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.

Gastric Dilatation (Volvulus)

This disease is also known as “bloat”. But as benign as it may sound, it is a deadly condition and it is at the top of medical and surgical emergencies.

Bloat is an extremely serious condition, where a dog’s stomach becomes filled with gas, causing the stomach (and sometimes the spleen) to rotate around its axis. So far, we have not completely understood “why” this happens but we do know “how” it happens.

Bloat develops suddenly, as a consequence of several events. When a dog eats, he will swallow air, which is normal –same happens with humans. But for unknown reasons, some dogs cannot release the accumulated air. If the dog eats a large meal at once, especially if he is gulping down his food, more air will be swollen. Drinking lots of water afterwards will only make things worse, as more air will be ingested and the stomach becomes enlarged with liquid, food and air. When food ferments, more gas accumulates, causing the stomach to become bigger and bigger, pressing on nearby organs.

At this point, the stomach resembles an over-inflated balloon, on the verge of rupturing, and it will have the tendency to rotate on its axis. As it does so, it also spins the blood vessels, cutting off the blood supply. No blood supply means no oxygen, and no oxygen leads to death. Apart from pressing all major abdominal veins, and thus reducing venous blood return to the heart, the stomach begins to die due to insufficient blood supply. All these events will rapidly cascade towards shock, collapse and death in just a couple of hours, so you need to rush your pet to the vet as soon as you see probable symptoms.

Clinical signs are not always easy to recognize as definite bloat-associated symptoms. Nevertheless, should you have reason to suspect your dog is suffering from bloat, or worst-case-scenario-volvulus, you should immediately take your pet to your veterinarian.

Signs and symptoms: swollen abdomen, non-productive attempts to vomit, restlessness, abdominal pain, rapid shallow breathing, salivation, pale gums. As the condition progresses, the dog will go into shock –weak pulse, abnormal heart rhythm, collapse.

Factors attributed to developing gastric dilatation and volvulus

-breed predisposition: large breeds with deep narrow chests, like the Great Dane, Irish Setter, Saint Bernard, German shepherd and so on;

-gender: males have higher risk of suffering from GDV;

-age: dogs over 7 years of age are more likely to develop bloat;

-eating habits: dogs that are fed only once a day are more likely to duffer from GDV, compared to those who are given 2-3 meals per day. Dogs that gulp down food or exercise after eating are also at increased risk of GDV. 

TOP 5 Things Your Dog Should NOT Eat

1. Caffeine
Caffeine can be found in a lot of foods and beverages, like coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, energizing drinks and many more. It is a central nervous system stimulant, and, in large enough quantities, can be lethal for a dog. The bad news is that there is no specific antidote.
A dog that had a lot of caffeine will exhibit rapid breathing, tremors, heart palpitations, bleeding, restlessness. If you see these signs you need to take your dog to the vet immediately. 

2. Alcohol
Sharing your beer with your dog is just as wrong as giving a toddler a shot of tequila. Alcohol has the same effect on a dog's brain and liver that it has on humans, but it takes far less to do its damage.
Just a small amount of alcohol, even in a large breed dog can cause a lot of serious problems: central nervous system depression, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, all leading to eventual coma and death.

3. Macadamia nuts
We know today that macadamia nuts are toxic for dogs, but the mechanism of toxicity is yet to be explained. It is certain though, that even a couple of nuts will make the dog ill and that symptoms usually appear about 12 hours after ingestion.
A dog suffering from macadamia nuts poisoning will vomit, have a rapid heart rate and an increased body temperature. You will also probably notice weakness in his hind legs and depression. Muscle tremors can also be present.
The symptoms of macadamia nuts poisoning can be made worse if the dog also had chocolate. In this case, death is a potential risk.

4.Sugar free sweet foods
Some products like candy, diet foods and even toothpaste are sweetened with Xylitol. This substance will cause an increase in insulin level which results in a blood sugar drop.
After eating products containing xylitol a dog will start to vomit. He will be lethargic and seizures may occur. There is also a high risk of liver failure within a few days.

5. Home made food
You may think that cooking for your dog is better than feeding him kibbles. Home made food should be tastier and safer, because you can control the freshness and quality of the ingredients. While it is ok to give your dog, from time to time, a little piece of the steak you are preparing, a regular diet of home made food can deprive your dog of many essential nutrients.
Here are two examples (Source: Waltham pocket book of essential nutrition for cats and dogs):

Recipe 1:  3 parts rice; 2 parts chicken breast; 1 part cooked vegetables.
Dogs need: 1.5 times more Zinc; 36 times more Vitamin E;10 times more Vitamin B.

Recipe 2: 2 parts rice; 1 part steamed fish.
Dogs need: 2 times more fat; 3 times more Zinc; 11 times more Vitamin E; 2 times more Vitamin B12.