02 May Dog’s Eye Disease and Treatments

The eyes are an essential organ of the body that can have a variety of diseases. Healthy and natural eyes are clear, bright and without any discharge. Most signs and symptoms of the disease in dogs first appear on their head and face. Abnormal eye discharge and runny nose are other symptoms of some dog’s eye diseases. In addition, changes in the dog’s appetite, eating habits, and behaviour indicate problems in different parts of their body. Infectious diseases are transmitted through sneezing, coughing, direct contact of the animal with other patients, or contaminated food and water containers.

In the infection transmission, contact with faeces, vomit and contaminated equipment also play an essential role. Puppies are more prone to various complications due to poor immunity to diseases. Therefore, it’s recommended that those who keep new puppies next to older dogs consult a veterinarian to maintain the puppies health. Here is a list of some important dog’s eye diseases and their treatments.

Conjunctival swelling in dog’s eye

Redness of the animal’s eyes is one of the first signs of eye problems and diseases that you can treat with eye drops. But for severe issues and emergency injuries, eye surgery is needed. One of the leading causes of ocular complications is a painful inflammation of the inner membrane of the eyelid surface, which will cause redness, swelling, itching and runny eyes. Due to the severe sensitivity of the eye, the dog owner must pay special attention to eye diseases and take eye problems seriously. If necessary, they must coordinate with a veterinarian regarding their treatment.

This Dog’s Eyedisease has different causes. But the most important of them are:

• Sensitivity to plant pollen, contact with airborne dust, contaminated sites, fungi and other microbial agents are the causes of conjunctivitis.
• Bacterial infections often produce a thick yellow or green discharge from the eye corner.
• Genetic predisposing factors are also conjunctivitis cause. For example, entropion or turning the eyelids inwards and ectropion or turning the eyelids outward are the predisposing causes of this disease. In the case of entropion, the placement of a part of the eyelid’s outer tissue on the surface of the eyeball will cause irritation, burning and itching, and eventually cause scarring in the area. This condition is more common in young dogs, especially up to 6 months old. Complications of ectropion are less severe and are more common in breeds such as blood bound. When ectropion occurs, the inner membrane of the eyelid, which is naturally hidden under the eyelid, is placed on the outer surface. This delicate tissue becomes inflamed when exposed to infectious agents, dust and strong winds.
• Distichiasis is an inherited condition caused by an extra row of lashes at the eyelid edge and is most commonly found in small breeds such as Cocker Spaniels and PKs. Excess eyelashes contact the surface inside the eyeball and cause itching in the area and cause various complications. Surgery and removal of extra eyelashes is usually the only way to treat this disease.
• The penetration of foreign objects such as coarse shavings, wild plants particles and their pollen in the eye can also cause serious problems. This condition is more common in hounds and those kept in grasslands and outdoors. These dogs are significantly affected by ectropion.
• Conjunctivitis is also more common in dogs with cataracts with the distemper virus.
• Because of the many causes of eye problems and the eye’s susceptibility to disease, it’s better to consult a vet. It’s recommended to clean the dog’s eyes regularly and carefully follow the veterinarian treatments recommended by the veterinarian.

To treat the Dog’s Eye redness and itching, you can use raspberry leaves tea or a drop of fish liver oil in the eyes daily. 2-3 drops of cucumber juice can be instilled in the eyes 3-4 times a day to relieve allergies.

Corneal ulcers in dog’s eye

Abrasion of the cornea’s surface layer is called a corneal ulcer, and it’s counted as a third most common eye problem in dogs. There’re many reasons for these sores. Scratching and abrasion of the corneal surface, foreign objects such as seeds, plants, pollen and grasses replaced under the third eyelid of the dog are predisposing causes of the disease. In addition, violent play between dogs, especially puppies, can accidentally cause corneal injury. Sensitivity of the cornea to some shampoos or getting hairs into the eyes during bathing can also cause problems. Therefore, it’s recommended to use eye ointments to take care of the corneal surface before bathing. Certain genetic traits, such as eyelash rotation and entropion, can also damage the cornea inside. In some particular breeds, such as brachiocephalic, which have a hollow nose and large, round eyes, corneal ulcers can also occur due to the lack of proper blinking. Symptoms of the disease include deviation of the eyeball, excessive red tears and swelling in the eye. Due to the many nerve fibres in the eye, the dog suffers from severe pain in these cases.

For dog’s eye treatment, the veterinarian first paints the injured area with unique and sterile coloured strips, in which case it turns light green, and then performs specific treatment in this case. Generally, by adopting appropriate treatment methods, superficial wounds heal after 3-5 days. General treatment includes topical ocular antibiotics to prevent the spread of bacterial infections. A few days after treatment, To check the condition of the injury and control the healing, the veterinarian will re-colour and mark the cornea’s surface with special tapes and will be informed about the healing process. Without adequate care and timely treatment, there is a possibility of infection, corneal perforation and even blindness.

