What to do if a dog's eye falls out? Faced with such a phenomenon for the first time, the owner of the animal panics. Meanwhile, proptosis in dogs is a fairly common phenomenon.
Various injuries and pathologies of the visual organs in dogs are common. A special category is an anomaly characterized by prolapse of the eyeball. There are several breeds, due to the certain structure of the skull, predisposed to this pathology. What are these breeds, why is proptosis characteristic of them, what to do in case of prolapse of the eyeball?
The main causes of eyeball prolapse
Proptosis (proptosis Greek "falling forward") - displacement of an organ or part of it forward, the so-called prolapse of the eyeball. The protrusion occurs due to strong physical exertion, any injury - a bruise, a blow. Especially dangerous are blows to the temporal region. These are the external causes of the manifestation of the disease.
The internal factors of proptosis include increased intracranial pressure and other extraocular processes, under the influence of which the eye is squeezed out from the inside. But the most common reason why a dog's eyes fall out is, nevertheless, a mechanical effect.
Dog breeds prone to proptosis
Any animal can get injured, which will result in loss of varying severity. However, brachycephalic dogs are most susceptible to this pathology. Animals with a short snout are called brachycephalic. In addition to snub-nosedness, the brachycephalic is distinguished by a flattened head shape and large bulging eyes - the so-called pop-eyedness. The structure of the eye sockets in the brachycephalic type is distinguished by an extremely shallow eye bed and shortened eye muscles. The organ of vision is supported in the orbit, to a large extent, by the eyelids. They also face a third eyelid problem.
Brachycephalic dogs are dogs with protruding eyes. Breeds of this type include: Pekingese, Japanese Chin, Shih Tzu, Pug, Chihuahua (mainly of the Kobe species), Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Boxer, English Bulldog, Dogue de Bordeaux and other types of short-faced Molossians.
Signs of loss
It is possible to determine that a dog’s eye has fallen out by such signs as unnatural bulge and depression of the animal against the background of accompanying processes:
- redness and swelling of the conjunctiva;
- bloody discharge;
- increased tearing and whining;
- frequent blinking and intolerance to light due to drying of the cornea.
First aid
If proptosis is found in a pet, you should not hesitate to go to the veterinary clinic. It is absolutely impossible to set the prolapse on your own! Before going to the clinic, it is necessary to carry out a number of sanitary and preventive measures in order to alleviate the condition of the pet and minimize, as far as possible, the consequences of loss of the organ of vision.
So, what urgent measures can the owner take on their own?
- First of all, gently rinse the injured organ with saline (sodium chloride), a natural tear fluid substitute (available in pharmacies) or boiled water. In no case should you use antiseptics (hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine, etc.) and alcohol-containing solutions!
- Apply a cold compress for ten minutes, but not on the apple itself, but on the swollen areas around. This is done in this way: put pieces of ice from the refrigerator in a plastic bag, wrap a piece of cloth on top of the bag, apply it on the swelling, without touching the open cornea. Do not keep ice for longer than 10 minutes to avoid hypothermia of tissues!
- Rinse should be done with careful douching or a piece of cloth generously moistened in saline solution (gauze, bandage, cotton material). It is strictly forbidden to use cotton wool, cotton swabs and discs! The villi can get on the injured cornea, aggravating the already deplorable condition of the animal with unnecessary discomfort.
- Copiously lubricate the wound with a special ointment (ditracycline, oletethrin, hydrocortisone).
After all these manipulations, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of the animal touching the injury (put on a rigid collar-pipe) and go to the clinic. Of course, it is necessary to see a doctor as soon as possible after receiving an injury that caused proptosis.
Urgent care and treatment
With an untimely visit to the doctor, secondary phenomena develop in the injured organ, such as severe inflammation, suppuration, severe drying of the cornea. This is fraught with fatal consequences. The protruding eye rests only on the straight external muscle, while it is infringed by the eyelids. If a rupture of the optic nerve occurs, then, most likely, the visual functions of the damaged organ cannot be restored - the prognosis is disappointing, up to removal.
