Your dog’s eyes are the windows to his health. Problems with a dog’s eye health often indicate other problems, like vascular disease affecting the blood and the blood circulation system.
Dog Eye Health Problems That May Signal Vascular Disorders
Does your dog have blood coming out of the blood vessels in the eyeball? That’s a condition known as intraocular hemorrhage, and it’s a condition that might mean your dog has a circulatory disorder.
You should also know that a diagnosis of retinal detachment, where the retina separates from the choroid, could lead to a diagnosis of vascular disease.
Finally, if your dog suffers from papilledema, a swollen blind spot that’s caused by excessive fluid build-up, that condition may also be indicative of a vascular disorder in your dog.
Consult Your Veterinarian
If your dog has any of these dog eye health conditions, you should schedule an appointment with your vet to have your dog examined to see if he has a condition that interferes with his blood circulation. If your dog has already been diagnosed with one of these dog eye health conditions, be sure to follow your veterinarian’s advice and give your dog any prescribed medication or treatment for the condition.
Dog Eye Health Problems That May Signal Infectious Disorders
Watch out for inflammation, or redness, around the tissue that surrounds your dog’s eye. This health condition, known as conjunctivitis, can mean your dog has a virus, a bacterial disease, parasites, or allergies. Conjunctivitis is considered one of the most common conditions diagnosed today, and it is usually easily treated by keeping the dog’s eyes in good health, keeping them clean, and giving medication for a few days to eliminate the cause of the infection.
If your dog has conjunctivitis, his eyes will itch. Try to prevent him from scratching his eyes while you are treating his dog eye health problems. Get a cone-shaped collar from your vet if necessary, so your dog’s conjunctive eye tissue health infection will have a chance to heal.
Know Your Breed
Some breeds are prone to have more dog eye health issues than other dogs, so it’s important to be familiar with any dog eye health problems particular to your dog’s breed. German Shepherd breeds, for instance, are susceptible to chronic superficial keratitis, and some toy breeds can experience eye problems if their hair is not kept out of their eyes.