Generality
Dog conjunctivitis is a very common disorder that can affect animals of any breed and age.
In detail, conjunctivitis is an inflammatory disease that can have different causes; it can affect both eyes, or more commonly, it can affect only one eye.
Sometimes, the dog's conjunctivitis can be a mild, easily treatable disorder; in other cases, however, it could hide the presence of much more serious eye diseases.
For this reason, although it is a very widespread and frequent disorder, it should never be underestimated.
What is that
What is Dog Conjunctivitis?
Dog conjunctivitis is an extremely common inflammatory disease among man's best friends. More precisely, it is an inflammation that develops on the conjunctiva, that is on the thin mucous membrane that covers the front surface of the eye and the inner eyelid.
When you notice changes in your dog's eye level, it is of fundamental importance to immediately contact the veterinarian and avoid the "do-it-yourself" diagnosis and therapy, since these questionable practices - as well as potentially harmful - could hide the symptoms of an even more serious and not yet identified basic illness.
Causes
What are the Causes and Risk Factors of Dog Conjunctivitis?
The causes of conjunctivitis can be the most varied and can be substantially divided into infectious causes and non-infectious causes .
Infectious causes that can give rise to inflammation of the conjunctiva include bacterial infections, viral infections (sustained, for example, by Canine Herpesvirus 1 and Canine Adenovirus 1) and fungal infections . In some cases, the dog's conjunctivitis can also be caused by the presence of parasites inside the eye.
The non-infectious causes that can give rise to the disorder, however, are:
- Presence of foreign bodies inside the eye;
- Contact with irritating substances (smog, dust, chemicals, etc.);
- Excessive dry eye ;
- Traumas (for example, scratches, blows, etc.);
- Allergies of various types (for example, pollen allergy).
As it can be noticed, the possible responsible causes of the dog's conjunctivitis are really many and can have different origin and nature. The importance of consulting with the veterinarian is therefore clear.
As for the potential risk factors that may predispose to the onset of conjunctival inflammation, we find:
- Lacrimal canal obstruction;
- Particular anatomical conformations of the eye or of the area adjacent to it (such as, for example, the presence of large quantities of hair around the eye, protruding eyes, etc.).
Classification
Classification and Types of Conjunctivitis of the Dog
There are different types of conjunctivitis of the dog that can be classified according to the triggering cause, or according to the type of symptoms and manifestations induced by them.
According to the classification based on the causes of the inflammation of the conjunctiva, it is possible to distinguish:
- Bacterial conjunctivitis ;
- Viral conjunctivitis;
- Fungal conjunctivitis ;
- Parasitic conjunctivitis ;
- Irritative conjunctivitis ;
- Traumatic conjunctivitis ;
- Allergic conjunctivitis .
According to the classification based on the manifestations and symptoms induced by the dog's conjunctivitis, it is possible to distinguish:
- Purulent conjunctivitis : characterized by the production of pus generally yellowish or greenish in color, it is mainly caused by infections which, in most cases, turn out to be bacterial.
- Serous conjunctivitis : characterized by the formation of a serum-like secretion - light or colorless - and with a rather fluid consistency.
- Follicular conjunctivitis : characterized by the swelling of some mucous glands which, reacting following external insults, increase in size and alter the characteristics of their surface which becomes rougher, thus giving rise to a rubbing on the conjunctiva with consequent irritation and inflammation.
Did you know that ...
There is another type of dog conjunctivitis, called neonatal conjunctivitis because it affects the puppies in the first days of life, before the eyelids open or immediately after. This type of dog conjunctivitis is generally caused by bacteria that can affect the back of the eyelids during or immediately after the birth of the puppies. This conjunctivitis is characterized by the presence of palpebral swelling and / or protuberances . Should this occur in puppies, it is of fundamental importance to immediately contact the veterinarian. If the condition is not treated promptly, in fact, it could lead to serious consequences, such as corneal damage and blindness.
Symptoms
Manifestations and Symptoms Provoked by Dog Conjunctivitis
The typical symptoms of dog conjunctivitis are:
- Eye redness;
- Swelling;
- Itch;
- Excessive tearing;
- Production of a secretion whose characteristics may vary depending on the type of conjunctivitis that has affected the dog.
