# Dog eye stuff



## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

I have a 4 yr old English Shepherd. You know that look dogs get when they have a fever and the inner eyelids are visible and a bit red? Well she always looks like that, always has. Made it lots of fun during her rabies quarantine when she was a pup. :facepalm:

Anyway I just said that in case it has any relation to her current issue. Lately I've been noticing what looks like a glob of mucus that has blood vessels in it growing over her irises. Any ideas as to what it could be? Since it's not life or death, I can't get her into a vet before mid January, which is fine, but I'd like to be researching possible issues before then. Oh, no indications of any pain whatsoever. It actually doesn't seem to bother in any way at all.


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## billinwv (Sep 27, 2013)

Sounds like cherry eye. It can cause irritation to the eye and should be checked out.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

Here's a couple pics that aren't too bad.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

I'd get him into a vet sooner than later. I really don't know what that is, but it's not a good thing. Looks like it might be conjunctivitis...but there are different types and not sure how to tell them apart.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

The one time I had anything similar to that was when Valentina (LGD Karakachan) had crawled under a gate and apparently had hurt her eye. It wasn't bleeding but was blood red similar to what I see in your dog. I rinsed her eye out with Colloidal Silver and it cleared up in couple of days.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

motdaugrnds said:


> The one time I had anything similar to that was when Valentina (LGD Karakachan) had crawled under a gate and apparently had hurt her eye. It wasn't bleeding but was blood red similar to what I see in your dog. I rinsed her eye out with Colloidal Silver and it cleared up in couple of days.


Since it's in both eyes, I'd assume it's some sort of infection versus an injury. Has your dog been vaccinated for distemper? (Seems to be high on the list of causes). 

The most common causes of conjunctivitis include bacterial and viral infections, allergies, hereditary conditions, and tumors. Conjunctivitis may be a secondary symptom of another eye disease.

Bacterial infections that are not associated with another condition such as keratoconjunctivitis sicca ("dry eye") are rare in adult dogs. However, puppies can have bacterial infections even before their eyes are open.
Specific causes of conjunctivitis include:


Viral infections such as canine distemper virus. 
Immune-mediated disorders such as allergic conjunctivitis (especially common in pets with atopy or seasonal allergies), plasma cell conjunctivitis (especially German shepherds), and Pemphigus. 
Tumors of the eyelids and conjunctiva are rare in dogs. 
Breed-associated conditions such as nodular episcleritis in collies and collie crosses. 
Tear film deficiency such as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS or "dry eye") 
Eyelid abnormalities such as entropion or ectropion and eyelash disorders such as distichiasis and ectopic cilia often cause secondary conjunctivitis. 
Obstructed nasolacrimal or "tear" ducts can cause inflammation of the tissues surrounding the globe of the eye. 
Trauma to the eye or irritation from foreign bodies, smoke or environmental pollutants can cause inflammatory conjunctivitis. 
Other eye disorders such as ulcerative keratitis, anterior uveitis and glaucoma.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I'd vote for getting her in sooner also. I may not be life threatening, but it could be vision threatening. Eye infections and the like really aren't a good thing to mess around with. 

I had a puppy get his eye scratched by a cat. I took him to the vet and treated him, but I wasn't very diligent about it (this was a long time ago). At least in part because I was careless with the treatment, he eventually lost that eye. I learned that you don't mess around with eye problems. 

What you have going on there is not common or usual. I've groomed dogs for 40 years and I don't think I've seen anything like it during that time.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

cherry eye
It is not a dangerous emergency, and can be fixed for the cosmetic effect. I know my cousin had a dog that had cherry eye all her life. She lived to be 13.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

I don't think it's "cherry eye", if that term is being used correctly -- it's a prolapsed 3rd eyelid. In this case, there is inflammation at the outside corner of the dog's eyes as well as on the inside corner where the 3rd eyelid gland would be. For that reason I'd still say conjunctivitis...but that's just the symptom, not the cause. 

