This is Roscoe, a 7-year-old Shih Tzu. Roscoe came to vet Sam at Animal Trust Ellesmere Port via our Vet referral service in June due to severe ulcers in both eyes. He was at risk of losing his eyes if they ruptured. During his consultation with Sam, Roscoe was admitted for intensive care. Throughout the night, Roscoe received hourly eye drops in an effort to stop the deterioration of his corneas. This round-the-clock treatment was crucial to stabilise his condition before surgery.

The following day, he underwent emergency microsurgery on both eyes. A corneo-conjunctival transposition was performed, creating grafts from healthy nearby tissue.

The underlying cause of Roscoe's severe ulcers was identified as dry eye, a chronic autoimmune disease that impairs tear production. This condition left his eyes vulnerable to severe ulceration.

After several weeks of treatment and recovery, Roscoe has retained both eyes, which are now shiny, comfortable, and healthy.

At Animal Trust Ellesmere Port, Sam provides a second-opinion service for complex ophthalmology cases.

To find out more about Animal Trust’s Referral Services see our Referrals section.