Rufus Gets His Sight Back
A two-year-old rescue dog from Cambridgeshire had his sight restored thanks to complex surgery undertaken by vets at the Animal Health Trust (AHT).
Rufus, a two year-old Chinese Crested Powder Puff dog, had to undergo two highly complex operations to remove cataracts from both his eyes, as well as a high level of aftercare and assessment by both the charity’s vets and his foster carers.
We are happy to reveal that Rufus’s operations were a success and he now has sight in both eyes.
Rescued in July 2012 by the Chinese Crested Club of Great Britain from an abusive home, his foster family quickly noticed that Rufus’s sight was extremely poor, leaving him extremely nervous and frightened. Rufus was referred to the AHT’s ophthalmology team – the largest team of ophthalmology specialists in Europe – who confirmed that he could only see shadows due to cataracts in both eyes, meaning he was almost completely blind.
Sarah, Rufus’s carer said: “The Animal Health Trust has been unbelievable. I know Rufus isn’t an easy patient, but they have been brilliant at persevering with him. To be able to give a rescue dog the gift of sight is amazing, and the AHT team has been really kind and supportive.
“Rufus is really sweet, once he gets used to you. It has been amazing watching him react like a puppy to things, such as birds in the garden! He has clearly never seen them before, it is so special to be able to watch him experience things for the first time.”