However, I would not be surprised if the general term "cherry eye" is used to describe all kinds of eye issues that produce redness. But it doesn't look like a prolapse to me. This is a picture of a cherry eye (prolapse).

http://www.canidae.com/blog/2010/06/what-causes-cherry-eye-in-dogs-and-how-to-correct-it.html


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

Well the vet that is here in town did took care of the dog during her rabies quarantine when she was a pup and did notice the eyelids but said it was no big deal. That was all. So I'm going to take her to a different vet but that means going to the 'big city', an hour away and they are all busy or gone for the holidays so it's just gonna have to wait a week or two.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

The inflammation of the inner eye lid (I agree its not cherry eye as I know it) isn't such a big deal, it could be allergies and seems normal for her. What I find disturbing is what's going on in the outside part of the eye, that's what I haven't seen before. Maybe it doesn't look so weird in person, the one who is there taking care of her will have the best idea of what's going on and the level of discomfort of the dog. It could well be worth waiting for a vet that you think is more skilled.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

Oh, it looks weird all right!


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

If it were only in one eye, I would say an ulcer, but since it is the same on both sides she would have had to get her head stuck in something that injured both eyes in that manner. So I am stumped on this one!


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2014)

One of our dogs had one eye for that for about a month. His second eye did that for about a week.

Regular Neosporin can safely be put in an eyeball. The Vaseline type, not the cream type, and NOT the one with pain reliever in it.

If it is bacterial, that will help clear it up. Put a small BB sized blob on an immaculately clean finger and plop it in their eye corner. It will spread across the eyeball and through the lids. Soothing the eye and helping with bacterial infections.

Turbo's eye did not respond to the Neosporin, so his must have been a viral infection. I switched to plain Vaseline when it became apparent it was not going to improve with Neosporin, just to help keep it moisturizer and more comfortable for him. 

It took a while, but his went away on his own before the nickname Winkie became permanent.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

That first pic is incredible, both the photography and the 'growth' whatever it is.
The other eye has the same veined growth?

According to 2 of my human doctors (GP and PS) and my pharmacist,_ regular Neosporin can NOT safely be put in an eyeball_. 

I had some surgery done on my eyelid because of basal cell skin cancer and had to get an ophthalmic anitbiotic ointment for the sutured incisions.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

aart said:


> That first pic is incredible, both the photography and the 'growth' whatever it is.
> The other eye has the same veined growth?
> 
> According to 2 of my human doctors (GP and PS) and my pharmacist,_ regular Neosporin can NOT safely be put in an eyeball_.
> ...



Yep, both eyes are pretty close to the same, although one eye did start before the other. There is no sign of discomfort or dryness, just these things, whatever they are.


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2014)

aart said:


> ...
> 
> According to 2 of my human doctors (GP and PS) and my pharmacist,_ regular Neosporin can NOT safely be put in an eyeball_.
> 
> ...



My vet said that Neo & a bit of mineral oil to thin the mix is what is the Rx -- and that the thicker mixture was simply a bit more annoying than the thinner mix.

Maybe it's different in dogs? I do have a very frugal country Vet who is helpful with home remedies...


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

Maybe this? It's a Pterygium affecting a human eye. Hard to tell from the dog's eye picture but I see similarities. 

Google the term and see if it could be this affecting your dog.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

badlander said:


> Maybe this? It's a Pterygium affecting a human eye. Hard to tell from the dog's eye picture but I see similarities.
> 
> Google the term and see if it could be this affecting your dog.



You're awesome! That sure looks like what my dog has. I'll have to ask the vet about it. It looks like it usually involves expensive surgery and then grows back. We'll see. I'll have to do a lot more research on it to see if there is anything that I can do to at least slow it down. If it's from exposure to sun and wind, well, I don't know. The poor dog just _loves_ being outside!


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

Thanks, glad to help.

PM sent!


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## Pyrenees (Oct 23, 2004)

Try this

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3567


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

One of my springer spaniels "Clara" developed a genetic eye condition that caused her eyes to grow veins across the pupil. It was triggered by living at altitude. Vet said her vision was like looking through a bunch of tree branches. The same great dog died of bone cancer when she was 7, the vision was never really an issue prior to her death.


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