After the initial examination of the injured pet, the doctor, under anesthesia, sets the prolapsed eye, sutures the eye muscles and partially (or temporarily completely) the eyelids, and applies a bandage. To avoid rubbing the dog's muzzle, put on a high, hard collar. All the time of the postoperative period until the sutures are removed, sanitary and hygienic treatment and other procedures are performed:
- washing with saline;
- laying special eye ointments;
- drug therapy (injections, tablets).
The stitches are removed after about a week (more precisely, the attending physician will say). It may be necessary to continue medical care for some time after the stitches are removed.
Forecasts
After the operation, the pet should be protected from physical exertion, from falls, from conflicts with other animals, and from active games. It should be remembered that the injury can recur.
It is possible to speak about the best prognosis only with a minimum period of time from injury to contacting the clinic. It is impossible to guarantee a 100% return of vision after a lesion, but there is a real risk of complications, up to a complete loss of the ability to see.
Complications after surgery are:
- strabismus (corrected by filing the eyelids);
- corneal sensitivity disorder and keratoconjunctivitis (insufficient hydration of the cornea);
- atrophy of the eyeball (organ to be removed);
- non-closure of the eyelids.
If the dog's eyes are prolapsed or are at risk of developing proptosis, cosmetic surgery to close the eyelid incision can minimize the threat. Knowing about this feature of the breed of your pet, you should protect him as much as possible from possible traumatic situations.
What do you prefer to feed your pets?
Poll Options are limited because JavaScript is disabled in your browser.
Porridge with various additives 45%, 9558 votes
Sunken eyes are a sign that there are certain health problems. The pathogenesis of this phenomenon is quite wide. Often this process is accompanied by dark circles around the eyes. In this case, you should immediately contact a specialist for help.
The problem of sunken eyes is very common in people who abuse nicotine. This is due to the fact that with each puff of a cigarette, the vessels tend to narrow. This process prevents air from entering, and as a result, circles and depressions appear. In addition, with a lack of oxygen, discomfort occurs in the eyes and they begin to tear. Fatigue, lack of sleep and frequent exposure to stressful situations can also contribute to sunken eyes.
Other causes of sunken eyes:
- Changes associated with age.
- Prolonged use of drugs.
- Inflammatory process in the gallbladder.
- Trachoma.
- Dehydration of the organ system.
- The presence of strong physical exertion with the use of force.
- Pathologies of the renal organs.
- The presence of diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
- Change in hormonal background.
- Diseases of the liver.
- genetic disposition.
These are just the main causes of sunken eyes. Only an experienced medical worker can determine the cause of the origin of this phenomenon.
When tired
This phenomenon can occur in both a child and an adult. Sunken eyes from overexertion occurs as a result of prolonged exposure to a TV or computer screen.
To eliminate the effect of sunken eyes, it is necessary to perform special exercises, palming. At least for a few minutes per hour, be distracted from the screen or monitor.
When taking medication
When children or adults take drugs for a long time, the body is oversaturated with their components. This is especially true for drugs from the group of antibiotics. Such a glut can cause an imbalance, which entails the formation of various pathologies.
If you suspect that medication may be the cause of your sunken eyes, contact your doctor right away. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate. You can only aggravate the condition and entail irreversible consequences with your initiative.
Hormonal disorders
The hormonal system is responsible for the functionality of the entire body. The slightest failure in its work can lead to a deterioration in the functionality of various organs, as well as to changes in appearance that are not for the better.
As mentioned earlier, a symptom of a hormonal imbalance is a pinkish color of the lower eyelids. This is evidence of the formation of hyperthyroidism. This is a pathology in which the production of the genital organs is disrupted. Such a disease can lead to impaired reproductive function.
If a hormonal imbalance is observed in an adult, it is necessary to consult a therapist or endocrinologist. You need to undergo examinations of the genitourinary system and thyroid gland.
If the pathology was revealed in a child, this may be due to the peculiarities of growing up. In this case, you need to monitor his condition. At the slightest suspicion of any disease, contact a medical institution for diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
Addictions
As mentioned earlier, smoking causes oxygen deficiency. The same can be said about alcoholic beverages. In the presence of bad habits, narrowing and thinning of blood vessels occurs. The eyeballs cannot bear their own weight and therefore fall inward. In addition, due to vasoconstriction, blood circulation around the eyes is disturbed. This area takes on a dark, unhealthy color.
