In the article I will look at the main causes and symptoms of proptosis, a disease accompanied by prolapse of the eyeball in dogs. Reasons why eyes fall out or fall out. I will explain how the treatment works and what preventive measures should be taken by owners of breeds at risk.
What is this phenomenon called?
Eye loss (luxatio bulbi oculi) is a pathology in which the eyeball protrudes too far from the orbit, which leads to the development of other unpleasant diseases. This disease is also called proptosis.
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Proptosis leads to necrosis of the conjunctiva and cornea, retinal detachment, which causes complete blindness.
Important! The owner has 24 hours to take the dog to the veterinarian for surgery. If time is lost, serious complications will arise.
What breeds are susceptible to this disease?
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Many dog breeds are predisposed to eye loss. This primarily applies to animals with a flat muzzle and a shortened skull. These distinctive features indicate brachycephaly. The brachycephalic group includes many dog breeds: Japanese Chin, German Boxer, Chihuahua, Pekingese, Spitz, German Boxer, Shih Tzu, Shar Pei. Pet owners should take note of which dogs have protruding eyes and be prepared to address the problem.
Obvious signs of pathology
Japanese Chin
This dog in Japan is considered the favorite of the gods. Many owners strive to get this particular breed. The word "hin" means "precious" in Japanese. These are small dogs, 20–25 cm tall at the withers and weighing about 4 kg. They are distinguished by their two-color color: red and white or white and black. The fur on the tail, ears and neck is slightly longer than on the legs and body. These dogs have a wide, flattened muzzle and protruding eyes. This feature often leads to pathology when the eyes begin to fall out.
Japanese Chins are very friendly, playful and active. They live on average 12–14 years. These smart animals are easy to train and become excellent companions and guards.
Note! A caring owner should regularly wash the dog's eyes and clean its ears.
Proptosis at the initial stage
German bulldog
Active, restless and very hardy, German bulldogs are distinguished by good health. The only weak point in their body is their eyes. These dogs have weak muscles that hold the eyeballs inside the bony socket. Because of this, the eyes can roll out even with minor injury or inflammation.
Shar Pei
The large dog has a distinctive feature - thick folds on its short, sandy-colored fur. The height at the withers is 46–51 cm. These dogs weigh 18–23 kg. Shar Peis live for about 11 years. They are very loyal to their owners. Due to sensitive digestion, they require a strict diet. These animals have a flattened muzzle, so the eyeballs are not held firmly in the orbit.
Pekingese
The Pekingese breed was originally bred only for Chinese emperors. In the 20th century These little fluffy dogs have become the favorites of many people. These pets have thick, long hair that needs to be combed thoroughly. The color can be any. Pekingese live for quite a long time - 12–15 years.
These pets are prone to obesity and need a balanced diet. You also need to take good care of their eyes. Due to their flattened muzzle, Pekingese often lose eyeballs, which are held in place only by the muscles of the eyelids.
Good prevention is to follow safety and hygiene rules.
Chihuahua
Playful, cheerful, active Chihuahuas appeared in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. and quickly earned the love of dog breeders in all countries. These miniature dogs grow up to 15–25 cm at the withers. Despite their fragile health, Chihuahuas can be called the longest-livers among dogs: their life expectancy reaches 18 years.
Note! Chihuahuas' small, shiny eyes often appear bulging and may fall out.
German boxer
These dogs grow to 53–65 cm at the withers and gain a weight of about 25–30 kg. They have short brindle or brown fur covered with white spots and folds. German bulldogs live for about 12 years and are very attached to family members.
Due to their bulging eyes, these animals often suffer from proptosis, so the owner needs to carefully monitor the pet’s condition, often wash its eyes and instill drops.
Pug
Small, squat, stocky dogs with gray or silver fur are famous for their unusual flat muzzle shape and thick folds in the skin. The Pug is a dog with bulging eyes, so it needs regular eye drops and hygiene. The accumulation of dirt leads to inflammation and proptosis.
Important! The pug should not be walked in dusty places or among tall grass, because this can damage his eyesight.
Many breeds are predisposed to proptosis
Dog Breeds That Lose Eyes
Animals with weak fixation of the eyeballs, held solely by the eyelids, and a short, slightly upturned muzzle, which increases the risk of mechanical damage, are susceptible to proptosis.
When choosing a pet, it is important to take into account all the nuances of the breed.
Owners of the following breeds will have to demonstrate high vigilance:
- Pekingese;
- bulldogs;
- bullmastiffs;
- Shar-Pei;
- Boston Terriers;
- pugs;
- Shih Tzu;
- Japanese (Tibetan) chins;
- boxers;
- chihuahua;
- Petit Brabançons.
