Later when we tracked down a retina specialist in Seattle to consult with her on what to do about the silicone oil and the corneal exposure, she refused to consult with him and just left us hung out to dry. She attempted to defend her refusal to help us by saying that she had reached out to a retinal specialist in Toronto (Joe Wolfer) who had refused to consult with her without seeing Peanut in person. We are certain what she said about Wolfer was true. But we found it depressing and frustrating that Wolfer wouldn’t answer the simple question: “Will silicone oil absorb into the body and, if not, can it be removed from the conjunctiva?” That was a theoretical question that shouldn’t have required a trip to Canada to get answered.

In nearly a decade of experience with vets caring for three rescue dogs, we have never met anyone as mean as Denise Lindley. After a third ulcer was detected, we became totally paranoid about ulcers and consequently were in her office weekly for months. She did tear tests each time. Each visit cost over $100. The only solution she offered was a third surgery on Peanut to permanently narrow the opening of his eye so he could make a complete blink. He had no vision from May 27 through early August. She looked at us as a never ending source of revenue.

We finally had to force her to post Peanut’s problem on a eye specialty listserv. On our behalf, she asked of the listserv if anything could be done about this silicone oil or if it would ultimately absorb into the body and become a non-issue. Dr. Brad Nadelstein out of Virginia Beach responded. Nadelstein is another of the half dozen or so specialists who perform retina reattachment surgery on pets. Nadelstein posted in writing on the listserv “As we all know, silicone oil does not absorb into the body.”