Alcohol abuse can cause sunken eyes
If you abandon the antisocial lifestyle and addictions, the vessels will return to normal. Oxygen will begin to enter the organs of vision, blood outflow will improve. As a result, the diseased color will disappear, the eyeball will begin to move forward.
Heart disease
A child and an adult who have certain heart pathologies have low blood pressure. Because of this, blood circulation is disturbed and the eyes do not receive enough useful elements. Due to the fact that the elasticity of the blood vessels deteriorates, the patient's eyes fall inward. Heart attack and stroke cause the same disorders. It will not be possible to push the eyeball until a complete cure.
In addition to hollowness, patients have blue circles around the eyes. If you suspect that you have this pathological condition, contact a cardiologist for examination and diagnosis.
hypoxia
Hypoxia is a pathological condition that provokes a lack of oxygen. In a child, such a disease most often appears due to a birth injury. As a result, the vessels narrow, which is clearly displayed on the patient's face. The skin around the eyes acquires a blue tint, capillaries become visible, and small wrinkles often appear.
The lack of oxygen in the body can be replaced by a daily walk. Outdoors should be at least two hours a day. Choose green areas, parks, forests for walking.
Age changes
Age-related changes can also cause a sunken eyeball. This is due to the fact that tissues in old age begin to sag. Also, the cause may be an age-related increase in the eye sockets, as the tissues of the face are displaced and absorbed.
With this reason, the hollowness of the eyes can only be helped by surgery. Blepharoplasty, lipofilling and implants are usually used. The safest method is the implantation of a special material that does not cause rejection.
When is a medical examination necessary?
Medical intervention is required for the following symptoms:
- The color of the lower eyelid turned yellow - this indicates diseases of the kidneys and gallbladder;
- The color turned brown - problems with the cardiovascular system;
- The eyelid of a pinkish color is a violation of the hormonal background.
In addition, sunken eyes are characterized by the following symptoms:
- Profuse lacrimation;
- The presence of discomfort in the eyes;
- Feeling of sand in the eyes;
- The emergence of "fireflies";
- dehydration of the eye;
- Dryness;
- Small wrinkles in the eye area;
- The skin becomes thinner.
If these symptoms are present, consult a doctor. This is evidence of the presence of dangerous diseases.
Most often, the eyeball falls out in brachycephals (pugs, Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Griffons), also in Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers. For these groups of breeds, even a small physical impact can be dangerous and result in eye loss. In dogs of other breeds and in cats, the eye can also fall out, but this requires a great physical impact (fall from a height, car injury), so the prognosis for this group of patients is relatively poor.Diagnostics
The diagnosis is made on the basis of the examination. Additionally, to determine the prognosis regarding vision, an assessment of pupillary reactions, a reaction to blinding light, ophthalmoscopy, and ultrasound of the eyeball are used.
Good prognostic signs is the presence of vision, pupillary reflex, reaction to blinding light, normal ophthalmoscopy findings, rupture of less than 2 extraocular muscles, lack of blood in the anterior chamber and vitreous body.
Bad prognostic signs to preserve vision and to preserve the eye as an organ: absent pupillary reactions, absent reaction to blinding light, retinal detachment, rupture of more than 2 extraocular muscles, rupture of the sclera, vitreous hemorrhage.
Proptosis is often the result of fights, car injuries, so it is necessary to fully examine a patient with proptosis for damage to the bones of the skull, brain, and internal organs.
Actions
The eyeball is kept moist all the time until the moment of reduction, a protective collar is used to prevent self-injury.
After assessing the condition of the eyeball, it is repositioned, even with poor prognostic signs, since some of them (lack of pupillary reactions, reactions to blinding light) may be temporary, and reduction is a quick and low-traumatic procedure, relative to enucleation, which can be carried out routinely later.
