A former guide dog has undergone a £5k operation to prevent her going blind.
Alice, a 14-year-old Labrador Retriever cross, had a four-hour procedure to remove ulcers on her eyes.
Owner Michelle Earl, 52, took in Alice after her career as a guide dog came to an end five years ago following her previous owner's death.
Michelle, a nanny, from Sevenoaks, Kent, said: "She was just amazing at what she did as a guide dog.
"We took her to see an eye specialist last week and he thinks she's had a problem since birth.
"She's always had cloudy blue eyes but more recently she's had ulcers in both eyes and they haven't cleared up and unless she had this operation she'd be totally blind.
"The consultant said he's never seen a lab as fit and healthy as Alice apart from her eyes."
Alice has had problems with her eyes since birth but they have deteriorated in recent years.
"In the end she wasn't a rubbish guide dog but because of her sight she wasn't quite up to it she didn't quite hit the grade anymore," said Michelle.
The operation took place at Medivet in Sidcup on Friday (03/05), and Alice will need her eyes bandaged for four or five weeks while she heals.
Michelle added: "Prior to the op she was just really subdued and quite sad and not really wanting to do much.
"I don't think she could see very well but because she was used to her surroundings it made it easier.
"She'll get the majority of her eyesight back after a few weeks.
"Hopefully she'll be okay, we'll be making sure she has someone with her at all times."
You can support Alice's recovery here: https://gofund.me/a56852bf
Alice, a 14-year-old Labrador Retriever cross, had a four-hour procedure to remove ulcers on her eyes.
Owner Michelle Earl, 52, took in Alice after her career as a guide dog came to an end five years ago following her previous owner's death.
Michelle, a nanny, from Sevenoaks, Kent, said: "She was just amazing at what she did as a guide dog.
"We took her to see an eye specialist last week and he thinks she's had a problem since birth.
"She's always had cloudy blue eyes but more recently she's had ulcers in both eyes and they haven't cleared up and unless she had this operation she'd be totally blind.
"The consultant said he's never seen a lab as fit and healthy as Alice apart from her eyes."
Alice has had problems with her eyes since birth but they have deteriorated in recent years.
"In the end she wasn't a rubbish guide dog but because of her sight she wasn't quite up to it she didn't quite hit the grade anymore," said Michelle.
The operation took place at Medivet in Sidcup on Friday (03/05), and Alice will need her eyes bandaged for four or five weeks while she heals.
Michelle added: "Prior to the op she was just really subdued and quite sad and not really wanting to do much.
"I don't think she could see very well but because she was used to her surroundings it made it easier.
"She'll get the majority of her eyesight back after a few weeks.
"Hopefully she'll be okay, we'll be making sure she has someone with her at all times."
You can support Alice's recovery here: https://gofund.me/a56852bf
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FunTranscript
00:00 My name is Michelle Earl, this is Alice and she's nearly 14.
00:06 We've had Alice since she was nine. She is a retired guide dog.
00:10 She is the most sweetest, kindest dog. She used to belong to a lady called
00:18 Evelyn who was a local lady who unfortunately
00:22 had a stroke and passed away. I'd known Evelyn a bit.
00:27 My friend used to walk Alice for Evelyn and
00:31 Alice would come to my house and walk with me and my dogs.
00:37 Then Alice needed to be rehomed. At first it was just
00:40 for a couple of weeks until they decided what was going to happen with Alice.
00:45 I met up with my friend and decided that I would take Alice and she would come
00:50 and live with me and the best thing that I ever did really.
00:55 She fits in totally with our family and she's just the best dog.
00:59 So basically Alice had ulcers on both of her eyes which would
01:07 end up with her going blind eventually so she needed this surgery to
01:11 remove the ulcers and the dead cells on her eyes
01:14 which she had done a week last Friday. The operation was
01:18 about five hours long. She can't see anything at all at the moment
01:22 but hopefully within the next four to five weeks she should get
01:25 a bit of a sight back. So hopefully the operation went really
01:31 well and she's doing really well with her
01:33 recovery. She has to have drops every four hours but she's doing
01:39 really great. Obviously she's 14. I would just like
01:44 hopefully to have her for a few more years and that she gets
01:48 enough sight back that she can enjoy her life again and just be
01:54 happy and that's all we can ask for really, just so that she has a good few years with us.
01:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]