Washburne The Dog
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Fort Collins Top Dog! (INACTIVE PAGE)Donate to get Wash on a beer can! Fundraising goes to NOCO Wildlife Center.
$300
raised by 6 people
Pannus And Goggles
Why Goggles?
Some ask why Wash wears sunglasses/goggles often. Is it because he looks adorable in them? While that is true, the reason is because he suffers from a condition called Pannus (Chronic Superficial Keratitis). With this condition, his immune system reacts with UV light to form inflammatory cells on his corneas. This then gets filled with blood vessels growing to these cells. If not treated, it can result in blindness. See the below photos for what his eyes looked like during the summer he was diagnosed.
Treatment Options
Luckily, there are several treatment options for Pannus and we caught it early. Since it's an autoimmune related disease, steroids are helpful. He gets steroid eye drops every morning before his breakfast. He is a trooper about taking them, especially since he knows he gets breakfast after.
There are also several available options for "doggles". We went through a few options that Wash was able to get off much too easily. He is sometimes too smart for us! We eventually landed on RexSpecs. These dog goggles were actually developed for adventure dogs with pannus and they work perfect. If you want an interesting read on the development of these goggle and pannus, check out this link. RexSpecs are a little pricey, but they have cheap replaceable lenses which have worked out great for us.
Some dogs that do not catch it early, or if it is very severe, may have to have surgery. It does not appear that that is the case with Wash.
Causes
The exact causes of Pannus are unknown. It is believed to be an autoimmune disorder that is linked to certain genetic factors. Some breeds, such as Border Collies, seem to have a predisposition to it although any dogs can have Pannus.
Pannus is typically diagnosed in middle age (4-8 years old). Wash was diagnosed in August 2018 making Wash just under 4 years old.
UV light exposure can make pannus worse and there is a much higher incidence of Pannus at higher altitudes. We live in Fort Collins, 4,982 ft, so it is no coincidence that 9 months after moving here his eyes started to show symptoms.
Side Effects of Wearing Dog Goggles
Wash gets so much more attention when we are out and about with goggles on. We end up talking to a lot of people about his eyes and how we trained him to wear the goggles (answer: lots of treats). We love talking about dog health and Wash himself. Not as much of a fan of people yelling and pointing from blocks away.
We can't blame people wanting to look at Wash. Check out some of these pics of him in goggles.
Wash on a bike ride
Wash trying out his RexSpecs
Wash with his first goggles (Doggles)
Wash before a bike ride (He rides in the basket right next to his face)
About Wash
Wash is a 6 year old rescue dog. We are passionate about helping natural areas and animals. He loves being around people and going on adventures. We often bike to Odell to enjoy the patio and delicious beer. Sometimes Wash even gets scritches from other people!
Wash with his B.A.R.K. Ranger Volunteer Bandana
Wash is one of three dogs of the pilot program B.A.R.K. Rangers with the City of Fort Collins.
As a B.A.R.K. Ranger, he is an ambassador of dogs on trails in Fort Collins. We promote ethics of leave no trace and respecting wildlife and people.
Wash is an excellent adventure buddy. He particularly enjoys bike rides around town. We have a yellow cargo bike with a side basket for him to ride in. We often go to parks to play fetch or breweries to hang out on the bike.
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About The Fundraising
Northern Colorado Wildlife Center is a great local nonprofit. They rehabilitate wildlife with the goal of releasing them back into the wild, helping wildlife populations. They educate people on the importance of the local wildlife and how we can help. And they promote the native natural areas that allow wildlife to thrive.
Fort Collins Top Dog is setting up this overall fundraiser. The top 15 dogs that raise the most for the fundraiser get entered to a competition to be on a can of beer.
We are very excited about potentially being on a beer can, but we also are very excited about donating and helping local areas and wildlife. Donate if you can or share our fundraiser! Everything helps.