You just returned from a long walk with your dog through the woods and when you get home you notice that he is squinting at you. One of those eyes is squeezed tightly shut, and he’s pawing at it as well. Uh oh. The topic of today’s post is corneal abrasions, or ulcers. What are the common causes? How does your Veterinarian diagnose them? What treatments are available?
Corneal ulcers occur when something scratches the thin membrane, or cornea, on the outside of your pet’s eye.
This is a very common injury, and I will often have numerous appointments on my schedule for this very reason every week. The most common reason this happens in dogs is having too much fun outside. Dogs run through tall grass, the woods, swamps, or the field, and they aren’t running slowly. Picture hot laps, and not just one, but four hot laps. A blade of grass to the eye, a stick, or plants. Anything that brushes the cornea at the right angle can cause a scratch.
For cats, the most common cause is fighting with another cat.
This is a common injury I see in cats that go outside, but indoor cats are not immune either. Plenty of disagreements happen within the home as well. What’s the first thing you see cats do when they are fighting? They swat at each others’ faces. Cat claws are long and razor sharp.
Another cause of corneal ulcers…..self trauma. Dogs or cats with ear infections spend a great portion of their day scratching at their ears.
Sometimes their aim is not so good and an eyeball takes the brunt of the claw rather than the ear. Simply rubbing the face along the couch or the floor can result in a corneal ulcer. Kind of makes you want to purchase some doggles for your dog now doesn’t it? Life is dangerous!
So, you think your pet may have a corneal scratch. The first step is calling your Veterinarian and scheduling an appointment. We have an instrument called an Ophthalmoscope that we first use to look at your pet’s eye. We are able to shine a light on the cornea, through the pupil, back to the retina to do a full ocular exam.
Sometimes the ulcer, or scratch, is obvious, but other times it is not. If a corneal ulcer is suspected, most of the time our next test is called a Fluorescein stain. Fluorescein is dropped into your pet’s eye. It looks orange, but is actually green when it hits the cornea. This will stick to any irregularities on the surface of your pet’s cornea. We wash away any excess fluorescein with sterile saline, and then use our Ophthalmoscope with its blue light to highlight any areas where green is sticking to the cornea. This test is so important, as it gives us a starting point with the size and shape of the corneal ulcer.
Once a corneal ulcer has been diagnosed, what are the options for treatment? Your Veterinarian may send you home with a medication that is either in drop or ointment form. My favorite is the ointment because it stays in longer and provides more lubrication to the surface of the cornea. This medication may need to be put in 2-4 times daily for a week or more. Many superficial corneal ulcers are uncomplicated and will heal within 7-10 days.
However, there are reasons why an ulcer may not heal in the right time frame. First, your pet’s age. The older your pet is, the slower the ulcer will heal.
Second, if your pet continues to scratch at the eye or rub it on the furniture, healing time will be greatly delayed. Third, if there is a foreign body stuck somewhere in the eye, the ulcer simply won’t heal due to repeated trauma on the cornea. Fourth, certain breeds of dogs are more prone to corneal ulcers, and heal much more slowly, ie: Boxers and Pugs.
Some dogs will need extra help to get their corneal ulcer to heal. Sometimes this means your pet will need to be in an e-collar for a couple weeks to prevent scratching or rubbing. Yes, they may not scratch while you are home with them, but what happens when you leave or when you are sleeping at night? 
Other pets need a brief surgical procedure to “freshen” the edges of the ulcer to encourage healing if a delay has occurred. Further, some pets just need to see a specialist. Veterinary Ophthalmologists are a great next step for that non-healing ulcer. Some pet’s need a temporary contact lens placed or a specialized procedure to get that stubborn corneal ulcer to heal.
Corneal ulcers occur when something scratches the thin membrane, or cornea, on the outside of your pet’s eye.
For cats, the most common cause is fighting with another cat.
Another cause of corneal ulcers…..self trauma. Dogs or cats with ear infections spend a great portion of their day scratching at their ears.
So, you think your pet may have a corneal scratch. The first step is calling your Veterinarian and scheduling an appointment. We have an instrument called an Ophthalmoscope that we first use to look at your pet’s eye. We are able to shine a light on the cornea, through the pupil, back to the retina to do a full ocular exam.
However, there are reasons why an ulcer may not heal in the right time frame. First, your pet’s age. The older your pet is, the slower the ulcer will heal.
Some dogs will need extra help to get their corneal ulcer to heal. Sometimes this means your pet will need to be in an e-collar for a couple weeks to prevent scratching or rubbing. Yes, they may not scratch while you are home with them, but what happens when you leave or when you are sleeping at night?
Other pets need a brief surgical procedure to “freshen” the edges of the ulcer to encourage healing if a delay has occurred. Further, some pets just need to see a specialist. Veterinary Ophthalmologists are a great next step for that non-healing ulcer. Some pet’s need a temporary contact lens placed or a specialized procedure to get that stubborn corneal ulcer to heal.
Comments
Post a Comment