We spend a lot of time with our beloved companions, and we know more/less all their habbits and behaviour patterns.
We know when something is wrong, how they show us fear, discomfort, pain and stress.
We know when vomiting becomes a problem, and when to be alarmed by what is coming out the other end.
Often, however, we overlook their eyes.
They can be an emergency, so easily underestimated.
The eyes of our pets can develop every pathology we humans can. There is little anatomical difference between us and them, one of which is the so called tapetum lucidum.
It is a layer of reflective cells just behind the retina, which cause the eyes to 'shine' when exposed to light during the night. We don't have that quality.
Also, our mammalian friends have three eyelids. Yes, three, in each eye. Which makes a total of six. A common pathology related to the third eyelid and it's structures in dogs is so called 'cherry-eye', but more about that later.
The first layers of the eye make up the cornea, a layer of transparent cells which are by origin related to dermal cells, and as such have a tremendous healing potential.
Scratches, ulcers, scars and foreign body penetration wounds are some of the injuries common to this layer of the eye. These can be easily overlooked and progress into conditions more complicated to treat and often with life long consequences.
If your pet has suffered an eye injury you have seen, or are suspecting, make sure to make an appointment at your vet 's office as soon as you can.
Brahicephalic and smaller breeds of dogs, when attacked by a larger dog or after suffering severe thoracic or abdominal trauma, can develop exophtalmia, when the increased pressure pops the eye out of the socket. If this condition is not treated immediately, the damages that develop quickly are often irreversible and your pet will most likely end up on the surgery table and lose the eye.
Another condition that is very common, is the formerly mentioned 'cherry-eye'.
The third eyelid contains a small gland (glandula nicticans), which is suspected to have a function in the lubrication of the eye. This gland can get larger in size due to inflammation or unknown reasons, causing the whole IIIrd eyelid to pop out. It is called the 'cherry eye' because at the inner corner of the eye there is a small red lump resembling a cherry.
This condition is usually treated with surgery, however to have long term success and no recurrence, it has to be done shortly after it is first noticed. The best thing you can do for your dog if this happens, is to have him seen by a vet as soon as the next day.
When it comes to eye ointments and home remedies, please do not put anything on your pets eyes if it was not prescribed by a vet who has seen the animal and examined the issue.
Don't even come to me saying you used anything like chamomile, (salt, sterile or holy) water or eye drops you had in your medicine cabinet since 1996, as these things can cause more damage to the eye and change the look of the initial problem making it more difficult for the vet to determine what happened.
When it comes to our companions' eyes, they have to be clear, with little to no discharge, open wide and alert.
It is never a bad idea to take initial photos of the eyes if you think something odd is happening, just to have as a reference, during the later treatment, if nothing else.
Keep in mind though that a diagnose can not be made just by looking at a picture and not the animal, but it can often help your vet determine if you have a case of emergency at home or not.
People are not shy to send me photos of their dog's vomit, so go ahead and make a folder on your phone with your pet's excrements and pathologies. Have it documented, it is not a bad idea.