Dry Eye in Dogs

Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) or keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) is a common, potentially blinding condition in dogs. If a dog is struck down with this condition it usually affects both eyes. As with humans DES in canines is the reduction of lubricating tear production. This type of tear is extremely important as it assists with clear vision.

Although DES could affect any breed of dog there are a number of breeds that are more susceptible. These tend to include the small or miniature breeds such as: Pug, Cocker Spaniel, Dachshund, Shih Tzu and Pekingese.

Should you own such a dog please ensure you take your dog for regular check ups and be aware of the initial signs of canine DES. These symptoms include discharge from the eye, conjunctivitis, inflammation of the cornea and obvious signs of distress or pain from your dog, especially if regularly pawing at its eyes.

There are various reasons as to why your dog may get DES or KCS. In the majority of cases the cause is attributed to an immune disorder which affects the tear film. Other auto-immune diseases such as Hypothyroidism or Cushing’s disease can cause the condition. Other causes may include:

Canine Distemper

Viral or bacterial conjunctivitis

Trauma

Sulfonamides drugs (used for bacterial infections)

Anaesthetic agents

DES or KCS can lead to blindness in breeds such as Pug and Dachshund who are particularly prone to the chronic or most severe strain. Due to the lack of bacteria clearing, lubricating tears, the corneal surface thickens causing potential ulceration or erosion and an intolerance to light before blindness occurs.

Conventional treatment presently consists of drug therapy and/or surgery. As with the so-called treatment in humans, artificial tears or eye ointments like Cyclosporin, do not really offer much in the way of healing help as they are similar to your ‘crying’ tears. This type of tear does not contain the correct components for eye lubrication. Other drugs include antibiotics, hormones and mucolytics which reduce the thickness and quantity of mucous. Surgery could involve an operation to move the salivary duct from the mouth up to the eye in order to keep the eye wet by saliva rather than tears. Obviously this is not an ideal solution and it will not cure your dog’s DES / KCS. Sadly there is no cure for this condition and as with humans if you have DES you have it for life.

Using an eye drop like Can-C could help to prevent such conditions developing because the powerful antioxidant properties keep the eye healthy and resilient. Should you or your dog already have DES, Can-C eye drops could assist by giving the eye the best possible environment for self-healing.