Gus presented one day for a profound anaphylactic reaction that is common in dogs during the Spring through Fall months. In most cases, a bee or wasp sting is the culprit and most cases can be dealt with easily and quickly. It was believed this would be the case for Gus, however, his facial swelling was so profound that his eyelids swelled so much they caused a nasty corneal ulcer to develop on his eye. Topical treatment was not correcting the issue promptly enough so Dr Jason performed a nictitans advancement flap (the third eyelid is sewn to the upper eyelid) and a corneal keratotomy (a process in which many tiny cuts are made in the cornea to promote proper healing of normal corneal tissue). Gus was then treated with topical anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and what is really awesome- his own blood’s serum! Our veterinary technicians created the serum with blood drawn from Gus’s body. This was then used as a natural and specific healing agent for the cornea as it contains a multitude of healing factors that allow for corneal ulcers to heal far more quickly than with topical medications alone.
We are pleased to report that Gus made a rapid and comfortable recovery and is hopefully planning on avoiding any wasps and bees this coming spring!