Cataracts

Cataracts are more common in dogs. The lens is located behind the pupil and is entirely transparent. Its job is to focus light on the retina so that the images are eventually transmitted to the visual centre in the brain. The disease occurs when the lens cells are damaged, and the cataract lens is cloudy. In these case, the vision is impaired, and the animal becomes blind. A change in the colour of one or both eyes and white or bluish-grey colour are symptoms of cataracts.

This dog’s eye disease has different causes, the most important of which are:

• Inflammation of the eye due to trauma or infectious agents
• Diabetes
• Cataracts caused by ageing (GERIATRIC).
• Cataracts belonging to specific breeds and at a young age (Juvenile) are primarily seen in species such as CocKer spaniel, poodle, Siberian husky.

For dog’s eye treatment to perform cataract surgery as soon as possible after the examination to help maintain eye health and treat the animal’s disease. The veterinarian destroys the lens using high-frequency sound waves, which is called Phacoemulsification. Then, with the help of a suction device, the lens pieces are removed, which is more than 90% of the success rate of this method, and the dog’s vision is maintained. Before surgery, the veterinarian evaluates the condition of the eye with an electroretinogram. Because of genetic eye problems such as progressive retinal atrophy, it’s better to sterilise the dog and prevent him from mating so that the disease isn’t observed in puppies.

Note that young cataracts that occur at a young age can be treated and used to clean the lens with cortisone drops and restore vision to its original state. However, in the incurable type of cataract, it’s impossible to treat it due to irreversible damage to the lens. 

Cherry eye condition and dry eyes

Some dogs are prone to some eye diseases, one example of which is tearing prolapse of the third eyelid, in other words, a type of hypertrophy and epithelial growth. It’s called cherry because it comes out of the inner corner of the eye, a spherical and inclined mass of pink colour and is about the size of a small cherry. Dry eye is also caused by a lack or absence of tear secretion and is called KCS = Keratoconjunctivitis in ophthalmology.

Cherry eyes

• In addition to the upper and lower eyelids, dogs and cats also have a third eyelid, which plays a vital role in protecting the eyes. In addition, this eyelid has a gland that produces and saves about 30% of tears for the anterior part of the eyes and cornea. Cherry eye condition occurs at the time of the disease.
• There’s still disagreement about the root cause of this condition; However, some experts believe that this problem has a genetic background and is more common in some breeds such as Cocker Spaniel, Beagle, Bulldog and Pike Niz. But in some other species such as the Great hound, BLOOD hound and Basset hound, this disease is common. Of course, eye trauma can also be one of the predisposing causes of this disease.
• In infected dogs, the lacrimal gland of the third eyelid appears red and resembles a piece of meat (similar to a small cherry). This gland is visible from the inner angle of the eye and is turned outwards. After a while, the other eye may also develop this condition, which is more common in dogs less than one-year-old. With the onset of this disease, clear and mucous discharge is observed, along with redness and swelling of the eye.
• For treating the disease with surgery, the gland is returned to its usual location to continue to function normally and produce tears and prevent dry eyes.
• Other treatments for this dog’s eye disease include surgical removal of the gland; in this case, the tears aren’t secreted enough, and the eye will be prone to dryness and subsequent complications. Sometimes the disease resolves spontaneously over time and after 2-3 weeks, but it can lead to severe infections in some cases.

Dog’s Eye Disease

• Tear secretion is essential for the eyes and cornea health; because the cornea is nourished and oxygenated by tears. Lack of a protective layer of tears will cause serious and severe complications and dry eyes. The main difficulties of dry eyes are corneal ulcers and deposition of pigments in that area, which will reduce vision or eventually blindness. Dogs with dry eyes close their eyelids and narrow their eyes regularly. It’s like when we protect our eyes from wind and storms on long days with half-closed eyelids. For evaluating and diagnosing this disease, a particular method measures the number of tears produced in one minute.
• There’re several causes of dry eyes, including hypothyroidism, distemper virus infection, and immune system diseases (such as cancer).
• For treatment, topical antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to control secondary bacterial eye infections. Artificial tear drops also make the surface of the dried cornea slippery.
• If there is no response to initial treatment, surgery is recommended. In this method, parotid salivary gland secretions are used to treat dry eye.
• If left untreated, the disease can lead to severe corneal ulcers, bacterial infections, and eventually blindness.

Most diseases that endanger the health and dog’s well-being rooted in hygiene and cleanliness; in other words, regular hygiene and grooming can prevent more of them. With complete and accurate grooming, Mishka’s professional and expert team ensures the health and freshness of your dog. Just trust us.