To reposition the eyeball, it is abundantly lubricated with gel / ointment / viscoelastic, then the eyelids are turned out and lightly pressed on the eyeball until it returns to the orbit. In some cases, a lateral canthotomy is preliminarily performed. After reduction, the eyelids are sutured with 1-2 U-shaped sutures, so that the suture material does not come into contact with the cornea.
Video of the operation (technique of suturing the eyelids):
In the postoperative period, local and systemic antibiotics, systemic anti-inflammatory drugs, and a protective collar are used. On days 7-10, the sutures are removed from the eyelids and the eyeball is re-evaluated.
Consequences of proptosis
If the eyeball was slightly damaged during the prolapse, vision was preserved, such an eye after the removal of stitches will be able to continue to function well.
If the eyeball has lost function due to prolapse, but retained anatomical integrity, there is a palpebral and corneal reflex, there is no dry keratoconjunctivitis, then such an eye can be left under observation (Figure 2). In case of inflammation or ulceration, dryness of the blind eye, it is advisable to remove it.
If the eye is badly damaged during prolapse(rupture of the sclera, cornea, hemophthalmos, avulsion of many muscles), then removal of the eye may be recommended a few days after the prolapse (these few days the general condition of the animal is observed after the injury). This is done in order to save the animal from a blind, painful eye.
If the state of the eye allows, then such a patient can undergo prosthetics of the eyeball instead of removal, this will give a good cosmetic result.
Prevention
To prevent eye loss, it is recommended to avoid fixing brachycephalic dogs by the neck, to prevent fights and aggressive games between small dogs and large ones. Dogs with excessively large palpebral fissures and shallow orbits can have their palpebral fissure prophylactically shortened (surgically).
Have you ever observed the lack of symmetry in the location of the eyelids of friends or yourself? If one eyelid is lowered too much, or both, this may indicate the presence of the following disease.
Ptosis (from the Greek word - fall) of the upper eyelid means its omission. Normally, in a healthy person, the upper eyelid floats on the iris by about 1.5 mm.
With ptosis, the upper eyelid is lowered by more than 2 mm. If the ptosis is unilateral, then the difference between the eyes and eyelids is very noticeable.
Ptosis can occur in anyone, regardless of gender or age.
Types of disease
Of the varieties of ptosis, there are:
- unilateral (appears in one eye) and bilateral (in both eyes);
- full (the upper eyelid completely covers the eye) or incomplete (closes only partially);
- congenital and acquired (from the cause of occurrence).
By how much the eyelid is lowered, determine the severity of ptosis:
- 1 degree is determined when the upper eyelid covers the pupil from above by 1/3,
- Grade 2 - when the upper eyelid is lowered to the pupil by 2/3,
- Grade 3 - when the upper eyelid almost completely hides the pupil.
The degree of visual impairment depends on the severity of ptosis: from a slight decrease in vision to its complete loss.
What can be confused?
For ptosis, you can mistakenly take such pathologies of the organs of vision:
- dermatochalasis, due to which excess skin of the upper eyelids is the cause of pseudoptosis or ordinary ptosis;
- ipsilateral hypotrophy, which is expressed in the omission of the upper eyelid after the eyeball. If a person fixes his gaze with a hypotrophic eye, while covering a healthy eye, pseudoptosis will disappear;
- eyelids are poorly supported by the eyeball due to a decrease in the volume of the contents of the orbit, which is typical for patients with a false eye, microphthalmos, phthisis of the eyeball and enophthalmos;
- contralateral eyelid retraction, which can be determined by comparing the levels of the upper eyelids. It should be borne in mind that covering the cornea with the upper eyelid by two millimeters is the norm;
- ptosis of the eyebrow, caused by an abundance of skin in the superciliary region, which can occur with paralysis of the nerve of the face. You can determine this pathology by raising an eyebrow with your fingers.
Causes of the disease
Let us analyze in detail for what reasons ptosis occurs.
Congenital
Congenital ptosis occurs in children due to underdevelopment or lack of a muscle that should be responsible for lifting the eyelid. Congenital ptosis sometimes occurs along with strabismus.
