Uveitis In Dogs
Uveitis, or anterior uveitis, is a kind of inflammation of the eye in dogs. The uvea in the eye contains blood vessels and supplies the eye with blood. When the uvea becomes inflamed the front of the eye become painful for your dog. The dog’s iris and the tissue around it become affected. Your dog’s vision can be affected, too. Left untreated, uveitis can be a serious problem.
Causes
Uveitis can occur for lots of different reasons such as:
- Autoimmune disease
- Cancer
- Canine adenovirus
- Canine herpes virus
- Distemper
- Infections due to bacteria, fungi, parasites, and other things
- Injury
- Metabolic diseases
- Protein building up on the lens
- Tumors
Symptoms
The symptoms of uveitis are usually easy to see and your veterinarian should have no trouble spotting them:
- Color of the iris appears different than usual or looks uneven
- Discharge from the eye
- Eye redness
- Eyeball swells
- Front of the eye looks dull or cloudy
- Pain
- Pupil becomes small or uneven
- Squinting
- Tears
Diagnosis
In order to make a diagnosis your veterinarian will probably ask you for a history of your dog’s problem with the eye and exam your dog. He or she will need to look at your dog’s eye with an ophthalmoscope and check the pressure in the eye. Your vet will also need to look at a complete blood count for your dog and other bloodwork. This will help your vet identify any infectious cause for the uveitis. Your vet may also need to perform other tests to determine the cause or aspirate the eye to study the contents. X-rays and ultrasounds may be called for in some cases.
Treatment
Treatment will depend on what your vet finds during diagnostics. In most cases your vet will prescribe medicated drops or an ointment. He or she may give you antibiotics and medications to reduce pain and inflammation as well.
Your vet will treat for any virus or fungus found, or, if a tumor is responsible, recommend removing it. In some cases, if the cause is a metabolic disease or an autoimmune disorder, then you and your vet will need to discuss longterm treatment options for the condition, as your dog may be experiencing other health problems, too.
You will need to follow your vet’s directions carefully to put drops in your dog’s eye or give medication at home. Watch the eye for any changes and make sure you check back in with your vet as required.
Conclusion
Uveitis is a condition of the eye that occurs when the uvea becomes inflamed. There are multiple possible causes. The symptoms are usually hard to miss. Your veterinarian will need to do some testing to find out what is causing the uveitis. Once the cause is determined the treatment is usually straightforward. Make sure you follow the treatment plan carefully. Your dog should make a full recovery in most cases.
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