An important part of every new puppy exam that I do is checking the pet’s eyes. Not only am I checking for any discharge or redness in the eyes, but I’m also looking for a condition called Entropion. This condition can cause irritation, ulceration, and pain in the eyes without surgical correction. So today let’s talk about what this condition is, what it can do to the eye, and how it is corrected.
Entropion occurs when there is too much eyelid tissue. This extra tissue results in the eyelids rolling in on themselves. It’s a condition that primarily affects the lower eyelids, but can also affect the outside corner of the upper eyelid.
Eyelids do not have hair or fur at their margins that touch the corneal surface of the eye. But, if you take a close look at your dog’s eyes, you’ll see that the fur starts right below the lid margin. When this extra tissue causes the eyelids to roll in, that fur starts to rub on the cornea.
Most owners realize that something is wrong with their dog’s eye(s) due to excessive watering or rubbing of the face. Those little hairs that are rubbing against the cornea with this condition cause the eye to weep. Usually the discharge is clear in color, but sometimes it can progress to an infection, and the discharge becomes more of a yellow/green color. If this rubbing is severe or has been going on for a while, it can also lead to corneal ulceration.
What do we do when we see that a dog has entropion? Surgery is the only way to correct this condition. Every entropion is different. Sometimes it only affects one eye, sometimes it affects both of your dog’s eyes. Sometimes there is minimal rolling of the lid, sometimes there is A LOT of skin that has rolled in. Sometimes it affects just the lower lid, and sometimes it extends from the lower lid, to the outside corner of the eye and affects part of the upper eyelid as well. The surgical repair technique for all of these will vary slightly to greatly.
To surgically correct this condition, your Veterinarian will usually make an elliptical incision in the skin just below the lid margin. Before making this initial incision, we first determine just how much skin needs to be removed. I stare at my patients for awhile when they are awake, and then again when they are anesthetized to make this decision. Once the predetermined amount of tissue has been removed, the area is sutured.
For those eyes where the entropion affects both the lower an upper eyelid, more of a boomerang shaped incision is made along with a tacking procedure at the outside corner of the eye. This allows us to bring the lateral eye margin back to where it should be, and roll the eyelid back out at the same time. After both types of these surgeries, and E-collar is mandatory to prevent scratching or rubbing of the surgical site. It takes only a second to destroy our hard work!
I have all of my Entropion patients return after two weeks for the first recheck to see how the eyelid is looking. I then have them return again after another four weeks, so that I can do my final surgical recheck at six weeks. Yes, the repair can change a lot over those six weeks.
An important piece of information……………….your Veterinarian should tell you that it is not a guarantee that the lid will be perfectly fixed after the first surgery. Even an Ophthalmology Surgery Specialist will tell you the same thing. Often these eyes need a couple surgeries before the entropion is fully repaired. Why? We never want to take out too much tissue at the first surgery. You can always take out more, but you can’t add the tissue back in. If too much is taken out, your dog will end up with a different problem call “Ectropion.” So, be kind to your Veterinarian when they honestly tell you that more than one surgery may be needed to correct this condition!!!!!!
I have done many many Entropion surgeries. Only one required a second surgery. The difference in these pets is almost immediate! They go from squinting and pawing at their eyes many times per day, to being a normal dog. The drainage and discoloration on their face from the drainage disappears, and they feel so much better overall. If you suspect your dog may have this condition, schedule a visit with your Veterinarian to discuss this condition further, and schedule that life-changing procedure!
Entropion occurs when there is too much eyelid tissue. This extra tissue results in the eyelids rolling in on themselves. It’s a condition that primarily affects the lower eyelids, but can also affect the outside corner of the upper eyelid.
What do we do when we see that a dog has entropion? Surgery is the only way to correct this condition. Every entropion is different. Sometimes it only affects one eye, sometimes it affects both of your dog’s eyes. Sometimes there is minimal rolling of the lid, sometimes there is A LOT of skin that has rolled in. Sometimes it affects just the lower lid, and sometimes it extends from the lower lid, to the outside corner of the eye and affects part of the upper eyelid as well. The surgical repair technique for all of these will vary slightly to greatly.
I have all of my Entropion patients return after two weeks for the first recheck to see how the eyelid is looking. I then have them return again after another four weeks, so that I can do my final surgical recheck at six weeks. Yes, the repair can change a lot over those six weeks.
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| Courtesy: Dr. Brad Holmberg |
An important piece of information……………….your Veterinarian should tell you that it is not a guarantee that the lid will be perfectly fixed after the first surgery. Even an Ophthalmology Surgery Specialist will tell you the same thing. Often these eyes need a couple surgeries before the entropion is fully repaired. Why? We never want to take out too much tissue at the first surgery. You can always take out more, but you can’t add the tissue back in. If too much is taken out, your dog will end up with a different problem call “Ectropion.” So, be kind to your Veterinarian when they honestly tell you that more than one surgery may be needed to correct this condition!!!!!!
I have done many many Entropion surgeries. Only one required a second surgery. The difference in these pets is almost immediate! They go from squinting and pawing at their eyes many times per day, to being a normal dog. The drainage and discoloration on their face from the drainage disappears, and they feel so much better overall. If you suspect your dog may have this condition, schedule a visit with your Veterinarian to discuss this condition further, and schedule that life-changing procedure!
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