Dogs that suffer from keratitis experience inflammation in the cornea. If left untreated, this problem can cause discomfort, redness, and even vision problems. It’s critical that dog owners seek veterinary care as soon as they notice the symptoms.
Dog keratitis can have a variety of causes, from autoimmune diseases to wounds and infections. Knowing what causes this illness can aid in treatment and prevention, keeping your dog comfortable and healthy.
Preventing more severe complications requires prompt intervention. We’ll examine the typical signs, underlying reasons, and available therapies in this post to help you provide your dog with the best care possible in the event that they get keratitis.
Causes of keratitis
Let’s examine the main causes of canine keratitis development.
Most frequently, adenoviruses and herpes affect the cornea. Even so, viral keratitis in dogs can also be caused by other pathogens. Often, this type of corneal inflammation is merely a sign of a serious illness in the animal. For instance, canine keratitis can occur in the context of infectious hepatitis or the plague.
Dogs with viral keratitis are not the only animals whose eyes are affected; bacterial and fungal infections can also occur. Bacteria are also not that uncommon. And for good reason—pathogenic microorganisms from the same air will undoubtedly seize the opportunity to enter the pet’s body through the corneal scratch, even if it was initially minor. The most frequent cause of purulent keratitis in dogs is coccal infection.
Inverted eyelids are typically a congenital condition, though they can also occur in adult animals. This typically occurs as a result of the pet having an ulcer that healed and left a crust on the edge of the eyelid. Additionally, ulcerative or purulent blepharitis causes these crusts to form.
Types of keratitis in dogs
Veterinary specialists differentiate between various forms of canine keratitis, which vary in symptoms, occurrence characteristics, and disease development mechanism:
- Purulent superficial keratitis. The main cause of occurrence is mechanical damage to the mucous membranes of the eye. This form of keratitis in dogs is characterized by the following signs:
- purulent discharge;
- profuse lacrimation;
- photophobia.
- Parenchymatous keratitis. This is a microbial disease. Often develops against the background of diseases such as toxoplasmosis, canine distemper. According to the symptoms, it is characterized by the following signs:
- characteristic spots and dots are visible on the surface of the cornea;
- eyes are very watery;
- cornea swells.
Parenchymatous keratitis is frequently accompanied by conjunctivitis.
- Punctate keratitis in dogs. This is the rarest subtype of the disease. Scientists have not yet fully studied the exact cause of its occurrence. A characteristic feature of the disease is pearly cloudy spots on the surface of the affected eye. Interestingly, the dog feels quite healthy, and its visual functions do not deteriorate at all.
- Phlyctenular keratitis. The cause of the disease is toxic poisoning or allergic reactions. From the point of view of veterinary specialists, shepherds and collies are most susceptible to this type of disease. According to the symptoms, keratitis in the eye of a dog manifests itself in the form of large grayish-white blisters. If the pet is not treated, over time the blisters will merge together and burst. As a result, the cornea of a dog with phlyctenular keratitis becomes reddish-gray.
- Ulcerative keratitis. As the name suggests, the cause of the disease lies in the ulcerative lesion of the cornea. The eyeball becomes cloudy or completely cloudy. In the absence of treatment, open ulcerative surfaces may form in the cornea.
Dogs that have keratitis experience discomfort, redness, and cloudiness in their eyes due to inflammation of the cornea. It may be brought on by wounds, infections, or underlying medical conditions. It can cause blindness or visual issues if left untreated. Prolonged tears, pawing at the eye, and light sensitivity are some of the early symptoms. Most dogs are able to recuperate well and prevent major complications with timely veterinary care, such as medication or surgery.
Symptoms of keratitis
Symptoms of keratitis in dogs are quite simple. These include redness and then clouding of the cornea. Pus may appear on the cornea, and then ulcers. However, the first symptoms of keratitis in dogs are profuse lacrimation, photophobia and the inability to fully lift the eyelid (as if the eye is not fully open, not completely). Only after this does the cornea become matte and cloudy. As if a veil is drawn over the patient"s eyes. It even seems that it is slightly rough. However, you should not think that this will happen in a few days. Not at all. A couple of hours is enough for the cornea to become cloudy.
Should a dog with keratitis not receive treatment, the condition will worsen over time. The cornea itself will start to develop blood vessels, the clouding will become irreversible, and vision loss cannot be recovered. And it will turn gray-blue with red veins in place of being transparent like a regular one.
The cornea turns white-yellow in the event that the dog has purulent keratitis. And the eye’s pus is expelled. Although there is some validity to the diagnosis of conjunctivitis, owners may believe otherwise. Since everything in the eye is connected, the inflammation can "jumps" from one area to another. If the dog has purulent keratitis, the iris, sclera, and conjunctiva of the eye will all be impacted. The veterinarian diagnoses panophthalmitis in more advanced cases. And the only way out is to have the diseased eye removed.
The eye will shine and turn transparent again if you get in touch with the veterinarian in a timely manner. It will restore vision. Here are some pictures of dogs that have keratitis symptoms:
How can keratitis be treated on a dog at home?
| Symptom | Description |
| Redness | The dog"s eye may appear red and inflamed. |
| Tearing | Excessive tear production is common in dogs with keratitis. |
| Squinting | The dog might squint or keep the affected eye partially closed. |
| Cloudy Eye | The surface of the eye may become cloudy or hazy. |
| Pawing at Eye | Dogs may paw at their eye due to discomfort or irritation. |
Dog keratitis is a condition that needs to be addressed, but with the right care, it can often be controlled. Early diagnosis of symptoms like redness, cloudiness, or discomfort in the eyes is essential to averting worsening of the condition.
Your dog’s vision can be maintained with routine veterinary visits and appropriate eye care. Since untreated keratitis can result in more serious eye problems, it’s critical to closely adhere to your veterinarian’s advice.
You can make sure your dog is comfortable and prevent long-term issues by keeping an eye on things and providing proper care for their eyes. If you see anything strange in your dog’s eyes, you should always contact your veterinarian.
