6 Most Common Eye Problems in Dogs

It’s never easy when your dog starts having health problems, but recognizing signs early can significantly reduce the chances of it advancing to something serious. It’s not just older dogs that experience eye problems - a number of conditions that can occur at all ages across all breeds. Here are the most common eye problems to look out for in your dog.

1. Pink Eye

Many dog owners don’t know that their furry friends can get pink eye or conjunctivitis. Similar to humans, symptoms include:

• Eye redness

• Inflammation

• Gooey discharge

If your dog has pink eye caused by a bacterial infection, he will need to see a vet and receive an antibiotic eye drop solution. In some occasions, pink eye can be brought on by an allergic reaction to pollen or cigarette smoke and will require a solution to flush the irritants out of your dog’s eyes.

To read more on this story, click here: 6 Most Common Eye Problems in Dogs

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Feline Vision Problems: A Host of Possible Causes

In most cases, early diagnosis and treatment can keep a cat from losing its eyesight, but it's important to look for signs of trouble and ensure your cat gets regular check-ups.

Cats have developed several unique vision features during their evolution that enable them to see clearly indoors and out. Unfortunately, these finely-tuned feline eyes are vulnerable to injury and a wide variety of diseases that can dramatically impair a cat’s eyesight or, in some cases, render a cat partially or totally blind.

"We see cats that are either blind or going blind several times a week," says Thomas Kern, DVM, associate professor of ophthalmology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. "Most of these animals have eye disease as a primary disorder—they have no other health problems. And most of them are middle-aged or elderly cats whose vision loss has been progressing for years."

To read more on this story, click here: Feline Vision Problems: A Host of Possible Causes

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9 Most Common Dog Eye Problems

Dog eye problems are very common and in most cases it's just a mild inconvenience. However, certain conditions will be more serious and require veterinary intervention, including surgery.

Studies observed that German Shepherd Dogs and Maltese are twice more likely to suffer from different types of eye disease than any other breed. Dry eyes, cataracts, corneal ulcers, progressive retinal atrophy and glaucoma are the most common eye conditions in dogs, commonly occurring in breeds between ages of 4 and 7 

Eye disease are often inherited, and it's the most well-studied areas of all inherited diseases in dogs. Below is a list of nine most common dog eye problems with pictures, their causes, prevention and treatment.

To read more on this story, click here: 9 Most Common Dog Eye Problems

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Do Dogs Need Sunglasses?

No, not really. But that doesn't mean you should put away the shades for good.

Humans wear sunglasses to reduce ultraviolet exposure, which can lead to age-related cataracts to our eyes. Dogs, on the other hand, have a shorter life span and therefore don't develop UV light damage in their eyes.

Dogs still get cataracts, or blurry, clouded vision, but they're either inherited, caused by diabetes, or develop because of continued lens growth during old age, says Robert English, an animal eye care veterinarian. “Because of their deeper set eyes, in most breeds at least, and their heavier brow, their eyes are more shaded by their brows and have less of a direct angle to the sun than our eyes,” English says.

But sunglasses may still help old pups or ones with certain eye diseases. In this case, English recommends Doggles, or dog goggles designed for your canine companion. “Older dogs with early age-related cataracts arguably probably have slightly better vision outside on a sunny day if they wear polarized Doggles."

Denise Lindley, a veterinary ophthalmologist, said dogs with Pannus, a disease of the cornea, also could benefit from Doggles because of the decreased UV exposure. “A typical case would be a dog in Colorado that hikes a lot with its owner,” Lindley says.

Take note: Doggle protection only goes so far. Veterinarian James Hagedorn says dog sunglasses do not provide protection against debris, so they won't help if your dog is hanging her head out the car window.

If you do want to go down the Doggles route, you can purchase a pair from a variety of retailers, including Petco. DoggieShades, another canine sunglasses retailer, offers $15 sunglasses with an adjustable strap for your dog.

Bottom line: dogs don't need sunglasses, but if you want to protect your old dog’s eyes or you want your dog to make a fashion statement at the park, there's no harm letting her sport a pair of sunglasses.


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Does Your Pet Have Cataracts? – Do You Know the Symptoms?

Just as we humans get cataracts, so can our furry family members. Please take time to look at the videos and visit the websites below.

While attending a Love Ball (a Love Ball is an annual fundraiser) for the Montgomery County Humane Society last month, I met a pet owner with a cute little Shih Tzu, I don’t remember her name because I met a lot of dogs that night! I had fun with all the dogs, but this little one caught my attention because she look so much like my Sugar who crossed over the rainbow bridge in 2008.

Her mom told me that she was 15 years old and was recently diagnosed with cataracts. She told me that she was being treated, but had not yet decided on having surgery.

I am not an expert on cataracts in pets, but decided to research the information hoping that someone reading this blog with notice the signs of cataracts in their pet and get them to a vet before the condition worsens.

What Are Cataracts?
A cataract is an opacity in the lens of a dog’s eye, causing him to have blurry vision. If the cataract is small, it won’t likely disturb the dog’s vision too much, but cataracts must be monitored because the thicker and denser they become, the more likely it is they will lead to blindness.








If you suspect an eye problem with your pet, please take them to see a veterinarian immediately! FOLLOW US!