keratitis in dogs is an eye disorder that can have different causes, as we will see in this article on our site. We will also explain what symptoms it causes so that we can identify them and immediately seek veterinary attention.
The eyes are very sensitive organs, susceptible to pathologies that will require treatment, since, if you do not medicate or start doing it late, the condition can worsen even to the point of blindness. Therefore, discover how to know if your dog has keratitis and what to do.
Symptoms and types of keratitis in dogs
Keratitis is the inflammation of the cornea, which is the front, transparent and protective part of the eye. Tears, secreted by the lacrimal glands, of which there are two in each eye, moisten the cornea preventing it from drying out and thus collaborating in eye protection.
When there is a problem with the cornea, it is common for the dog to show pain, pawing, excessive tearing,photophobia , visible third eyelid and loss of transparency, although there may be variations depending on the type of keratitis. In this way, the most common symptoms of keratitis in dogs are constant scratching of the eyes, ocular discharge, showing one eye more closed than the other, inflamed or red.
It is good to know that all of them must be treated, since they can end up causing partial or total blindness. We will see the most common in the following sections.
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca in dogs
Also known as dry eye, in this type of keratitis in dogs the lacrimal glands are affected, which will produce a insufficient amount of tears so that the eye, and therefore the cornea, dries up, while there is a thick, mucoid or mucopurulent discharge, which It can be confused with conjunctivitis. The difference is that with dry eye we can notice the opaque cornea and, over time, it can ulcerate and even end in blindness.
There are several causes behind dry eye in dogs, such as immune-mediated diseases, but many cases are idiopathic, that is, their origin is unknownSome breeds show a predisposition, such as the bulldog, the cocker or the westie. In addition, dry eye can appear as a result of diseases such as Addison's or canine distemper.
To diagnose this disorder, the veterinarian will perform the Schirmer test in order to measure tear volume. Treatment will be lifelong and may include artificial tears, cyclosporine, and antibiotics. In some cases corticosteroids and even surgery may be prescribed.
Ulcerative keratitis in dogs
Ulcerative keratitis in dogs is a very painful inflammation of the cornea that can appear as a complication of keratoconjunctivitis sicca or corneal ulcer. We will see the cornea cloudy, white or opaque. Treatment for this keratitis will require drugs to reduce pain and antibiotics.
Infectious keratitis in dogs
When ulcerative or dry keratitis is complicated by bacterial infections, we are dealing with infectious keratitis in dogs. In addition to the typical pain, the purulent secretion that occurs and the inflammation of the eyelids stand out. The difference with conjunctivitis, which also produces purulent discharge, is the ocular pain characteristic of keratitis.
This type of keratitis in dogs, like the previous ones, requires veterinary treatment with antibiotics and it is recommended that a culture be done to determine which is the most appropriate. Sometimes the infection occurs due to the presence of fungi, which gives rise to a much less frequent mycotic keratitis. It usually appears after prolonged antibiotic treatment. You also need to culture and treat with antifungals.
Interstitial keratitis in dogs
Known as blue eye, since the cornea is shown with a bluish hue, it is caused by the infectious hepatitis virus and produces signs about ten days after contact with this virus. In this way, if you notice that your dog has a cloudy or bluish eye, it may be this problem.
Although dogs can recover, in some the cloudy eye remains as a consequence.
Vascular and pigmentary keratitis in dogs
Although vascularization and pigmentation are different processes, they usually occur together. vascular keratitis occurs when blood vessels and connective tissue grow into the eye, known as neovascularization , which makes the cornea lose its transparency. In pigmentary keratitis in dogs, the pigment melanin is deposited in it.
Both keratitis can appear as a consequence of continued irritation of the cornea as occurs in entropion (eyelids turned inwards eye) or lagophthalmos (inability to close the eyes completely). If these circumstances are eliminated, the keratitis will also be cured.
It should be noted that a specific and painless type of pigmentary keratitis is pannus, which appears in breeds such as the German shepherd, the Belgian, the border collie or the husky. Although keratitis in dogs is curable, vascular and pigmentary keratitis, which is not related to corneal irritation, is progressive and incurable, so treatment focuses on controlling your progress. Corticosteroids and cyclosporine can be used. Logically, the treatment is for life.
