What is an eye ulcer?
What is commonly called an eye ulcer in dogs is actually an ulcer of the cornea, the thin, normally smooth, transparent membrane that covers the front of a dog's eye.
A corneal ulcer means a loss of substance of a more or less significant part of the thickness of the cornea. In other words, it is a more or less deep “hole” in the thickness of this membrane of the eye.
What causes corneal ulcers in dogs?
There are several potential origins of corneal ulceration in dogs among:
- various abnormalities/conditions of the dog's eyelids which have the effect of irritating and injuring the cornea such as coloboma (defect in the development of part of the eyelids), entropion, blepharitis, tumor of the eyelids or insufficiency of eyelid closure called lagophthalmos,
- irritation of the cornea by shampoos, UV rays, acidic or alkaline substances, smoke,
- tear film abnormalities that lead to dry eye in dogs,
- traumas such as a cat scratch or the presence of a foreign body in contact with the cornea,
- the presence of eyelashes or poorly implanted hairs that rub on the cornea (distichiasis, ectopic eyelashes, trichiasis of the nasal folds),
- various bacterial or viral infections,
- degeneration or dystrophy (abnormal development) of the cornea.
How does a corneal ulcer manifest in dogs?
Unless the ulcer is really deep, it is not always possible for the pet owner to see it directly by looking at the surface of the dog's eye. On the other hand, an eye ulcer is generally accompanied by signs of eye pain which sometimes pushes the dog to rub or even self-mutilate among other symptoms such as:
- increased blinking and involuntary closing of the dog's eyelids called blepharospasm,
- a tearing of the eye (epiphora),
- redness of the eye,
- a contraction of the pupil.
The presence of a corneal ulcer can also sometimes be accompanied by a change in the appearance of the cornea which loses its transparency (appearance of a gray-blue or whitish veil), appearance of a small protrusion (lump) on the surface of the cornea or the accumulation of pus on the surface of the cornea.
At the veterinarian, a corneal ulcer can be quite simply highlighted by a fluorescein test. This test consists of instilling a drop of fluorescein, a green dye, in the affected eye of the dog and then observing it using a blue light. The corneal ulcers then appear illuminated in fluorescent green.
Corneal ulcer: possible treatments
The treatment of corneal ulcer will first consist in eliminating the cause. For example, if the ulcer is linked to the rubbing of eyelashes on the dog's cornea, the veterinarian will endeavor to epilate these poorly implanted eyelashes.
When the ulcer is shallow, the treatment of the ulcer will generally consist of the instillation of eye drops and / or antibiotic eye ointments for a few days until complete healing of the cornea. To prevent the animal from rubbing its eyes, it is sometimes necessary to put a collar on it for the duration of its treatment.
When the ulcer is deeper or recurs, various surgical procedures can then be considered. Corneal transplantation is one of them.