Feb 16 2009
Corneal ulcers in pets
The clear outer capsule of the front of the eye is termed the cornea. Instead of having blood vessels, it sits in a nourishing protective fluid of tears.
The cornea is subject to scratches, abrasions and ulcerations. The most common cause of ulcerations is a lack of protective tears, but can also be caused by bacterial and fungal infections. Older dogs, persian cats, and adult cats that have the herpes virus are all prone to corneal ulcers. Left untreated, serious complications can occur which destroy vision.
Ulcers can be shallow or deep. Once the cornea has been torn, it becomes irritated and painful, causing tearing and squinting. They also itch. In response, animals will try to rub their eye, worsening the condition. Once a lot of the cornea has eroded away, a bulge will form (called a descemetocele). Once this bulge bursts, the anterior portion of the eye will collapse, contents spill out and the eye is destroyed.
Superficial ulcers can heal in a few days with proper treatment, while deep ones may take weeks of fairly intense treatments. They may also leave a scar. When there are underlying issues for the ulcer, some refuse to heal or come right back after healing.
Your vet can stain the eye to detect the depth of an ulcer. There is also a tear test that should be done to determine if an adequate amount of tears are in the eye, as a lack of tear flow is a cause of ulcers. You’ll probably notice this condition is much more frequent in pets with genetically bulging eyes, like boston terriers, boxers, pugs, lhasas, chihuahuas, persians, himalayans, etc. These breeds and others as well can also have misplaced eyelashes due to the bulge, thus scratching at the cornea continually, causing this issue.
Any time there is a problem with the eye it is recommended to see a vet quickly. Problems with the cornea can heal quicker and cause less pain, and complications with scarring and vision can thus be avoided.
Christine, LVT
