Hi there. I hope all of you are braving this unpredictable weather! Spring really is coming; it’s March for goodness sakes.
I’d like to share some information about our pet’s eyes. It’s not a topic you hear a lot about but we see a fair amount of patients for eye issues. When our pets experience an issue with their eyes, it’s hard to miss the signs they are bothered.
The most common symptoms that arise are swelling, redness, cloudiness/blue haze, pawing or rubbing of the eyes, green/yellow discharge, squinting or constant blinking. Since there are so many different eye problems, you will need to have your pet looked at by your veterinarian.
For dogs common eye issues are caused by allergies, blocked tear ducts, corneal ulcers, dry eye, conjunctivitis, glaucoma, cataracts, or cherry eye.
For cats common causes are allergies, ulcers, feline herpes virus and chlamydia infections. Some breeds of dogs and cats are more prone to certain eye issues than other breeds.
Gentle Care Animal Hospital has the diagnostic tools in-clinic to diagnose many issues pets are having. We have a tonometer for measuring pressure within the eye (checking for glaucoma or inflammation). We also have Schirmer tear testing that lets us know about tear production. It is possible we may need to do blood testing to look for any immune disease or bacterial/viral infections. Sometimes the cause of the eye irritation could be a malformation of the eye tissues; such as “cherry-eye” which is an exposed tear gland that’s looks like a red bump on the eye lid. If your pet needs more advanced diagnostics, we refer to board certified ophthalmologists to get your pet the best care possible.
We have whole host of eye medications on our shelves to treat different infections. Some diseases, like glaucoma, cannot be cured but the progression can be slowed by starting treatment. Other conditions may require surgery.
If you suspect your pet is having an issue with their eyes, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Diagnosis and treatment can help prevent long term damage to your pet’s eyes. Please call Gentle Care Animal Hospital to make an appointment. 417-725-2386