When the treatment of ptosis is not paid attention to for a long time, the child may develop amblyopia (lazy eye syndrome). Congenital ptosis is most often unilateral.
Acquired
Acquired ptosis develops for several reasons and is divided into:
- aponeurotic ptosis, which is associated with the fact that the aponeurosis of the muscle, which should lift the upper eyelid, is weakened or stretched. This type includes senile ptosis, which is one of the processes in the natural aging of the body, ptosis that appeared after eye surgery.
- neurogenic ptosis associated with damage to the nervous system after diseases (stroke, multiple sclerosis, etc.) and injuries. Ptosis can occur with paralysis of the sympathetic cervical nerve, since it is they that innervate the muscle that lifts the eyelid. Along with ptosis, pupil constriction (or miosis) and retraction of the eyeball (or enophthalmos) occur. A syndrome that combines these symptoms is called Horner's syndrome.
- with mechanical ptosis the cause of occurrence is mechanical damage to the eyelid by foreign bodies. Athletes who have fairly common eye injuries are at risk.
- false ptosis(apparent ptosis), which appears with excess skin folds on the upper eyelid, as well as hypotension of the eyeball.
Establishing the cause of ptosis is an important task for the doctor, since the surgical treatment of acquired and congenital ptosis is significantly different.
An interesting fragment from the program "Live healthy" about ptosis of the upper eyelid
Symptoms of the disease
One of the main manifestations of ptosis is a directly drooping upper eyelid.
The following symptoms of ptosis are distinguished:
- inability to blink and completely close the eye,
- eye irritation due to the fact that there is no way to close them,
- increased eye fatigue for the same reason,
- possible double vision due to decreased vision,
- the action becomes habitual when a person sharply throws his head back or strains his forehead and eyebrow muscles in order to open the eye as much as possible and lift the lowered upper eyelid,
- strabismus and amblyopia may occur if treatment is not started on time.
Diagnosis of the disease
If a drooping eyelid is detected, which is noticeable even to the naked eye, doctors need to determine the cause of the disease in order to prescribe treatment.
The ophthalmologist measures the height of the eyelid, examines the symmetry of the position of the eyes, eye movements, and the strength of the muscle that should lift the eyelid. When diagnosing, be sure to pay attention to the possible presence of amblyopia and strabismus.
In those patients who have acquired ptosis during their lifetime, the levator lid muscles are quite elastic and resilient, so they can completely close the eye when their gaze is down.
With congenital ptosis, the eye cannot close completely even with the maximum lowering of the gaze, and the upper eyelid makes movements of a very small amplitude. This often helps to diagnose the cause of the disease.
The importance of determining the cause of ptosis is that with congenital and acquired ptosis, different parts of the visual analyzer suffer (with congenital ptosis, directly the muscle that lifts the eyelid, and with acquired ptosis, its aponeurosis). Accordingly, the operation will be carried out on different parts of the eyelid.
Treatment of the disease
Neither congenital nor acquired ptosis resolves on its own over time and always requires surgery. It is better to start treatment as early as possible in order to increase the chances of maintaining vision, because ptosis is not only an aesthetic and cosmetic defect.
The operation is performed by an ophthalmic surgeon under local anesthesia, except for children, sometimes under general anesthesia. The operation takes from half an hour to 2 hours.
Until surgery is scheduled, you can keep the eyelid open throughout the day with a band-aid to prevent children from developing strabismus or amblyopia.
If acquired ptosis appeared due to some disease, then in addition to the ptosis itself, it is necessary to treat the provoking disease at the same time.
For example, with neurogenic ptosis, the underlying disease is treated, UHF procedures, galvanization are prescribed, and only if there is no result, surgical treatment.
The operation to eliminate acquired ptosis is carried out as follows:
- remove a small strip of skin from the upper eyelid,
- then cut the orbital septum,
- cut the aponeurosis of the muscle, which should be responsible for raising the upper eyelid,
- the aponeurosis is shortened by removing part of it and sutured to the cartilage of the eyelid (or tarsal plate) just below,
- the wound is sutured with a cosmetic continuous suture.
