The continuing saga of George's eye

In our now twice-weekly visit to the vet yesterday we were told again that the ulcer on George's eye isn't healing as it should. A normal ulcer would heal in 5-6 days; it's been 3 or 4 weeks without any real improvement and it's now classified as a chronic ulcer.

Each time we go George has dye in his eye - bright green dye at that - and the last few times his eye has also been anaesthetised while the vet has removed the 'pretend' healing skin. Yesterday he underwent a further procedure: using a needle the vet scraped grid lines over the affected area. (I couldn't watch that bit.) The idea is that it will stimulate the body into repairing the cornea. There are signs the body is trying to heal itself - new pink blood vessels - but not quickly enough.

We go back again on Friday when, if it hasn't worked, and the ordered contact lens has arrived that will be fitted. The purpose of the lens is to be a protective shield while the eye heals. In the past they've sewn up the eyelid but the disadvantage is that you can't see what's happening underneath and if it gets gungy, or goes awry somehow, you don't find out until the stitches are removed.

In a separate or possibly connected issue we also told the vet about the patch of nearly bare skin where George has been biting at himself. She couldn't see anything obviously causing it except a couple of little spots but we have a foam to massage in several times a day. It's possible that he's biting his side because his eye irritates him ...

It's at this point in time that we wish we'd taken out doggy insurance. We were lucky with Harvey who was so fit and didn't have any problems until his very last year or so. George is still only eleven and, hopefully, will live quite a few more years, albeit expensive ones.

On the plus side the summer dogs on beaches ban ended on Sunday so yesterday we celebrated.