when I given them, come on bubbie, take your medicine because it is going to help you. So talk to Heiko about the drops - it might make him accept them easier.

Aaaw Malka .... that's what I do with Georgina. I tell her that Mum is only trying to make her eyes beautiful again. After I've put the drops in I'll ask her if her eyes feel better and give her a kiss and a treat.

But Vee I think Heiko will look handsome in some sunglasses.
K9 in his sunglasses

Sorry to hear Heiko has this condition Vee. I have never come across it before (a friend had a rescue shepherd with pannus though) so am off to read up on it.

Went to vet today for Heikos 6 monthly check up for his eyes, they are thankfully not getting any worse but still has to have drops every day for life.

When I got the bill I nearly had heart attack, previously the fml drops (5ml ) bottle were £ 6.25 from vet, but £3.06 pence from chemist, so it worked out cheaper to pay £12 for prescription and get them at chemist.

However when I checked the bill the prescription has gone up to £16 and the eye drops to £12 08

When I queried it the receptionist was all apologetic, and explained that a new company had bought the practice and put all prices up, needless to say I will be contacting the manager and seeking new vet if need be, I expect prices to rise but this is bloody ridiculous.

I'm glad to hear that Heiko is still doing well.
My daughter's local vet has also been taken over by one of these multinational companies. She is a young widow, and I guarantee her vet bills, previously I have sent a cheque to clear her account. (This is the same Herriot style, semi rural practice that I used between 1972 & 1996). However, a few weeks ago she needed to have her dog examined, and one of the new changes is that the bill now has to be paid before leaving the surgery. This means that they now have to phone me, to make sure I will be available at the appointed time, in order to give my card details immediately after the consultation.
I know that they must have people who do not pay their bills, but it feels as if everyone is being treated as a potential fraudster, and I wonder how unemployed people are going to be able to arrange vet. care in rural areas that have no charity cover. I'm afraid that some practices are becoming very impersonal - not the casual friendly service it used to be in the past.

ps. I have no complaints about the practice I use - two privately owned branches, with a 24 hour service. Their drug charges are at least double the equivalent internet prices, and prescriptions (for up to 6 months repeat supply), are £18. Worth it for a long standing complaint.

I get a lot of my animals prescriptions on line from VioVet, my rats supplements are £4 cheaper from VioVets then from my vets & £4.50p cheaper then at Pets At Home.

Am glad Heiko eyes are not any worst.

Just back from vet for Heikos 6 monthly checkup for his eyes, am pleased that after 3 yrs of putting drops in his eyes every day his eyes are now looking a lot better, so I can cut down to two/three times a week and see how it goes, though I will have to go back to everyday in summer.