Eyes heal slowly but deteriorate fast
MICHAEL MORROW discusses conditions of the eyelids in dogs and some of the surgical solutions offered at St Vincents Vets
MOST owners are very aware of the dangers of damage or trauma to the eyeball itself, and we often deal with traumatic injuries or severe conjunctivitis at the surgery being presented as emergencies. However, there are also some common conditions of the eyelids and surrounding skin that can present challenging and potentially serious problems.
One of the most interesting conditions is commonly known as ‘Cherry Eye’ which occurs when the tear gland below the third eyelid prolapses and is visible as a large inflamed swelling on the third eyelid. This is a painful condition and requires a surgery to correct.
Owners need to be aware that this is a difficult surgery with the goal of suturing the gland back in place without interfering with normal tear production. This surgery is performed routinely at St Vincents Vets and requires the use of an extremely fine absorbable suture and excellent owner compliance with post op care.
Occasionally the gland will prolapse again requiring a second surgery and in rare cases excision of the third eyelid. I have operated on one case that recurred that subsequently required excision of the entire third
eyelid due to an aggressive tumour of the tear gland.
Another condition that I routinely operate on is known as entropion. This is a condition where one or more of the eyelids ‘roll’ inwards causing the eyelashes and hair around the eyes to rub on the cornea causing extreme discomfort and if left untreated can lead to corneal ulceration. The surgery involves removing a crescent shaped area of skin adjacent to the affected eyelid and suturing it closed to effectively unfurl the eyelid and remove the physical discomfort. True entropion needs to be differentiated from a condition known as blepharospasm, where as a result of pain the animal scrunches up their eyelid which can appear similar clinically to entropion.
This leads into the large number of conditions which can cause this level of discomfort, some of which are not immediately apparent. When we examine a painful eye we initially look for evidence of trauma, foreign bodies or penetrating injuries.
Once these are ruled out we look for glaucoma (high intra ocular pressure), dry eye (lack of tear production), corneal ulceration, entropion, distichiasis (lashes growing out on the underside of the eyelids and rubbing on the cornea) or eyelid tumours. Sometimes we have one or more of these conditions occurring simultaneously in the same eye.
We can refer penetrating foreign bodies and distichiasis to a specialist ophthalmologist for surgery, but I regular operate eyelid tumours and entropion cases at St Vincents Vets. We often treat glaucoma, corneal ulceration, dry eye and routine conjunctivitis in house, but do refer to a specialist if we have additional concerns about the case.
As you can see from the above article it is not always obvious why a dog has a ‘sore’ eye, and I would recommend that if you have any concern about your pet’s eyes and particularly if you feel they are in pain please contact your veterinary practice to make an appointment as soon as possible.
I have a saying that ‘eyes heal slowly, but deteriorate fast’ so would always recommend a
Michael Morrow owns and runs St Vincents Veterinary Surgery an independent family owned practice providing personal care to pets in and around Wokingham. Michael is an experienced soft tissue surgeon and clinician and has operated successfully on many of the conditions discussed in this article. Should you have any concerns about your pet’s health please make an appointment to see Michael for further advice. www.stvincentsvets.co.uk