EYE DISEASE

COMMON SIGNS OF EYE PROBLEMS:
(Veterinary attention should be sought for any of the following conditions)
 
  • Redness
  • Squinting
  • Rubbing the eye
  • Rubbing the face on the ground 
  • Avoiding light
  • Bulging eyes
  • Swollen eyes
  • Closed eyes
  • Cloudiness
  • Discharge
  • Excess tearing
  • Dilated pupil
     
COMMON CAUSES

Dry Eye: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS)
Deficiency of tear production resulting in drying and inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva.  Common in dogs, rarely seen in cats.

Predisposed breeds - Cocker spaniels, Bulldogs, Westies, Lhasa, Shih Tzu and Pugs.
Symptoms - squinting, redness, swelling of conjunctiva and mucoid ocular discharge.
Causes - immune mediated sometimes seen in associated  with atopy.  Less commonly congenital, drug induced (sulfa drugs).
Diagnosis - schirmer tear test - normal greater than 15mm
Treatment - cleaning mucous out of eyes before medicating.  Optimune often prescribed to address immune component of disease.  Artificial tears and occasionally antibiotic ointment are prescribed


Typical Patient with KCS


Glaucoma:
Elevation of pressure from within the eye, causing pain and blindness.  Common in dogs and less common in cats. 

Predisposed breeds - Husky, Akita, Samoyed, Basset, Chow, Shar pei, Spaniels, Poodles, Boston Terriers and Cairn terriers.
Symptoms - red swollen eye, painful to the point of causing other signs suc as loss of appetie, lethargy, depression.
Causes - when the normal flow of fluid in the eye is compromised, genetic conformational predisposition to decreased fluid outflow and increased pressure, acquired eye diseases such as trauma, neoplasia and infections.
Diagnosis - measurement of intraocular pressure with Tononpen.  Normal intraocular pressure is 25 or less.
Treatment - using multiple agents to lower intraocular pressure into the normal range as quickly as possible in an attempt to salvage vision.

Ocular_Tonometry.jpg 
Checking occular pressure with a Tonopen


Corneal Ulcers:
Inflammation of the cornea associated corneal erosion.  Common in brachycephalic breeds and in Perisan, Himalayans and Siamese, but can happen to anyone.

Symptoms - ocular discharge, squinting, redness and inflammation.
Causes - trauma, entropion, ectropion, eyelid masses and foreign bodies.
Diagnosis - Fluorescein stain.
Treatment - Triple antibiotic ointment without Hydrocortisone.  Sometimes debridement of loose epithelium with a dry sterile, cotton-tipped swab after topical anesthesia or a grid keratotomy might be warranted.


Applying Fluorescein stain

MEDICATING YOUR PET

How to Administer Eye Drops
  1. You may need to muzzle your dog.
  2. Remove any discharge around the eye with a cotton ball moistened with warm water.
  3. See the instructions on the bottle for dosage. Shake if necessary.
  4. Use one hand to hold the bottle between thumb and index and place the other under your dog’s jaw to support the head.
  5. Tilt the head back and, to prevent blinking, use your free fingers to hold the eyelids open.
  6. Hold the bottle close to the eye but DON’T touch the eye’s surface.
  7. Squeeze the drops onto the eye and once the drops are in, release the head.
  8. Your dog will blink, spreading the medication over the eye’s surface
     
 How to Apply Eye Ointment

  1. You may need to muzzle your dog.
  2. Remove any discharge around the eye with a cotton ball moistened with warm water.
  3. Check the instructions on the tube for dosage.
  4. Gently pull back upper and lower eyelids.
  5. Holding the tube parallel to the lower eyelid, squeeze the ointment on to its edge. DON’T let the tube touch the eye’s surface.
  6. Lightly massage upper and lower eyelids together to spread the medication.
  7. Release the head. Let your dog blink. 


As always, the doctors and staff of NorthPaws Veterinary Center make every effort to prioritize examination of patients that are having potential ocular difficulty. The reason for expediting the evaluation of any case relating to eye difficulties is that there is no way for verbal description to convey the true nature or severity of the problem. Seemingly innocent conditions can fool you… and result in an ocular emergency rather rapidly. These cases simply must be seen as soon as possible, if not right away. If you have any concerns regarding the health of your pet's eyes, please do not delay in bringing it to our attention so that one of our doctors may perform an evaluation.