Looking after your pet’s eyes
Eye problems are often painful and, if left untreated, can result in sight loss. Understanding the symptoms and getting them checked out early is therefore crucial. Eye issues can likewise be a side effect of basic ailments, so the speedier you can see your vet, the better.
Cherry Eye
What is cherry eye?
Cherry eye, also known as third eyelid gland prolapse, is a condition that affects young dogs, particularly puppies younger than one year. Although it may affect other breeds, the most common cases are found in the following:
- Bulldog
- Mastiff
- Great Dane
- Shih Tzu
- Lhasa Apso
- Cocker Spaniel
- Bloodhound
What Are The Signs Of Cherry Eye:
- Pink blog in the corner of your dog’s eye – much like a cherry
- Red and inflamed around the eye area
What Are The Potential Causes Of Cherry Eye:
The Nictitans gland, a tear-producing gland at the base of the third eyelid, becomes displaced from its normal position (where it cannot normally be seen) in dogs, resulting in cherry eye.
how do you treat cherry eye in dogs?
Conservative Management: In some cases, veterinarians may attempt conservative management, involving massaging the gland back into its normal position and applying topical medications to reduce inflammation. However, this approach may not always be successful, and cherry eye may recur.
or
Surgical correction is often the treatment of choice for cherry eye, especially when conservative measures are ineffective or the condition recurs. Surgical treatment usually involves fixing the gland in its normal position to prevent further prolapse.
Post-Operative Considerations:
- Postoperative Considerations:
- Restricted Activity: It’s important to limit the dog’s physical activity for a specified period after surgery to promote healing and prevent complications.
- Follow-up Appointments: The veterinarian will schedule follow-up appointments to monitor the dog’s progress, remove any sutures if necessary, and ensure that the cherry eye has been successfully corrected.
- Potential for Recurrence: While surgery is generally effective in addressing cherry eye, there is a small risk of recurrence, especially if the underlying connective tissue weakness is not fully addressed.
cataracts
what are cataracts?
When the lens of the eye clouds, which is caused by changes in the water balance in the lens or changes to the proteins within the lens, light can no longer pass through the lens, and the sight in that eye is decreased or even lost.
What Are The Symptoms Of Cataracts?
If your dog’s eye looks cloudy or white where there’s normally a black pupil, they could have a cataract.
- Behavioral changes such as no longer wanting to play or interact
- Increased sleeping or general lethargy
- Cloudy cornea
- Continual blinking or squinting of the eye
- Pupil does not respond to light
- Pupils are a different size in each eye
- Redness of the blood vessels in the whites of eyes
- Signs of vision loss, such as bumping into furniture or not recognizing familiar people
- Swollen or bulging eye
What Are The Causes Of Cataracts?
Numerous factors can contribute to dog cataracts. The majority of cataracts are genetic: At least 100 dog breeds have been found to have genetic mutations that increase their risk of cataracts, according to studies. Among these are the following:
- Australian shepherds
- Boston terriers
- Staffordshire bull terriers
- French bulldogs
- American cocker spaniels
- Welsh springer spaniels
- Labrador retrievers
- Miniature & standard poodles
How do you treat Cataracts In dogs?
Under general anesthesia, cataract surgery is the only effective treatment for restoring vision. Phacoemulsification is a common technique used in cataract surgery. Special tools are used in this method to break up and remove material from the lens.
If your dog is showing signs of Cataracts, book a consultation.
corneal ulcer
what is a corneal ulcer?
The cornea, a thin, clear “window,” covers the surface of your dog’s eye.
The severity of corneal damage varies. When only a portion of the cornea is damaged, this is known as a corneal abrasion or corneal erosion. However, we refer to this as a corneal ulcer if the erosion is sufficiently deep. An ulcer can sometimes be identified by its cloudy appearance. Assuming that the disintegration goes even further, the delicate inward piece of the cornea can be harmed. Descemetocele is a serious condition that requires immediate veterinary care.
Signs:
- Blepharospasm (screwing their eyes shut)
- Blinking more often than normal
- Increased tear production
- Altered behaviour
Causes:
Trauma is the leading cause of corneal ulcers in dogs. This could, for instance, be brought on by a dog rubbing their face on something, a grass seed that got stuck under an eyelid, or a scratch from something sharp in the environment.
Although corneal ulcers can affect any dog, some breeds are more susceptible to certain types. Dogs with flatter faces, like Pugs, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, and Shih tzus, typically have larger, more prominent eyes, increasing their vulnerability to traumatic eye injury.
how do you treat a corneal ulcer in dogs?
Treatment is often dependent on the cause however, most pets will go home with antibiotic eyedrops paired with a buster collar to prevent further damage, in some cases antibiotics and pain relief may also be given. Some ulcers take a long time to heal or may not heal at all requiring surgical intervention called debridement. This is usually performed using a diamond burr which debrides and removes the rough edges of the ulcer allowing new epithelial growth, promoting healing.
Glaucoma
What is Glaucoma in dogs?
Glaucoma happens when the strain inside the eye increments past ordinary. This is because there is less normal fluid drainage from the eye.
This liquid is there to keep the eye swelled, and typically is delivered and depleted at a steady rate. A defect in the structure of the eye or another eye problem that affects the drainage can block the drainage.
Inflammation or lens movement within the eye are the primary conditions that can result in secondary glaucoma.
Signs:
- Watery discharge from the eye.
- Eye pain (eye rubbing or turning away when being pet)
- Bulging of the eyeball (whites of eye turn red)
- Cloudy, bluish appearance to eye.
- Dilated pupil – or pupil does not respond to light.
Causes:
The most typical reasons are: damage to the eye’s lens, inflammation in the eye’s interior, severe intraocular infections, anterior dislocation of the lens (a blockage caused by the lens falling forward in the eye), tumors, and intraocular bleeding are all signs of this condition.
A primary eye condition can lead to secondary glaucoma in any dog.
Primarily inherited, primary glaucoma is characterized by abnormal eye drainage structures, this means some breeds are more at risk:
- Cocker spaniels
- Basset hounds
- Border collies
- Siberian huskies
- Flat coat retrievers
- Great Danes
How do you treat Glaucoma in dogs?
Eye drops that prevent glaucoma are used to treat POAG. In order to maintain optimal control, ongoing treatment and routine intraocular pressure checks are required. However, in some advanced cases of POAG, pressure reduction is ineffective, necessitating surgical intervention.
Conjunctivitis
what is conjunctivitis?
The term “conjunctivitis” refers to conjunctival inflammation. This is the slender tissue that covers the inside of the eyelids and the whites of the eyes. Conjunctivitis is also referred to as “pink eye” or “red eye” on occasion.
Signs:
- Discharge from the eyes (Cloudy, yellow or greenish)
- Excessive blinking
- Redness or swelling around the eyes
Causes:
There are numerous reasons. Uncomplicated conjunctivitis is frequently brought on by a bacterial infection, particularly in dogs. Cats who haven’t had their shots are more likely to get viral conjunctivitis, which looks like bacterial infections.
Even though healthy eyes can get conjunctivitis, an eye that already has another problem is more likely to get it.
Conjunctivitis is more common in dogs with allergies, especially during a flare-up.
How do you treat conjunctivitis in dogs?
Eye drops and ointments from your veterinarian are frequently used to treat simple conjunctivitis. Eye drops can be difficult to administer so book an appointment at the practice.
Pet care Plan
By signing up to our Pet Care Plan, we will be able to diagnose any symptoms of deteriorating eye health early and provide treatment quickly. Our Pet Care Plan will help spread the cost of preventative pet care to give your pet a healthier, happier and longer life.