White spot on the dog's eye: what can it be?

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 26 January 2021
Update Date: 19 May 2024
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The look of dogs is something irresistible. Both dogs and humans use their eyes to communicate and convey what they are feeling. This makes any changes, such as cloudiness in the dog's eye, to be identified early.

As the dog grows and ages, many guardians may notice a kind of haze in the dog's eyes that, over time, becomes sharper and whiter. Although the main cause that comes to our mind is cataracts, veterinary ophthalmology is much more complex and offers a vast list of possible causes for this white spot in the dog's eyes, from a degenerative process associated with age, eye diseases in young or adult dogs or even systemic diseases.


In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain to you what a white spot on the dog's eye and when the tutor should be concerned.

dog eye anatomy

The dog's eye has the same functions as the human eye, although it sees in different shades of color. The eye has the function:

  • Control the amount of light that enters the eye, allowing day and night vision, allowing you to orient yourself;
  • Focus and view distant or close objects;
  • Transmit fast images to the brain so that the dog can react to a given situation.

They can have the same and even more diseases than humans, so it is equally important to good eye care of your pet.

Let's briefly explain the anatomy of the dog's eye and then explain the diseases that can cause a white spot to appear in a dog's eye.


The eyeball (eye) is composed of:

Eyelids

Fine skin folds covering the eye and preventing it from drying out and helping to eliminate some foreign bodies. At the end of each eyelid (lower and upper) there are eyelashes.

nictitating membrane

Also called third eyelid, it is found along the lower eyelids at the medial corner of each eye (near the nose).

Lacrimal, mucous and meibomian glands

They produce the constituents of the tear and help to hydrate the eye, keeping it functional and lubricated.

nasolacrimal ducts

They make a connection between the eye and the nose, draining tears to the tip of the nose.

Orbit

The place where the eye is inserted is the bone cavity that supports the eye and has nerves, vessels and muscles to make the eye dynamic.


sclera

The whole white part of the eye. It's a very resistant layer.

Conjunctiva

It is a thin layer that covers the sclera, in front of the eye and extends to the inside of the eyelid. When the eye turns red due to some type of allergic, infectious or systemic problem, the animal is said to have conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva). Learn more about canine conjunctivitis in this article.

Cornea

It is the anterior part of the eye, in the form of a transparent dome, which covers and protects the eye, allowing light to pass through.

Iris

It is the colored part of the eye that controls the amount of light that enters the eye, causing the pupil to contract or dilate. When there is a lot of light, the pupil contracts and becomes very thin, almost like a streak, and in low light situations it dilates a lot, becoming very big and round to be able to capture as much light as possible.

pupil

Center of the iris is the central black part of the eye.

lens or crystalline

Located behind the iris and pupil. It is an extremely enervated structure constantly changing shape to adapt to the light and can create a sharp, focused image.

Retina

Located in the posterior region of the eye. It contains the photoreceptors (light receptors), where the image is formed and sharpened. Each of these photoreceptors will end up in the optic nerve and then in the brain.

White spot on the dog's eye: what can it be?

When we visualize an opacity in the dog's eye with a milky appearance it is very common to associate the symptom with cataracts, especially in an older dog. However, there are numerous causes that can lead to partial or complete whitening of the eye (whether it is the cornea, lens, pupil or other structures).

Cataracts are not the only cause of dog with white eye. Then, we explain everything about white spots in the eyes of dogs and indicate that other causes may be associated.

falls

Cataracts appear when the lens fibers begin to age and it becomes whitish, like a white skin in the dog's eye, which over time intensify and becomes opaque.

This condition irreversibly compromises the animal's vision. However, there is surgery that is a good option to try to reverse this situation, but which must take into account the health, age, breed and existing diseases of the animal.

nuclear sclerosis

Often confused with cataracts. occurs due to loss of flexibility of lens fibers, giving rise to an aspect of bluish haze. Unlike cataracts, this problem does not cause difficulty in seeing or pain for the animal.

progressive retinal atrophy

With aging, progressive retinal degeneration can occur. It usually starts with difficulty seeing during the day associated with photophobia. Unfortunately, this situation is incurable. However, some authors argue that it can be slowed down with antioxidants.

calcium deposits

Calcium deposition can occur in three structures: cornea, conjunctiva and retina. It results from too much calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), gout or kidney failure and causes white spots in the eye. Depending on your location, the cause and treatment may also vary.

uveitis

The uvea (made up of the iris, ciliary body and choroid) is responsible for blood flow. When there is inflammation of the uvea (uveitis) it can be classified as anterior, posterior or intermediate, depending on the location. It can be of traumatic origin or have a systemic cause. If not treated in time, in addition to pain, it can lead to vision loss. In some cases the dog's eye may appear to be whitish. Learn more about uveitis in dogs in this article.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma arises when there is an imbalance in the production and/or drainage of ocular fluids. Whether due to excess production or deficit in drainage, this condition leads to a liquid pressure increase, which can compromise the retina and the optic nerve. It may appear suddenly (acute form) or evolve over time (chronic form).

Signs of this condition involve eye enlargement and slight exteriorization (exophthalmos), dilated pupils, eye swelling, redness, corneal discoloration, pain and blepharospasm (more frequent blinks). The cloudy appearance of the eyes or bluish halos can also be associated with this problem.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS)

It results in a decrease or absence of tear production, which makes decrease eye lubrication and increase the likelihood of corneal inflammation, which can lead to blindness.

One of the most common signs is the presence of a diffuse (throughout the eye) mucopurulent ocular discharge, giving a whitish appearance to the eye.

Diagnosis and treatment

As we have seen, the white eye in a dog is not always synonymous with cataracts. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the cause through a good eye exam.

Veterinary ophthalmology is very complex, so it is always better to ask a specialist in the field for an opinion.

Diagnosis

There are some physical and complementary exams that can be performed:

  • Deep eye examination;
  • Measurement of IOP (intraocular pressure);
  • Flurescein test (to identify corneal ulcers);
  • Schirmer test (tear production);
  • Ophthalmic ultrasound;
  • Electroretinography.

Treatment for white spot on the dog's eye

Treatment always depends on the cause and may require:

  • Eye drops (eye drops) with antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids;
  • systemic drugs;
  • Corrective surgery;
  • Enucleation (removal of the eyeball) when the lesions are irreversible and it is beneficial for the animal to remove the eye.

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 White spot on the dog's eye: what can it be?, we recommend that you enter our Eye Problems section.