CANINE STAR BENJI RECOVERING
FROM EYE SURGERY
Operation More Complex than Expected;
Doctor’s Prognosis Delayed

WHEELING, IL, Aug. 4 – As Benji, the brown-eyed star of the new major motion picture Benji Off the Leash, was released from a suburban Chicago veterinary hospital following retinal re-attachment surgery, her doctor expressed concern about recovery complications.

The three-hour emergency operation under general anesthesia on the floppy-eared hero was performed Tuesday by Dr. Sam Vainisi of the Eye Care For An imals clinic in suburban Wheeling, the top veterinary ophthalmologist in the country.

“The surgery turned out to be more complex than I expected,” said Dr. Vainisi. “Her eye was a mess from the massive inflammation accompanying the earlier cataract. After surgery I was very pleased with the look of the retina and expected her to get significant vision restored to her eye, but two complications arose that might adjust that prognosis.”

Benji had a severe allergic reaction to an antibiotic shot always given at the end of this surgery. Dr. Vainisi, who has performed over one thousand of these procedures, said he has never seen such a reaction, including abnormal swelling to the eye.

“Apparently the reaction caused a bleed behind the retina overnight. If the blood clot is absorbed by the body and the retina lays back down, we might be fine,” Dr. Vainisi added. “The first objective is to get the swelling down.”

At a follow-up check-up this afternoon, Benji was cleared to travel and continue the promotional tour for the new movie so long as she is kept calm and quiet and in the hands of owner/director Joe Camp. But their travel plans have been adjusted for them to fly to Green Bay, WI, for another checkup Friday morning at Dr. Vainisi’s home.

A decision will be made at that time about future travel or treatment. If the body does not absorb the blood clot behind the retina, Dr. Vainisi will have to perform additional surgery to remove it. That decision will not be made for at least two weeks.

Benji, whose big brown eyes have been the trademark of one of the most cherished characters in movie history, is only three years old. According to Camp, the lovable mutt developed the detached retina in her left eye as a complication from cataract surgery late June in Atlanta.

“Her left eye is really swollen and she looks like she’s been in a boxing ring,” said Camp. “But we are very blessed that she tackled this surgery like everything else in her life since she was adopted in late 2001 -- with a will to win.”

Benji Off The Leash will hit theaters nationwide on August 20. Benji’s co-star in the movie, Shaggy, was rescued from Chicago’s Animal Care and Control in the fall of 2001. Benji herself was adopted from a shelter in Gulfport, Mississippi, after a search in shelters all across the nation. American Humane says the original Benji being adopted from a shelter resulted in more than one million pet adoptions across the country.

Note: Producer Joe Camp and Dr. Vainisi are available for interviews. For details and arrangements, please contact Giles Hudson at 469-774-6377 or Whitney Kelley at 972-267-1111.