Dogs, like their human companions, can suffer from a variety of eye diseases and conditions. These conditions can be congenital-meaning they are present from birth, or they can be due to old age, as well as viral, bacterial and fungal infections. Understanding some of the common canine eye diseases is important for owners of dogs of any age, breed or gender.
Conjunctivitis-Canine Pink Eye
Pink eye, medically referred to as conjunctivitis, is a condition in which the tissue lining the eyelids becomes inflamed. This can be due to allergens, bacterial, viral or fungal infections and so forth.
Symptoms include red, bloodshot eyes and discharge which can vary in color from yellow to green and even clean. Pink eye is one of the most common conditions affecting dogs, but fortunately is easily treated with medication and daily eye cleansing until the irritant has been removed.
Cataracts in Dogs
Canine cataracts are among the most common eye problems that occur. ‘Cataract’ is a term which means “break down.” When a dog is suffering from cataracts, it means that the lens fibers within the eye are breaking down, or degenerating. This causes a loss of vision and can give the eyes a whitish glaze or an appearance similar to that of crushed ice.
Canine cataracts are termed by when they occur. For example, congenital cataracts exist at birth, developmental cataracts occur early in life and senile cataracts occur in dogs who are six years of age or older.
Treating canine cataracts involves surgical removal of the affected lens. Currently, there are no other equally effective treatment options.
Canine Glaucoma
In a normal canine eye, fluids are constantly flowing in and out to help maintain the shape and overall health of the eye. When canine glaucoma occurs, the fluids build up and create pressure within the eyes. This causes damage to the dog’s eyes, which can lead to permanent vision loss or full blown blindness. Symptoms of canine glaucoma include changes in vision, pain, dilated pupils, cloudiness and bloodshot eyes.
Canine glaucoma can be primary or secondary. Primary glaucoma occurs because of a physical trait that predisposes the dog to developing the disease whereas secondary glaucoma occurs because of another condition, such as trauma or injury to the eye.
To treat glaucoma in a dog, the veterinarian will work to relieve the pressure in the eye by draining out the excess fluids. This may be done with medications that are often topical eye ointments or oral medications, as well as medication for pain relief.
Canine Progressive Retinal Degeneration
Also known as progressive retinal atrophy, PRA or PRD, progressive retinal degeneration is a term for several progressive eye diseases in dogs. Basically, the cones and rods within the canine retina degenerate over time, causing full blown blindness in the affected dogs.
Unfortunately, PRD is an untreatable and unpreventable condition. However, unlike humans, dogs do not see their vision loss as an impairment and most dogs will quickly adapt well to blindness.
