Entropion in Dogs - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 9 August 2021
Update Date: 22 June 2024
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Entropion in Dogs
Video: Entropion in Dogs

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Unlike ectropion, entropion occurs when the lid margin or part of it bends inward, leaving the eyelashes in contact with the eyeball. This can occur on the upper eyelid, the lower eyelid, or both, although it is more common on the lower eyelid. It is also more common to occur in both eyes, although it can also occur in only one eye.

As a result of the friction of the lashes on the eyeball, friction, irritation, discomfort and pain occur. If not treated in time, this condition can lead to serious damage to the affected eyes. Read and discover in this article by PeritoAnimal os symptoms and treatment of entropion in dogs.


Causes and Risk Factors for Entropion in Dogs

There are two distinct types of entropion in dogs or the so-called inverted eyelid, depending on the causes, whether primary or secondary. Primary or congenital entropion can occur due to a defect during the dog's development or due to congenital defects and is hereditary. Secondary or spastic entropion is acquired and is due to environmental causes, such as the entry of foreign bodies into the cornea, ulcerations or conjunctivitis.

Primary entropion is most commonly found in puppies and young dogs. It has a very important genetic component and, for this reason, it is more frequent in certain breeds, especially those that have fflat aces and flat muzzle or those with wrinkles on the face. Thus, the dog breeds most likely to suffer from entropion are:


  • Chow chow
  • sharp pei
  • Boxer
  • rottweiler
  • Doberman
  • labrador
  • American cocker spaniel
  • english cocker spaniel
  • springer spaniel
  • irish setter
  • bull terrier
  • Collie
  • bloodhound
  • maltese beast
  • Pekingese
  • bulldog
  • pug
  • english mastiff
  • bullmastiff
  • San Bernardo
  • Pyrenees Mountain Dog
  • New land

Secondary entropion, on the other hand, occurs more frequently in older dogs and can affect all dog breeds. This type of entropion usually occurs as a result of other illnesses or environmental factors.

The most common causes of secondary entropion in dogs they are blepharospasm (eyelid spasm), eye or eyelid trauma, chronic inflammation, obesity, eye infections, rapid and severe weight loss, and loss of muscle tone in muscles associated with the eye.


You might also be interested in this other article where we explain why a dog gets red eyes.

Entropion Symptoms in Dogs

It is important to take your dog to the vet as soon as possible if symptoms of entropion are detected. The main warning signs for this type of problem are as follows:

  • Watering eyes or excessive tears.
  • Eye discharge, which may contain blood or pus.
  • Eyelid visibly inverted inward.
  • Eye irritation.
  • Thicker skin around the eyes.
  • The dog has its eyes half closed.
  • Blepharospasms (spasms of the eyelids that are always closed).
  • Difficulty opening your eyes.
  • Keratitis (inflammation of the cornea).
  • Corneal ulcers.
  • Vision loss (in advanced cases).
  • The dog rubs its eyes constantly, causing more damage to itself.
  • Lethargy (below normal energy)
  • Aggression because of pain.
  • Depression.

Diagnosis of entropion in dogs

Entropion in dogs is easy to diagnose, although it can only be identified by clinical auscultation by a veterinarian. In any case, the veterinarian will make a complete eye exam to rule out other entropion-like complications and problems (such as dystichiasis, which is the misplacement of isolated eyelashes, or blepharospasm).

If necessary, you can order additional tests for any other complications you encounter.

Treatment for Entropion in Dogs

In the vast majority of cases, in almost all cases, in fact, the solution for entropion in dogs is surgery. However, there is a question there: this problem develops into the adult stage of the dog, that is, surgery is not indicated for a growing dog. Therefore, the ideal is to hope that it has between 5 and 12 months old to carry it out. It is also common that one more surgery is needed for this correction.

If you live with a puppy and have already identified that he has entropion, talk to the veterinarian so that he or she will perform periodic temporary procedures, until the dog reaches an age at which surgery is appropriate. Remember that if this problem is not treated, entropion can cause blindness.

Possibly the veterinarian will prescribe a lubricating eye drops for the dog's eyes in order to reduce inflammation and treat possible inflammation in the ocular region.

We emphasize that the prognosis for dogs operated on with entropion is excellent.

Prevention

Entropion in dogs cannot be avoided. what we can do is try detect it in time so that the symptoms do not get worse and the clinical picture is as favorable as possible. So, if our dog is among the breeds most likely to suffer from this eye disease, we must pay special attention to his eyes, maintain his hygiene and follow regular veterinary checks.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Entropion in Dogs - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment, we recommend that you enter our Eye Problems section.