Former Miss South Africa and Miss Universe first runner-up Tamaryn Green was left devastated this week after her dog lost his eyesight.
Taking to Instagram, the beauty queen and medical doctor said that Oreo, a French bulldog, was diagnosed with idiopathic retinal detachment, an irreversible condition.
“In a short time, literally seven days, our baby boy went permanently blind in both eyes, she wrote.
“We noticed him bumping into objects, struggling to play fetch and generally appearing more on edge. Later he developed a swollen right eye. We took him for a full exam and received the bad news.
“Eye drops were not sufficient to manage the pain and discomfort anymore and the last option was to remove the one troubling eye,” she said.
The star said her heart breaks for her dog and she hopes he will adapt to his new life.
“Oreo is my baby and my heart breaks for him. I’m sure other animal lovers can relate, that if possible we’ll go to the ends of the Earth for them.
“Currently, he is adapting after his eye surgery. We’re praying that he finds his happy place again,” she said.
Symptoms of retinal problems can be subtle and vague but also sudden and complete. Pets with vision problems in different lighting situations or problems with catching objects may have early retinal disease.
Retinal tears or complete detachments can result in sudden, complete vision loss. Evaluation of the retinal tissues require specialised equipment to identify subtle or early changes in retinal health or position.
Early detachment is best identified with the specialised equipment and training that your veterinary ophthalmologist can provide.