“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.
