Canine Glaucoma
All You Need to Know About Canine Glaucoma
A canine glaucoma is a condition by which a dog experiences abnormal pressure in the inner eye. The outer parts of the eye are fairly flexible and the eye produces a continuous production of discharge. This discharge is normally drained off naturally and causes no discomfort. However, in some cases this natural production and clearing of the discharge can be disturbed and cause an intense pressure inside the eye. This can happen to both humans and dogs.
The outer parts of the eye can only withstand the pressure that is caused by a canine glaucoma for a certain period of time, and this condition is extremely painful. Puppies and young dogs have a very elastic outer eye, thus the actual eye grows rapidly. Sometimes this natural development can go wrong and causes a fatal disease, such as canine glaucoma.
How do I recognize whether my dog suffers from canine glaucoma?
The symptoms of an acute canine glaucoma are actually very obvious. You may find that your dog develops nervous twitches. Furthermore, the affected eye will turn red and even a little blurry depending on how far advanced the canine glaucoma is. The pupil will widen and your dog will eventually be blind.
In cases of chronic glaucoma the eye may grow further, the pupil can be dislocated and the blurriness is even more visible.
Bear in mind that not every dog shows the same symptoms - while some dogs experience pain and haul, others may rub the eye with their paw. Sometimes the dog may not show any signs of pain. Thus, it is up to the owner to discover a disease and seek medical help.
The increased pressure inside the eye is reason for these symptoms. The eye will gradually fail in all its functions until it is completely blinded. After that, the eye ball can still grow because the outer eye is flexible enough to let it grow.
Causes for canine glaucoma
There are two possible ways for a canine glaucoma to develop. The first one is a genetically inherited glaucoma that can occur at any time without a prior infection of the eye. There is not much we can do to prevent this, it is simply an inborn defect and will cause a disturbed development of the eye. However, even if you have a puppy with blind parents, it may not suffer from a canine glaucoma as it varies from dog to dog.
The other cause for canine glaucoma is an infection or disease in the eye that was there before the glaucoma developed. There are many infections or illnesses that can occur in the eye and cause a canine glaucoma, and you must seek medical attention when you notice that your dog has red eyes, tearing eyes or is in obvious pain.
Therapy
The primary aim of the therapy during a canine glaucoma is to reduce the pressure to avoid any injuries or further development of the disease. This will also decrease the pain and prevent other fatal consequences.
However, if the eye is already blinded the only thing a therapy can do is to reduce the pain by decreasing the pressure. This can be achieved through medication but also through surgery or laser therapy. In severe cases it is best to remove the entire eye which is best for your dog as he will not suffer any more pain. It can be replaced with a silicone eye.
Only if the disease is discovered early enough can blindness be prevented. It depends on the timing and the type of therapy that is chosen to reduce the pressure.