Throughout September we will be offering Eye Check ONLY consultations with a Vet for £30, and 10% off any drugs or treatments relating to eye issues. 🐾 Disclaimer - Please be aware that these consultation prices are for eye checks only, any other health enquiries will have to be charged as a normal vet consultation price. ❗ To book in please contact us on: 01670 457271.
#PetEyeHealth #nationaleyehealthawarenessweek #NEHAW #eyehealthawareness #visionmatters #eyehealth
Runny or Sticky Eye 👀
Eye discharge is a common problem in pets. Some types are completely normal, while others may be associated with potentially serious health concerns. In order to determine when you need to take your pet to the vet, you’ll need to understand the various types of eye discharge and what each may mean.
5 most common types of eye discharge:
A little ‘gunk’ or crustiness – generally made out of dried tears, oil, mucus, dead cells, dust etc. Typically, clear or a slightly reddish-brown colour that accumulates at the inside corners of the eyes. Most evident in the morning and is perfectly normal, with the amount produced each day being relatively constant. It should be easily removed with a damp cloth or eye cleansing solution made for pets. The eyes shouldn’t be red and shouldn’t exhibit any signs of discomfort.
Watery Eyes – Excessive eye watering (AKA epiphora) is associated with many different conditions that can range from being relatively minor to more serious. Below are some of the common causes of watery eyes in pets:
- Allergies
- Irritants
- Foreign body in the eye
- Anatomical abnormalities (e.g. rolled in eyelids)
- Blocked tear ducts
- Corneal wounds
- Glaucoma (increased eye pressure)
Your pet may have simply received an eyeful of pollen or dust, and the increased tearing is working to solve the problem. If eyes continue to water or your pet develops red, painful eyes or other types of eye discharge, make an appointment with your vet.
Reddish-Brown Tear Stains – many pets, especially those with light coloured fur, develop a reddish-brown discolouration to the fur near the inner corner of their eyes. This occurs because tears contain a pigment called porphyrin that turns reddish-brown with prolonged exposure to air. In most cases tear staining is cosmetic and can be removed with eye cleansers, however, sometimes it may be due to underlying diseases causing excess tearing so it is advisable to get tear stains ch
Dull, Cloudy or Colour Change ☁️
Healthy eyes should be bright, clear and shiny- if your pet’s eye suddenly looks cloudy or opaque this is a sure sign of an eye problem which needs to be examined by a vet! 🩺
Most often cloudiness is noticed in the cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye) or the lens - vision may be affected to varying degrees depending on the underlying cause.
Conditions most likely to cause cloudy or opaque eyes:
- Cataracts
- Uveitis- inflammation inside the eye
- Pannus- autoimmune inflammation in the cornea, German Shepherds are predisposed
- Injury or damage to the eye/s
- Corneal ulcers or scratches
- Dry Eye
- Glaucoma
- Nuclear Sclerosis is considered a normal ageing change in older pets where the lens takes on a cloudy or blueish haze – it doesn’t affect vision but can often be confused with cataracts on first glance. Your vet can easily distinguish between the two conditions by doing an eye exam.
We are taking part in #NationalPetEyeHealthAwarenessWeek in partnership with @domespharmauk #PetEyeHealth #nationaleyehealthawarenessweek #NEHAW #eyehealthawareness #visionmatters #EyeHealth
Redness ❌
Your pet’s eyes are as sensitive as your own, and are just as susceptible to irritation, allergies, injury, and disease. One of the earliest signs of many eye problems is a red eye. If your pet’s eyes appear visibly red or swollen get them checked ASAP by your vet, as some causes of a red eye are not only painful but can lead to permanent blindness if left untreated (such as glaucoma).
Common causes of redness:
- Conjunctivitis
- Allergies or irritants
- Foreign object in the eye
- Dry Eye
- Injury
- Uveitis (inflammation inside the eye)
- Corneal Ulcers
- Glaucoma
- Cherry Eye
We are taking part in #NationalPetEyeHealthAwarenessWeek in partnership with @domespharmauk #PetEyeHealth #nationaleyehealthawarenessweek #NEHAW #eyehealthawareness #visionmatters #eyehealth
Blindness 👁️
Like us pets often experience gradually failing eyesight as they approach their senior years and due to compensation using their other, superior, senses like smell and hearing, gradual sight loss may be difficult to spot.
However, there are many other conditions which can cause your pet to go blind relatively suddenly at any age, so it is important to be vigilant of sudden changes or symptoms.
Signs of acute eyesight loss you may notice are:
Changes in appearance of the eye
Confusion/disorientation
Clumsiness – bumping into things
Easily startled or nervous
Slow and cautious movement
Getting lost outside
Unable to find toys, food dishes, water etc.
Not wanting to go out at night
Conditions causing blindness are serious and need urgent treatment if there is a chance to prevent total, permanent vision loss. Blindness can also be a result of many systemic diseases which can be damaging to other organ systems, so it is really important to get your pet checked and treated as soon as possible. 🩺
Conditions that can cause blindness:
Tumours in the eye
Eye injuries
Glaucoma
Brain disease – Aneurism, Stroke, Seizures, Tumours or Infection
General Disease – e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure
Cataracts – more common in: Miniature Poodles, Miniature Schnauzers, Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Boston Terriers and Siberian Huskies
Corneal disease
Dry eye
Retinal Disease
Inflammation inside the eye
We are taking part in #NationalPetEyeHealthAwarenessWeek in partnership with @domespharmauk #PetEyeHealth #nationaleyehealthawarenessweek #NEHAW #eyehealthawareness #visionmatters #eyehealth
He will do anything for a treat 😍😍
How good is pedro at getting his nails clipped! He had an ingrown nail which he needed to get clipped and was such a good boy about it 🐾
Administering Tablets to Cats
We understand that cats, and even some dogs, can be difficult to tablet. We have created a video here for you to help you out during times where we may not be able to do this for you in practice. We do hope you enjoy :) See comments for diagram photo.
Little Alfie getting his teeth cleaned, here is a quick look at how we scaled his teeth.
Don’t forget we still have our dental promotion offer on so call to get booked in NOW on 01670457271. 🦷🐾
