Videos of tearful pooches are going viral on the internet. Our hearts feel sorrow for those crying dogs. However, pet owners should also be wary of a disquieting eye disease known as dog’s dry eye syndrome. It can leave a pooch painfully wallowing in misery, but unable to shed a single tear.
Dry Eye Syndrome
According to MSD Animal Health, an animal health company, one out of every twenty-two canines is afflicted by dry eye syndrome, also known as Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS). It is a prevalent eye condition that often plagues pooches. However, it is observed to be uncommon to other animals.
A dog’s dry eye syndrome is due to the insufficiency of one or many of the precorneal tear film components, which makes up the substance that lubricates the eyes. It reduces the quantity and quality of tears, which can hinder its important functions such as:
- Manage the moisture of the eyes’ surface.
This avoids the epithelial cells, which stops water, dust, and bacteria from entering the eyes, from drying up and becoming impaired. - Discard the cornea’s waste products.
Through the fluid substance in the eyes, the cornea’s by-products are washed away. - Eradicate foreign bodies threatening to enter the surface.
This is done with the help of the eyes’ natural ability to blink, which clears the ocular surface from any foreign body and brings in new tears. - Controls the cornea’s fluid arching surface.
It is to make sure that the eye can see correctly.
Dry eye syndrome in pooches is thought to be generated by an autoimmune disease. It causes the canine’s very own immune system to assault and damage the glands, which produces tears surrounding the eyes.
The production of tears coming from the tear ducts will be labelled as an intrusive bacterium by the pooch’s body. Then, the immune system will eradicate and shut down the tear production of the canine’s eyes.
Causes
- Neurologic deficiency
It can result in the pooch’s brain going haywire, which may negatively affect the function of the dog’s other body parts. Neurological disorders might disturb the natural behaviour of lacrimal glands, which leads to dry eye syndrome. - Old age
When dogs continue to age, their lacrimal glands also continue to shrink. Therefore, the aqueous substance stored within it gets lesser and lesser as canines grow older.
- Drug toxicity
Some pet owners are prescribed by their vets to use sulfa drugs or sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim drugs to treat their pooches with infections. One side effect that this drug may cause is dry eye syndrome. - Third eyelid removal
In some cases, there is a need to surgically remove their third eyelid because it is protruding. It is also known as ‘cherry eye.’
- Congenital disease
Is dry eye hereditary in dogs? Yes, it is. Some certain breeds of dogs have abnormally small or, worse, non-existent lacrimal glands, which is the primary contributor to the tear film’s aqueous layer. The common dog breeds inheriting this eye condition are:- Cavalier King Charles spaniel
- West Highland white terrier
- Shih Tzu
- Cocker spaniel
- Pekingese
- Yorkshire terrier
- Lhasa apso
- Pug
- Bulldog
Symptoms
One can figure out the early signs of a dog’s dry eye syndrome by observing the colour of mucous production on its eyes. Normal mucous production is characterised by a white-hued secretion of mucus. On the other hand, pooches suffering from this eye condition will have a yellow or yellowish-green mucous production instead. Other symptoms include:
- Excretion of liquid, mucus, or pus
- Reddening of the area surrounding the eyes
- Too much blinking
- Eye surface contains a brownish tinge
- Excessive rubbing of the eyes
If dry eye syndrome is left untreated, it can lead to further permanent damage to the canine’s cornea. The long-term effect of severe dry eye dog syndrome is permanent blindness.
Effects
Photo Credit: Flickr
- Anxiety and depression.
- Loss of interest in the activities he usually enjoys.
- Reduced reciprocation towards acts of affection.
- Insecure and afraid of the surroundings.
The most heartbreaking aftermath is that some pooches with dry eye syndrome end up in animal shelters and foster homes. This is because their owners are unable to meet the costly demands to cure the eye condition that their dog is suffering from.
Diagnosis
Do you want to know if your beloved pooch has dry eye syndrome? Schirmer tear test (STT) is one of the most common and proven accurate methods to know if your dog has this eye condition or not.
A strip of small treated paper is used in this test. The package has two sterile strips that are meant for each eye. Then, it is placed between the lower eyelid and cornea of the canine. STT measures reflex tear response and tears production.
The normal value for a dog’s tear production is greater than or equal to 15 mm wetting/minute. On the other hand, 10 to 15 mm wetting/minute is thought-out borderline for dry eye syndrome, whilst less than 10 mm wetting/minute result is considered positive.
Treatment
