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Your dog’s eyes say a lot. They tell you when your dog is happy, hungry, curious or tired. Sometimes your dog’s eyes can also tell you there is something seriously wrong with them.
If you have noticed a thickening of the inner eyelids, redness in the white part of the eye, a thick white film on the cornea, constricted pupils or blood inside of the eye, your dog could be suffering from an eye condition known as uveitis.
According to web-dmv.net, uveitis is defined as “an inflammation of some or all of the internal anatomy of the canine eye.” Sadly, if your dog shows symptoms of uveitis, it is a cause of intraocular vascular damage. If not treated right away your dog could go blind, develop cataracts, or suffer from retinal disease and glaucoma.
What Causes Uveitis?
Uveitis is a condition where the uvea, the part of the eye that supplies blood to the retina, becomes inflamed. “The inflammation causes proteins to leak out, resulting in cloudiness in the eye,” according dog-health-guide.org.
There are a number of things that could cause uveitis. Dog-health-guide.org lists the following as possible causes:
Injury or trauma
Cataracts
Infections
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Lyme disease
Ehrlichia (bacteria spread by ticks)
Infected uterus in females
Hepatitis virus
Systemic fungal infections
Tumors
What are the Symptoms of Uveitis?
According to Fetchdog.com, “The usual signs of uveitis are severe pain with an intense reddening of the visible parts of the eye. The eye is usually kept shut and most dogs avoid bright lights. Cloudiness of the eye may be noticed. Sometimes there is bleeding into the eye. There may be excessive tearing.”
Dog-health-guide.org notes that other symptoms may include:
Squinting
Vision Loss
Iris color change
Puss on the front of the eye (hypopyon)
How is Uveitis Diagnosed?
Your vet will perform an eye exam on your dog using a ophthalmoscope, which is an instrument used to inspect the interior of the eye. He will look for the aforementioned symptoms.
Fetch.com adds, “Many of the signs of uveitis are similar to glaucoma. With uveitis, intraocular pressure (IOP) is reduced whereas with glaucoma it is elevated. Measurement of IOP is often performed to differentiate between the two conditions and is a simple, painless procedure. A complete and thorough physical examination of the pet must be performed since generalized illnesses can have uveitis as one of their signs. Often there is a color change of the iris, which may remain permanent. Special procedures such as ultrasound may be used to examine the eye.”
Your vet may also want to do blood work. Web-dvm.net says, “Diagnostics in dogs with uveitis should include blood chemistry, complete blood count and a heartworm test.”
How is Uveitis Treated?
Your vet’s primary concerns are reducing your dog’s pain and inflammation. According to fetchdog.com, “Treatment of uveitis due to trauma can involve repair of any corneal tears or removal of a foreign body in the eye. This may involve referral to a specialist. A combination of drops or ointments combined with tablets may be required.”
Dog-health-guide.org says your vet will prescribe pain medication along with topical medication for the inflammation. He may also prescribe antibiotics if there is an infection and to prevent the onset of glaucoma.
Fortunately, unless your dog’s eye is very cloudy or hemorrhage has occurred, he will probably respond positively to treatment within 24 hours, according to fetchdog.com.
To make sure the treatment is working, you’ll need to schedule regular follow-up visits to your vet.
PHOTO: Joel Mills
Find A Vet HOW TO articles are intended for informational purposes only. You should always consult with your veterinarian about any health issues affecting your dog.
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