During November, 2007, AireCanada sponsored a Pennies 4 Airedales
fundraiser, chiefly to provide Serendipity with the surgery she
required on her eyes. The fundraiser was a great success. Over
$3000 was raised, an amount that permitted Seri to have her optic
issues solved with funds left over to defray expenses incurred
by Sarge, Anderson and twelve-year-old Taylor, all of whom required
surgeries to remove various growths or malignancies.
Serendipity is currently living with her foster mom
and Airedale sister who will adopt her once all her medical issues
have been addressed. In early January Seri had her much needed
surgery and the following note is an update from Seri's foster
mom.
Thanks to you, Serendipity
had her eye surgery!
Your generous donations have allowed Serendipity,
a lovely 20 month old Airedale, to have her much needed eye surgery.
Serendipity (Seri for short), while born without sight,
manages to make her way through life with grace and not a small
amount of spunk. She did, however, develop chronic, painful glaucoma
in the last six months that required daily eye drops to manage.
The only way to ensure that Seri was completely relieved of the
pain due to the glaucoma was surgery.
Seri was referred to the Ontario Veterinary College
Small Animal Clinic in December of 2007, where it was decided
that the most appropriate treatment option for her was Evisceration
with Intrascleral Prosthesis surgery. A mouthful! Essentially,
this surgery involves replacing the contents of the eye with
a silicone prosthesis, leaving her with an eye and functional
eyelid.
Seri had her evisceration surgery on January 15th,
2008, performed by Dr. Chantale Pinard and her team. Not one
to ever miss a meal, Seri was up and eating within hours of the
surgery and was able to come home the next day. The next couple
of weeks were filled with pain management medications, ice packs,
antibiotic drops and eye salves, and Seri endured it all like
a trooper. I was the only one whining, my calves bruised from
the dreaded Elizabethan collar.
It is now three weeks post surgery and Seri is finishing
up her antibiotics. It will probably be two or three months before
her eyes return to "normal", that is all inflammation
and redness gone, leaving a gray to black eye that blinks and
moves, but does not see.
Seri is a fantastic little lady who makes me laugh
every day. Along with her pack mate, Phoebe, she keeps me busy
with walks and romps in the yard. Thank you once again for your
generosity. Special thanks go to Stephanie MacNeill and Seri's
first mom who helped make this all possible.
...and of course, Airedale kisses and wiggles from
Serendipity
|
