A much-loved ageing rescue dog who faced going blind has been given the gift of sight following complex eye surgery at a renowned Cheshire animal hospital.

Ellie, believed to be about nine years old, is a Leonberger whose life expectancy can be only eight to nine years.

She faced the prospect of never seeing properly again before she was successfully operated on at Linnaeus-owned Eye Vet in Runcorn.

Now she’s had bilateral cataract surgery, Ellie is playing again, instead of bumping into lamp posts.

Ellie’s grateful owner, Richard Tame from Ellesmere Port, said: “The reason we had Ellie’s eyes fixed at such an old age was because she was so depressed when she trod on Kashi, our puppy.

“It was an accident but Kashi was small and squealed, which made Ellie withdraw. I’m very happy to say that doesn’t happen anymore.”

Ellie’s eyesight started to deteriorate about 18 months ago when her owner noticed one of her eyes had changed in appearance. Gradually, there was a reduction in vision and a change in the appearance of both eyes.

Iona Mathieson, veterinary ophthalmologist at Eye Vet, led the surgery to restore Ellie’s vision, who was rescued when she was six years old.

Iona said: “Ellie’s owners are delighted that both eyes are comfortable and visual. She’s a charming dog and it’s great to know that she’s playing with puppy Kashi. It sounds like they are having a wonderful time together.”

Ellie’s owner, Richard, added: “Iona was, and is, awesome. I’ve already recommended Iona and Eye Vet to other pet owners and my advice is to sort cataracts sooner rather than later as it makes things so much easier.”

For more information on Eye Vet, which is a dedicated ophthalmic practice providing expert ocular care for pets, visit https://www.eye-vet.co.uk/ or search for Eye Vet, Cheshire, on social media. 

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