Overview of Canine Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis or Pink eyes can affect both the dogs and the cats. It is an inflammation of the inner eyelid tissues and the white places of the eyes, often as the outcome of a respiratory infection or an eye injury. Another causes for this condition are dry eyes, airborne irritants, or canine distemper. It is the condition of the conjunctiva.
Causes
1.Airborne irritants such as dust and perfumes, with cigarette smokes.
2.Systematic illnesses such as canine distemper or bartonellosis.
3.Dry eyes caused by inadequate tear productions.
4.Entropion can result in the eyelids rolling inwards.
5.A sudden blow to the eyes.
The seriousness and severity of this condition will vary from dog to dog. In some rare cases, blindness can also follow afterwards.
Signs and Symptoms
The clinical signs and symptoms of this condition can vary from canines to canines.
1.Frequent discharge from the eyes in the form of pus, thick water or mucous.
2.Swollen and droopy eyelids.
3.Red eyes.
4.Squinting and rubbing the eyes with the paws constantly.
If the owner constantly ignores these conditions, severe consequences like permanent damage to the eyes can also occur.
Diagnosis and Tests
Tests and diagnosis start with the digging of the patient’s health history and examining the patient's physical health. The medical history will include things like knowing the time of the onset of the condition and whether there’s the presence of any other condition(s). The further physical examination may reveal the existence of any other conditions.
If a dog is constantly squinting or rubbing its eyes, the vet will probably use some topical eye drops for the eyes. This will not be painful and after a few minutes will numb the eyes so that the vet can perform a procedure. During the examination, the vet will look for any foreign body in the eyes. The vet will also try to find out the existence of entropion.
The vet doctor will also instill fluorescein solution in the eyes. Fluorescein is a green liquid that makes a substance glow in the dark. But, if there is a scratch, or wound on the eyes, the dye adheres, and shows up the defection to the vet. This beforementioned way helps a lot in the diagnosis process.
Any breed which gets affected the most?
Just like conjunctivitis can affect any human beings, this condition can also affect any canine breeds. But the owner can do a lot in preventing this conditiion in dogs. Most importantly, an occasional eye test can prevent a variety of eye conditions.
Treatment
Most of the canine conjunctivitis cases are treated with an ointment or a topical solution for the eyes. If this condition is the result of any other condition, such as upper respiratory infections, the vet can also prescribe oral medications for the dogs. In many cases, the dog gets well within a week, but the dog should always complete the medicine course by the vet.
If conjunctivitis is the result of entropion, surgery is also a suggestion to correct the deformed eyelids. Similarly, if the dog has dry eyes, long-term management is also an option.
Prevention
“Conjunctivitis is preventable.” Yes, it is true. The owner has to make sure that the dog gets minimal exposure to factors such as cigarette smokes. The owner will have to monitor the dog while it is engaged in the playtime session. Prior vaccination against specific causes can prevent the disease to some extent.
.png)
