What do you want first, the bad news or the good news?

"Gentlemen, we can rebuild him ….we have the technology.” 

Sometimes Border Collie “parents” just never know how their weeks are going to go, and this one so far is no different. After noticing Casey’s unusually bloodshot eyes last Wednesday, coming off of weeks of abnormal eye discharge – usually in the morning and grayish in color – I called Fairhaven Veterinary Hospital to have our boy checked out. 

At the time I was thinking maybe allergy issues and expecting a change of diet to preempt visual issues later, you know, something simple. 

Surprise – the diagnosis was anything but. Casey’s veterinarian, Dan Hall, indicated that the symptoms and appearances of both eyes, after closer examination, lead him to believe that Casey was suffering from Chronic Superficial Keratitis, or pannus, an immune disorder most common in German Shepherds.

So Dan referred us to a Bellingham pet ophthalmologist, Terri McCalla, for a more detailed exam and specialized treatment.

So much for Friday. Saturday, lab work was conducted, a blood test with a lipid profile, to provide as a diagnostic tool for our ophthalmologist visit today. This appointment now seemed weeks away, knowing what we knew then, and the long term adverse effects that another tough diagnosis might mean. We were hoping for the best, and while maybe not expecting, ready for the worst.

Four long days and a constant stream of dire, imaginary scenarios later, we met Dr. Terri McCalla and the staff of Animal Eye Care LLC, and as usual, Casey Mac was the perfect patient, Mr. Docile, or better yet, Mr. Resignation.

After an hour of probing and scoping, one Rose Bengal dye test, one slit lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy test, and initial comprehensive ophthalmic examination later, Dr. McCalla gave us the bad news - and the good news.

Dr Terri McCalla and her perfect patient

Terri McCalla had found that Dr. Hall had been right – pannus – but with complications. Dan Hall and Terri McCalla also thought his blood profile pointed to hypothyroidism and a higher than normal cholesterol level, with particles of cholesterol even showing up on both of Casey’s corneas during Dr. McCalla’s exam. So this was the bad news and long term therapy would be needed to save Casey’s sight, now at 60% of normal. It seems our guy has been quite the accommodator with a Frisbee, snatching that disc at any distance and at all hours of the day or night.

The good news – long term therapy will restore all or most of Casey’s sight, an aggressive treatment with both a topical anti-inflammatory eye drop and Tacrolimus, an ointment that will help decrease corneal scarring and vascularization. Also thyroid medication will control the cholesterol levels and a vitamin and an anti-oxidant supplement recommended by Dr. McCalla, Ocu-GLO Rx, will beef up the boy’s immune system.

Techs Joanne and Melissa



There you have it. Our heads still hurt, and Casey really had a stressful day, but you know what, we feel very fortunate to have gotten him help when we did. He deserves it, he brings us great joy. And anyway, we’re never going to have to put him through college.

So he’s still a lot cheaper than a kid.