After a full battery of eye tests last week, we learned that we will be able to restore blind Darla's vision! Yes, her retinas are working just fine behind her mature cataracts. In the photo above, vet tech Rachel is holding Darla during the all-important electroretinogram (ERG) test, which determines how well the retinas are functioning.
With each successive step in the exam process, the news was good, but in the end it all came down to the ERG results. This is a screenshot showing one of the wave patterns generated during her test — and it's that initial dip, followed by an immediate peak, on the far left we're looking for:
It can take a while for the wave pattern to assume it's final and definitive shape, which seems like an excruciatingly long wait even though it isn't. Because we're testing rods and cones in each eye, there are four of these individual tests to do. But finally, all were done and it was clear Darla would be a candidate for cataract surgery!
Dr. Jamieson will be doing the surgery in mid-July, so we have a few weeks to go before this girl will be able to see again — but see she will!
Here again, the news overall was good — all of her organs looked fine. Her bloodwork came back with some elevated liver values, so Tanya will be starting Darla on liver support medications in the meantime and we will recheck in a few weeks.
After a full day in veterinary clinics, Darla was one happy girl to get back to the farm!
Rolling Dog Farm Blog 
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