Alfie looking good after procedure to remove tumours from his eye 

A vet has saved a dog’s sight after removing two tumours from his eye and using a section of his ear to repair the damage.

Vets at Veterinary Vision in Penrith, Cumbria, carried out the delicate surgery on a miniature schnauzer named Alfie who needed reconstructive surgery following the removal of the tumours.

Reconstruction

Chris Dixon, clinical director at Veterinary Vision, had to ensure that the shape of the cartilage taken from the ear could be used to repair eye after surgery.

Dr Dixon, an advanced practitioner in veterinary ophthalmology, said that he was “delighted” with the outcome of the procedure – considering the extent of the reconstruction work that was required.

‘Daunting’

Dr Dixon said: “The prospect of removing and reconstructing the wall of a dog’s eye is always daunting, as there are a number of serious complications that can be encountered.

“A procedure of this complexity requires careful preoperative planning and we used high-frequency ultrasonography to identify the surgical margins.

“Alfie’s operation then involved removal of the tumour and the insertion of cartilage harvested from his ear.

“The shape of the cartilage had to precisely match the excised tissue and was secured in position with very small absorbable sutures.”

Additional tumour

Alfie had evidence of additional tumour development within the eye, and this was destroyed with a laser during the same operation.

This part of the procedure was technically challenging, with the laser coupled to a high-definition video endoscope to directly examine the cancer.

Recovery

Dr Dixon added: “It is a marvel of modern technology that we have camera systems small enough to look inside the eye.

“Alfie was a fantastic patient and has made an excellent recovery, with minimal scar tissue. His sight has been preserved and he is now making the most of his vision.

“The whole Veterinary Vision team is thrilled that he has made such a complete recovery.”