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9 commonly seen eye disorders in dogs

It’s important to know what type of eye injury your dog may have. These are the 9 most commonly seen eye disorders in dogs.

 

  1. Conjunctivitis: One of your dog’s eyes will look red and swollen, and there may be discharge.
    conjunctivitis-in-dogs-01
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  2. Dry Eye: Low tear production can cause corneal inflammation, squinting and discharge.
    dry eye
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  3. Cherry Eye: An enlarged tear gland will form a cherry-like mass on your dog’s eye.
    cherry eyue
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  4. Epiphora (Tear stain): An overflow of tears creates stains on the dog’s facial fur.
    tear stain
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  5. Glaucoma: The cornea becomes cloudy and the eye enlarges due to increased pressure in the eyeball.
    glaucoma
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  6. Ectropion: A turning outward of the upper eyelid causes the lower lid to droop.
    ectrop[
    Image Credit: www.pethealthnetwork.com

  7. Entropion: A rolling in of the eyelid causes discharge and tearing.
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    Image credit: www.vision4pets.com
  8. Cataract: An opacity on the lens of the eye can cause impaired vision and possible blindness.
    cataracts
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  9. Progressive Retinal Atrophy: Caused by degeneration of retinal tissue; night blindness is often the first sign.
    PRA
    Image credit: www.amorebasenjis.com

 

Common symptoms of eye disorders:

 

  1. Discharge or crusty eye gunk
  2. Tearing
  3. Red or white eyelid linings
  4. Tear-stained fur
  5. Closed eye/s
  6. Cloudiness or change in eye colour
  7. Visible third eyelid/s
  8. Unequal pupil sizes

 

When you first notice these signs, try to clean your dog’s eyes gently with a clean, damp cotton ball. Wipe outward from the corner of the eye and be careful not to touch his or her eyeball – you don’t want to scratch the cornea. If the irritation persists, take your dog to his or her vet immediately.