The dog's conjunctivitis can rarely cause pain, however, the itching can be so intense that it urges the dog to scratch, thus increasing the risk of getting injuries and favoring the possible appearance of superinfections. Furthermore, due to the itching and the discomfort caused by the inflammation, the dog may be led to keep the eye partially or completely closed and may show some discomfort in bright conditions.
Associated pathologies
Sometimes, the dog's conjunctivitis can be the manifestation or the consequence of other ocular pathologies of different nature that, in some cases, can also be very serious.
For example, the dog's conjunctivitis may be secondary to eye diseases such as keratitis, corneal lesions, uveitis and glaucoma.
More rarely, the dog's conjunctivitis could derive from a basic systemic condition (for example, distemper of the dog, a particular type of disease caused by a viral infection) or from the presence of tumors.
Diagnosis
How to Diagnose Dog Conjunctivitis
The diagnosis of dog conjunctivitis is based on the analysis of the eye or eyes affected by the disorder. First of all, the veterinary surgeon will have to determine which ocular area is actually inflamed and, at the same time, will have to assess the presence of any foreign bodies, scratches, ulcers, etc. In this way it is possible to understand whether the eye disorder really concerns the conjunctiva and whether it was caused by trauma or foreign bodies.
Once the inflammation has been localized to the conjunctival level and the presence of traumas or foreign bodies excluded - in order to determine the cause triggering the disorder - the veterinarian can decide to analyze the possible secreted material (pus, serous secretion, etc.) and / or may use some tests (such as, for example, staining with fluorescein). If an allergy is suspected, specific tests can be performed to determine it. In some cases, moreover, in order to make a correct and complete diagnosis, the veterinary surgeon may decide to carry out a biopsy.
Care
Treatment and Treatment of Dog Conjunctivitis
The treatment of the dog's conjunctivitis is closely related to the cause that triggered it.
In the case of ongoing infections, the treatment must be aimed at eliminating the pathogenic micro-organism, therefore the veterinarian may prescribe antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral or anti-parasitic drugs.
Similarly, allergic conjunctivitis can be treated with antihistamine drugs.
The drugs mentioned above may be available in the form of eye drops and / or in pharmaceutical forms suitable for oral administration. Of course, the active ingredient to be used, the type of pharmaceutical formulation and the dosage must be established by the doctor.
To reduce the inflammatory state, the veterinarian can resort to the administration of cortisone drugs . Furthermore, it is also possible to perform eye washings with special cleaning solutions which, of course, must be prescribed by the veterinarian.
In cases where the dog's conjunctivitis is secondary to other ocular and / or systemic pathologies, it is necessary to treat the primary condition that caused the inflammation in question.
Myths to dispel
Dog conjunctivitis and debunking myths
There are many beliefs and myths to debunk regarding the treatment of the dog's conjunctivitis, below, some will be reported.
- Often, owners of animals with dog conjunctivitis tend to identify the cause of the disease in an "air blow". According to many veterinarians this myth is to be debunked, since - as stated in the dedicated chapter - the causes triggering the inflammation of the conjunctivitis are quite different.
- Another myth to dispel is the use of hot chamomile compresses to counter conjunctivitis. The popular belief that this remedy would be infallible to counteract the inflammation of the dog's conjunctiva does not take into account the potential adverse reactions that could occur in the animal. In fact, chamomile could cause allergic reactions that would further worsen the clinical picture; while the use of hot packs - therefore, of heat - could be contraindicated in the presence of certain pathologies.
- Another myth to debunk concerns the belief that for the treatment of dog conjunctivitis the same medicines that are used for the treatment of conjunctivitis in humans can be used. This opinion unfortunately very common, as well as wrong, can be potentially dangerous for the dog. Medicinal products for human use, in fact, possess a qualitative formulation (active ingredients and excipients) and quantitative (concentration of active ingredients) suitable for the treatment of diseases that only affect humans and - unless otherwise prescribed by a veterinarian - should NEVER be used for treatment of dog conjunctivitis.