With a shallow fundus, any mechanical damage to the head can provoke proptosis.
Unlike the listed breeds, most dogs do not suffer from this problem due to:
- correct structure of the skull;
- deep eye sockets;
- brow ridges.
Pekingese's eye fell out
Causes and symptoms of eyeball prolapse
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Reasons for loss:
- skull injuries. This happens especially often during an accident, when the eyeballs can literally fly out of their sockets;
- failure to comply with hygiene rules;
- infections and inflammatory processes;
- mechanical damage: dog fights, etc. Small dogs can be injured even by grass, so the owner must walk them very carefully;
- collar too tight;
- the owner’s habit of carrying the animal by the withers;
- belonging to a breed with a predisposition to proptosis. In many animals, the eyeball is supported only by the muscles of the eyelids. Any damage can weaken them.
Important! A dog whose eyes fall out experiences severe pain and discomfort. The symptoms of the disease are difficult to miss, so you need to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible. This pathology is visible to the naked eye.
The veterinarian will conduct additional diagnostics and find out how advanced the disease is. The course of treatment depends on this.
Signs and general symptoms of hair loss:
- the eyeball is pinched by the eyelids;
- swelling of the conjunctiva;
- prolapse of the eyeball;
- bloody issues;
- strong pain;
- weakness, depressed state.
The operation must be done within the first day
First aid
The further course of the disease and the prognosis for the future depend on how correctly and quickly the owner reacts to proptosis in the pet. First aid measures:
- Protect the eye from further damage, from touching and possible contact with various objects. To do this, a special collar is put on the animal’s neck, or you will have to hold its paws for a while so that the pet does not harm itself while trying to relieve the pain.
- Using a clean piece of cloth or sterile gauze soaked in saline solution or clean cool water, gently wipe the skin around the eyes, removing blood particles and other contaminants.
- Lubricate the cornea with ophthalmic ointment.
- To reduce pain and prevent severe swelling, you can apply an ice cube wrapped in a cloth to the skin under the eye. Keep cold for no more than 15 minutes.
After providing first aid, the animal must be taken to the veterinarian as quickly as possible so that the eye can be put back in place.
The operation requires anesthesia, so you cannot feed the pet before visiting the veterinary clinic.
After the operation, the animal will recover in 2 weeks - 1 month. During the rehabilitation period, it is necessary to provide the pet with complete rest and proper, careful care. Antibiotics are given to prevent infections.
Attention! The recurrence of proptosis in most cases leads to the need to remove the damaged organ.
What to do if your eyeball falls out
Only surgery can save your beloved pet. Before going to the veterinarian, you can help the animal.
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What the owner can do:
- calm down yourself and calm the dog;
- rinse the damaged area with clean water;
- for 10 min. apply a cold compress to the sore spot;
- put a surgical (Elizabethan) collar on your pet;
- moisten the bandage with saline solution and bandage the wound. Moisten the bandage periodically to prevent it from drying out.
If your dog's eyes have fallen out, you need to go to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible. This disease can only be cured by surgery. The veterinarian will perform surgery on the animal: realign the eyeballs and tighten the extraocular muscles.
Important! Under no circumstances should you attempt to treat your dog yourself.
Care and treatment of your pet
After the operation, the pet needs careful care and maintenance. He needs to be given antibiotics for the first week. This will prevent the risk of developing infectious inflammation. After the specified period, the veterinarian removes the bandage and performs anesthetic treatment of the sutures again. A new sterile dressing is then applied to the wound. The frequency of dressing changes is determined by the treating veterinarian until the wounds are completely healed.
Recovery of the damaged eye occurs within 15-30 days from the date of surgery. After healing, the veterinarian removes the stitches.
During the rehabilitation period, the dog owner is responsible for providing the pet with a calm environment. During recovery, the dog is prohibited from walking unless absolutely necessary.
What absolutely should not be done
Under no circumstances should you try to straighten the eye with your own hands, much less allow dirt to get into the wound. Do not hesitate to contact the veterinary clinic, because delay can cost your dog’s sight.
It is necessary to observe preventive measures: do not walk in thickets of grass and dusty places. The collar should not put too much pressure on the neck.
Urgent veterinary assistance required
An experienced dog handler knows well which dogs have eye loss and remembers the list of breeds prone to this pathology. A dog whose eyes are bulging out needs good care and qualified veterinary care.
Prevention
It is best for owners of dogs at risk to take care in advance to reduce the risk of proptosis:
- avoid situations in which eye injury may occur;
- do not allow the dog to fight;
- do not let him go for a walk unaccompanied and monitor your pet’s movements;
- remove dangerous sharp objects in the house at the height of the dog;
- Do not hold the animal by the skin in the area of the withers, neck and head.
