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Chance's Story - Juvenile Cataracts

Chance with his Mom Judy Chisholm

Written By Regina Ford

Green Valley News

A little white Maltese by the name of Chance is one lucky doggie. Owner Judy Chisholm, who owns and operates Kamp-K-9, cage-free boarding in Amado, gave Chance his eyesight back after raising the money to pay for cataract surgery for the animal she also rescued from a family in Scottsdale, who did not want to deal with the dog’s medical conditions.

Chance, a year old, was born with some medical problems, including juvenile cataracts. Because he was young, he was the ideal candidate for the cataract surgery which was performed by Reuben E. Meredith, DVM at Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Meredith is a national expert in animal ophthalmology and a contributing author of five veterinary textbooks. He has authored more than 30 scientific articles and five chapters in veterinary texts.

Meredith said the condition is not uncommon, but surgery for young dogs allows them to improve their quality of life, regaining their sight.

Chisholm said the surgery is expensive and she saved all the extra money she had, including her tax rebates. She also had support from friends, including monetary help from some of her clients and help from Nancy Campbell, owner of Nancy Pantz Fashions and Shooz! in the Continental Shopping Plaza.

She also received support from her dear friends and former Green Valley residents Carolyn and Bake Baker, now in California, who lost their Yorkshire terrier, Sir Winston, more than a year ago to a collapsed trachea.

In honor of Chance’s first birthday on June 30 and his new eyesight, Chisholm bought him a birthday cake.

Chance and Chisholm will be flying over the Labor Day weekend to visit the University of Tennessee for a Yorkie Angel Patrol Fund meeting. The Yorkie Angel Patrol is comprised of a group of dedicated people whose mission is to provide general information on the breed and help pet owners with questions concerning genetic diseases and assist them in finding the right resources. Chisholm, who owns three Yorkies, sits on the fund-raising committee of Yorkie Patrol.

One of the patrol goals is to provide individuals with the tools they need to make wise decisions regarding the money they donate to charities and to help these individuals ensure that their donations are used properly.

The group is also dedicated to raising money in support of the University of Tennessee Angel Fund (liver shunts), the University of Tennessee Fancy Fund (collapsing trachea), and the North Carolina State University Create (neurological disorder) Fund.

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