Eye problems

“The eyes of a dog never lie”, a saying goes, but eye diseases can be very deceiving. Eye problems don’t usually have clearly alarming symptoms, which is why you could dismiss it as “nothing serious”. But with eyes things can go from mild tom severe pretty quickly, which is why medical staff will always treat eye problems as a priority.

The main issue with eye problems is that symptoms generally don’t tell the whole story. You could see some squinting, redness, a bit of tearing and your dog could be pawing at the eye from time to time. It could be a tiny scratch on the cornea, but it could also be a small wooden splint embedded under the third eyelid or even a penetrating wound of the eyeball. All these three conditions will determine similar symptoms and the only way to determine what happened is to have your vet perform a direct examination of the eye and attendant structures.

As a rule of thumb, eye problems should be treated as emergencies, as quick action could potentially save your dog’s eyesight. 

One very good example of how things can be far worse than they seem is glaucoma. Symptoms can be quite subtle at first: a red appearance of the eye, a dilated pupil, unresponsive to light or a cloudy cornea. Usually owners don’t take notice or delay the medical check up until it is already too late. Because glaucoma is usually associated with elevated pressure in the eye, it is a condition that needs to be treated as soon as possible. If intraocular pressure is elevated for more than a day or two, permanent damage is very likely to happen, meaning irreversible blindness or even loss of the eye.

Usually owners that notice eye problems are unsure about the severity of the situation. Remember that any eye related symptom is potential bad news and you should have your pet examined by a veterinarian.

Here is a list of most common symptoms you need to look out for. When spotting any of these symptoms, it’s time you take your dog to the vet.

Pain (a painful eye is an emergency situation)

Description: associated with squinting, tearing, tenderness to touch, loss of appetite, crying, lethargy, pawing.

Possible causes: corneal injuries; keratitis; uveitis; glaucoma.

Discharge

Description: discharge and redness of the eye is usually sign of conjunctivitis. Thick discharge, green or yellowish, indicates an infection. Discharge and pain always means a serious problem, so you should see your veterinarian immediately.

Possible causes: tearing mechanism disorder; conjunctivitis; foreign body; infections; corneal injuries.

Bulging eye

Description: eyes protrude from the eye sockets.

Possible causes: glaucoma, tumors, abscesses.

Red/pink mass at the inner corner of the eye

Description: sometimes it comes and goes, but in the end it usually persists. You can see some clear eye discharge.

Possible causes: cherry eye.

Inflammation of the eyelid

Description: flakes, crusts near the eye; redness of the eyelids; swallowing of the eyelids; eye discharge; intense itching/scratching of the eye.

Possible causes: blepharitis.