Your pet’s puppy eyes can be charming, but if you’re staring into your puppy’s eyes and they seem a little cloudy or irritated, things suddenly aren’t so cute and you should be worried. Eye problems are common in dogs, especially in certain breeds, and some can be minor while others can be very serious. But how can you tell if your dog is suffering from mild irritation or a blinding problem?
While taking your dog to the vet is always the best option in situations where you’re worried that your dog is unwell, it’s also very helpful to know the signs of eye problems or disorders in dogs . Here are 13 common eye problems dogs encounter, signs your dog is dealing with them, and available treatments. So keep reading!
13 common eye problems in dogs
1. watery eyes (epiphora)
| Signs: | Watery eye discharge, discoloration of the skin under the inner corner of the eye |
| process: | surgery, eye drops, medicine |
Watery eyes or epiphora, as the name suggests, is when water drains from your dog’s eyes, eventually causing tear stains. Some breeds, such as Poodles, Maltese, and Shih Tzus, suffer from this condition more often than others, usually because they are born with abnormal drainage systems. Some dogs may develop epiphora (usually unilateral) due to a blockage along the drainage path. Diagnosis of watery eyes is not always easy and may require examination of the tear ducts, flushing, imaging, and even surgery.
2. cataract
| Signs: | Cloudy eyes, impaired vision |
| process: | surgery |
The first thing to know about cataracts is that if they are small, you may not see any obvious clouding. If there are signs of cataracts, your dog’s eyes will appear cloudy or have cloudy spots, and depending on the severity, vision problems will occur.
This eye problem is one of the most common causes of blindness in dogs, as cataracts cloud the lens of the eye and obstruct your dog’s vision. Cataracts are often inherited in dog breeds, especially American Cocker Spaniels, Boston Terriers, Golden Retrievers, and Poodles. However, cataracts can also be caused by aging, diabetes, injury, and poor diet. Surgery is the only accepted treatment for cataracts, as topical medications have not been found to be very effective.
3. cherry eye
| Signs: | pink tissue protruding from the inner corner of the eye |
| process: | surgery |
Cherry eye occurs when the lacrimal gland in a dog’s third eyelid protrudes from its normal position. This manifests as a prolapse of pink tissue in the inner corner of the eye (hence the name of this eye problem). It can occur in any breed of dog, but is most common in beagles, boxers, pugs, and English bulldogs, among many other breeds. others. When the lacrimal gland becomes misaligned in this way, the exposed tissue can become inflamed and damaged. In some cases the gland may return to its normal position, but in most cases it remains prolapsed and surgery is required to correct the problem. Even after surgery, cherry eye can recur in dogs.
If you notice cherry eye, be sure to take your dog to the vet.
4. conjunctivitis
| Signs: | Bloodshot eyes, squinting, eye discharge, and eye irritation |
| process: | Eye drops, ointments, and sometimes oral medications |
Conjunctivitis, often known as conjunctivitis, affects the eye’s conjunctiva (the mucous tissue that lines the eyelids and the whites of the eyes), causing inflammation. This inflammation can be caused by bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infections, or by allergies or immune-mediated diseases. Treatment for conjunctivitis depends on the cause, but it is generally treated with ointments, eye drops, and sometimes oral medications.
Conjunctivitis can affect the whites of the eyes and the inside of the eyelids. It can be caused by irritants such as smoke, dust, foreign objects in the eye, or dry eyes. It can also be a sign of other illnesses, so if you think your puppy may have this disease, get it tested.
5. corneal ulcer
| Signs: | Squinting, cloudy eyes, mucus, redness, rubbing of the eyes |
| process: | Local medications and possibly surgery |
Corneal ulcers occur when a dog’s cornea becomes scratched, injured, or infected. Depending on the depth of the wound, the ulcer may also lead to perforation of the eye. Ulcers can be very painful for puppies, so you may find your dog rubbing or squinting because of the ulcers. Dogs with prominent eyes, such as brachycephalic breeds, are more susceptible to developing corneal ulcers because they lack a protective mechanism.
Treatment consists of painkillers, antibiotics, intravenous lubricants, and a protective collar to avoid complications. In some cases, surgery may be required to repair the wound. If you think your dog has an ulcer, take him to the vet right away. That way, you won’t be in pain for longer than necessary.
6. dry eye
| Signs: | Inflammation, redness, and occasional green or yellow discharge |
| process: | Artificial tears, immunomodulators, etc. depending on the cause |
Dry eye is obvious. It occurs when your dog’s eyes don’t produce enough water to keep them lubricated. The aqueous part of tears is produced by the lacrimal glands. Dry eye has many causes, but the most common is immune-mediated destruction of the lacrimal glands. Dogs can also develop dry eye as a side effect of medications, or if they are injured or the nerves that control the glands are damaged.
