I think if you are reading this blog, you know damn well it’s a visit to the eye doctor! There are people that love their animals and then their are people that LOVE their animals. Unfortunately for my checking account, I’m in the latter category. For the 3rd time this year, Gabbana and I went back to the canine eye doctor (aka CRAZY HORRIBLE LADY WHO POKES ME IN Z EYES by Gabbana) for a routine follow-up. And if i’m not a glutton for punishment already, I took Dolce along for his annual checkup. Ya know, because I love being poor!
On the bright side, Gabbana’s doing so well that we are weening her off her second medication, Neo Poly Dex, over the next month. Interestingly enough, her fabulous eye improvement seems to coincide with her being on the Raw Diet–a species appropriate diet of raw meat and bones. I am convinced the two are related. Not only has her eye sight improved greatly but so has her coat, teeth, and weight. It also coincides with her being off convential monthly heartworm and flea preventions. She’s toxic free and it’s saving her eyes! The only medication she’ll be on in two weeks is Optimmune which is an ointment that manages her PK and corneal ulcers. Unfortunately, it’s an immuno-suppressant so it’s imperative that her diet be pure and species-appropriate.
Dolce’s checkup went smoothly except for some crankiness after the tear production test. Something about putting lithmus paper under his eye lid pissed him off. He rewarded the tech with a much deserved sneeze in the face. She misunderstood his crankiness for cuteness and gave him a cookie. According to him (in a Spanish accent) “es, no good.” His eye sight improved as well, and he only needs OTC lubricated gel drops once a day.
At first, as a vegetarian, I had moral issues with the raw diet. But after much research and careful consideration, I realize that dogs are not humans (duh!) and therefore should not be forced by humans to eat the same way. Domesticated dogs look and behave differently than wolves, but physically they are the same as their wild counterparts. Therefore, it makes sense that their bodies haven’t evolved in the last 60 years to handle kibble as a food source. They need raw meat and bones like that they’d find in the wild.
Yes, it is possible to survive being fed kibble, just as it’s possible for us humans to survive on nutritionally-unbalanced fast food. We will not die, but we definitely would not be in the best health. The same applies to dogs and cats. Dogs are much healthier eating the same diet they’d have if they were out in the wild. In Dolce and Gabbana’s case, the raw diet is paying off not only in their general health but by improving their eye sight.
Dolce isn’t due back for another year, but Gabbana goes back in a month (ouch! my wallet just kicked me) for another follow-up visit.