During surgery to eliminate congenital ptosis, the surgeon's actions are as follows:
- also remove a thin strip of skin from the eyelid,
- cut the orbital septum
- secrete the muscle itself, which should be responsible for raising the eyelid,
- carry out plication of the muscle, i.e. put a few stitches on it to shorten it,
- the wound is sutured with a cosmetic continuous suture.
When congenital ptosis of the upper eyelid is severe, the levator lid muscle is attached to the frontalis muscle, thus the eyelid will be controlled by tension of the frontal muscles.
When the operation is completed, a bandage is applied to the operated eyelid, which can be removed after 2-4 hours.
There is usually no pain during or after surgery. The sutures are removed 4-6 days after the operation.
Bruising, swelling and other effects of the operation usually disappear after a week. The cosmetic effect of the treatment remains unchanged for life.
Surgery to treat ptosis can cause the following side effects:
- pain in the eyelids and a decrease in their sensitivity;
- incomplete closure of the eyelids;
- dry eyes;
These symptoms in most cases disappear on their own within a few weeks after surgery and do not require any treatment. In some patients, subtle asymmetry of the upper eyelids, inflammation and bleeding of the postoperative wound may occur. The cost of an operation to treat ptosis in Russian clinics ranges from 15 to 30 thousand rubles.
Conclusion
Let's highlight the main theses of the article:
- Ptosis is a disease of the upper eyelid in which it does not naturally droop.
- The disease can be congenital or acquired.
- Ptosis can negatively affect vision.
- Treatment is possible only by surgery.
A normal located eyeball almost does not protrude beyond the plane of the orbit and is slightly shifted to the outer edge. If a person notices an abnormal pathological displacement of the eyeball in himself or others, this may indicate serious health problems.
The eye can move forward (exophthalmos or protrusion), backwards (enophthalmos), and to the right or left side (lateral displacement). The nature of the displacement is determined by the main cause - the disease.
Bulging or exophthalmos is the displacement of the eyeball forward, and in some cases forward and to the side while maintaining its normal size and shape. Unilateral exophthalmos is characterized by protrusion of one eyeball, bilateral - both.
The causes of exophthalmos in one eye lie in the problems of the organs of vision, and in both eyes - in the problems of the organs of the endocrine, respiratory systems and other diseases. Pulsating exophthalmos almost always indicates diseases of the vessels of the eye or periocular tissues. There is a visual pulsation of the bulging eyeball. Pulsation exceeds the normal fluctuations of a healthy eye several times.
How does exophthalmos manifest itself?
With a closer look, you can even notice a barely beginning protrusion. Usually the sclera (the albumin of the eye) between the upper eyelid and is not visible, but with bulging eyes it is clearly visible. In this case, the patient blinks less frequently, which creates the impression of a continuous look.
The protrusion of the eye can be noticed directly by the patient during self-examination with the help of a mirror, by those around him without special preparation and, of course, by the doctor at the reception.
Because of the rare blinking of the eye, it is worse moistened, therefore, exophthalmos is often accompanied by dry eyes, a feeling of “sand” in them, and irritation. With a strong protrusion of the eyeballs, the eyelids do not completely close the eyes during sleep. This creates problems with night sleep, especially at the stage of falling asleep, and is also fraught with mechanical damage to the cornea up to perforation.
Causes of exophthalmos
Exophthalmos itself is not a disease. It is rather a symptom accompanying painful conditions. Exophthalmos occurs during pathological processes occurring in the orbit, skull, or some other diseases. In particular, the causes of exophthalmos are as follows.
What are the symptoms of exophthalmos
The symptoms of exophthalmos are as follows:
- noticeable protrusion of one or both eyeballs;
- pulsation in the pathologically located eyeball (not always);
- the inability to close the eyes completely (with advanced forms or severe course);
- dryness, pain, irritation, "sand" in the eyes;
- double vision;
- deterioration of vision.
The following symptoms are associated not so much with the bug itself, but with its causes:
- pain during rotation of the eyeballs;
- difficulty controlling the eyeballs;
- pain in the head;
- noise and "whistle" in the ears;
- dizziness;
- fatigue and drowsiness.