Although dry eye may seem less concerning than other eye problems in dogs, it can cause corneal ulcers, chronic infections, corneal pigmentation, and high levels of discomfort. Artificial tears are usually the best solution for dry eyes, but anti-inflammatory drugs or ointments may be needed in some cases.
7. Ektropion
| Signs: | The lower eyelid is drooping or crooked |
| process: | surgery, eye drops |
Ectropion occurs when a dog’s lower eyelids droop or fold outward. This means the eyelids don’t make much contact with the eyes, so when your pup blinks, it doesn’t produce moisture to lubricate the eyes or remove debris and dirt. . This can cause inflammation and infection. This eyelid problem occurs more commonly in certain breeds of dogs, such as bloodhounds and bullmastiffs.
Treatment of this problem depends on the degree of sagging and outward turning of the eyelids. When the puppy is still growing, it can be treated with temporary lubricant drops. However, in most cases, surgery is required to correct the eyelids.
8. entropion
| Signs: | Squinting, tearful, bloodshot, rubbing eyes |
| process: | surgery |
Entropion is a condition in which a dog’s eyelids roll inward, causing the hair and eyelashes around the eyes to rub against the cornea. Entropion may occur in one or both eyes and the lower or upper eyelids. As you can imagine, this can cause a lot of pain and cause inflammation. If untreated, this condition can cause corneal ulcers.
The treatment for this condition is surgical treatment to correct the problem. If your dog is very young and still developing, surgery may be postponed for several months, and your veterinarian may recommend other temporary measures such as eyelid fixation or eye drops.
9. Eyelid inflammation (blepharitis)
| Signs: | Itching around the eyes, yellow or green discharge, eye rubbing, redness |
| process: | Eye drops, oral medicine |
Inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis) is common in dogs and can occur as a result of allergies, parasites, bacterial infections, and immune-mediated problems, among others. Infections are often bacterial, but dogs can occasionally develop fungal infections.
Treatment of blepharitis most often requires medicated eye drops. However, if the infection is severe, oral medications may also be required.
10. glaucoma
| Signs: | Bumping into things, bulging eyes, sluggishness, pain around the eyes, watery eye discharge |
| process: | Long-term medication, surgery |
Glaucoma occurs when the pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure or IOP) increases. Why does the pressure increase? Normally, the fluid produced within the eye is drained out of the eye so that a steady pressure is maintained. However, in glaucoma, drainage problems change this balance.
If you suspect your puppy has glaucoma, take him to your veterinarian right away, as glaucoma is serious and can lead to blindness and can even result in the removal of your dog’s eyes. If treated early enough, drug therapy can reduce the amount of fluid produced in the eye and increase its drainage. These drugs are usually given over a long period of time. If medicines don’t work, your eye doctor may recommend surgery.
11. progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
| Signs: | night blindness, dilated pupils, brightness of the eyes |
| process: | none |
Progressive retinal atrophy is a degenerative disease that affects the retina, causing the death of cones and rods. Unfortunately, because this condition is inherited, there are often no early signs. You may not notice any abnormalities in your dog’s vision unless he develops night blindness. Night blindness makes dogs nervous and makes them take extra care walking around in the dark.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for progressive retinal atrophy. Dogs with this disease eventually become blind. The good news is that many puppies learn to cope well with this blindness. However, getting there requires effort on the part of the owner.
12. uveitis
| Signs: | Cloudy eyes, bloodshot eyes, squinting, and biting of the eyes |
| process: | various |
Uveitis occurs when the eye’s internal vascular tissue (uvea) becomes inflamed. The causes of internal inflammation can vary, as uveitis is usually a sign of something going on inside the body, such as an infection, tumor, or immune-mediated disease. For this reason, treatment for uveitis depends on the cause, but anti-inflammatory eye drops are always used to minimize the effects of inflammation. Treatment includes treating the cause of uveitis and the inflammation itself.
13. Prolapsed eyeball (proptophthalmia)
| Signs: | Eyes that popped out |
| process: | Depends on the cause of the swelling |
Proptophthalmia is less common in dogs, but when it occurs it can be very painful and requires immediate veterinary attention. This usually occurs in breeds with shallow orbits (eye sockets), such as brachycephalic dogs, and occurs as a result of trauma. Treatment always involves returning the eye to its normal position as soon as possible and suturing the eyelid and keeping it in place for 1 to 2 weeks. If your dog’s eyes suddenly start popping out even though they weren’t there before, it’s probably an emergency and you should take them to the vet right away.
conclusion
Eye problems in dogs are not uncommon. Many factors can affect your dog’s eyes and can cause everything from inflammation to blindness. Some problems are much more serious than others, so if you’re unsure about your dog’s illness, take your puppy to the vet. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Featured image credit: Angel Salade, Shutterstock
