EYES
Because the Pug’s eyes are big and round and because they are not protected by a nose, they need to be protected. Sometimes the eyes of the Pug can get scratched by a bush or a cat. If Pugnacious does get scratched, you will need to get him to a vet promptly for treatment. An eye injury in a Pug is always serious and generally always needs treatment. If an eye sratch is left untreated, it can lead to other serious complications, including blindness.
Sometimes, after a walk or a romp in the park, Pugnacious may come home with dust in his eyes or wind irritation. He may have watery eyes and blink frequently. You can soothe his eyes by using doggy eye drops found at a pet store or by using a simple Visine solution. However, never treat an eye injury with eye drops as this can further damage the situation. When you are applying eye drops, make sure it is because of an irritation from wind or dust, and not from a scratch. If there is any doubt in your mind, do not hesitate, take Pugnacious to the vet promptly as it is always better safe than sorry when it comes to your little buddies beautiful brown eyes.
Your Vet may need to prescribe a special eye ointment.
To apply ointment into a Pug’s eyes is sometimes difficult. Some suggestions from Pug owners are:
Secure your Pug in a cozy blanket, as you would swaddle a baby. This will inhibit his squirming and moving about. It may take another set of hands to squeeze the ointment in.
Or, while they are resting, come from behind them and put the ointment in.
Eye Out Of Socket-Because the Pug’s eyeballs slightly bulge out and
because their eyes are not protected by a protuding nose, this leaves their eyes
at risk. Their eyeballs can get easily scratched, but sometimes, a trauma can
cause their eyeball to pop out. I have personally had this happen to one of my
Pugs. A big dog ran up beside her and began to bite at her. The force of his
body pushing up against the side of her head and the biting at her caused her
eyeball to be pushed out of its socket. It was not hanging out or anything. It
was simply pushed out and looked somewhat like a hideous cartoon. We rushed her
to an emergency clinic where they put her under and put her eyeball back in
place. Other things that can cause an eyeball to pop out would be a small child
smacking a Pug on its head or dropping it on its head.
Trichiasis- This condition is where hairs/eyelashes grow inward and will scratch the eye tissues of the eyeball. It can cause tearing and squinting. If the Pug is in pain, surgery may be required to correct it.
Entropian- The Pugs eyelid is inverted in this case. It affects the lower lid and affects the eye. It will cause irritation to the cornea because the lashes rub against it. Seek Veterinarian care.
Sometimes the eyes of the Pug can get scratched by a bush or a cat. If Pugnacious does get scratched, you will need to get him to a vet promptly for treatment. An eye injury in a Pug is always serious and generally always needs treatment. If an eye sratch is left untreated, it can lead to other serious complications, including blindness.
Sometimes, after a walk or a romp in the park, Pugnacious may come home with dust in his eyes or wind irritation. He may have watery eyes and blink frequently. You can soothe his eyes by using doggy eye drops found at a pet store or by using a simple Visine solution. However, never treat an eye injury with eye drops as this can further damage the situation. When you are applying eye drops, make sure it is because of an irritation from wind or dust, and not from a scratch. If there is any doubt in your mind, do not hesitate, take Pugnacious to the vet promptly as it is always better safe than sorry when it comes to your little buddies beautiful brown eyes. Your Vet may need to prescribe a special eye ointment. To apply ointment into a Pug’s eyes is sometimes difficult. Some suggestions from Pug owners are: Secure your Pug in a cozy blanket, as you would swaddle a baby. This will inhibit his squirming and moving about. It may take another set of hands to squeeze the ointment in. Or, while they are resting, come from behind them and put the ointment in.
CARUNCULAR TRICHIASIS
In this condition long soft hairs in clumps arise from the caruncular area of the medial canthus and seem to act as a wick, allowing tears to stain the face in a streak.
The hairs seem to soft to be damaging to the cornea but Wyman (4) believes them to be a source of chronic mild keratitis and corneal pigmentation. The affected dogs seem unconcerned.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PET OWNER
Treatment is surgical, removing the caruncle, or cryotherapy can be used to destroy the associated hair follicles. The later treatment can produce localized depigmentation.
DISTICHIASIS
This condition is seen in Pugs less than one year of age. The excessive lashes generally arise from the upper lids bilaterally. Severe distichiasis produces corneal ulceration in the upper portion. Similar lesions and pigmentation can occur in the same area as a result of lagophthalmos or, in some cases of an inability to close the eyes while sleeping. Most instances of corneal pigmentation result from irritation of medial origin, either nasal fold trichiasis or lagophthalmos. The condition is thought by some to be inherited in a dominant pattern, while others suggest that it is a recessive trait.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PET OWNER
If the excessive lashes are causing discomfort or more serious signs (blepharospasm, recurrent ulcerations) intervention is indicated. Plucking of the extra lashes is efficient, although temporary, and may be effective for up to a 6 month period. In severely affected dogs surgical interference may be warranted. Cryotherapy is often successful.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE BREEDER
Although some familial tendency is recognized, the pattern of inheritance is not clear. Severely affected animals should not be used in a breeding program.
TRICHIASIS
Hidgman (2) implies that trichiasis is hereditary in the breed.
ENTROPION (NONSPASTIC MEDIAL)
A type of entropion occurs in the medial lower lid near the canthal area. The age of onset is generally 4 months to I year of age. Affected pups have some swelling of the canthal area as well. The combination afrectively prevents access of tears to the lower lacrimal punctum and results in epiphora, the quantity of which varies with the amount of irritants present in the environment. Generally the medial nonspastic type affects all or the litter, while the spastic type affects less than half of the litter.
ULCERATIVE KERATITIS
Ulcerative keratitis is present as a breed characteristic. There is no apparent sex diffcrcniiat ion and young dogs are commonly affected. The ulcers are usually recurrent and result in gradual thinning of the cornea, which increases the likelihood of perforation later. The ulcer is usually located in a central or paracentral corneal position, and its course is rapidly progressive. Although the incition cause is often thought to be traumatic, evidence for this is usually lacking. Many affected dogs show no signs of pain, blepharospasm, or protrusion of the nictitating membrane, as is usual in non brachycephalic breeds. Healing is often unpredictable. Healing by vascularization is common. The pathogenis varies: some dogs have subnormal corneal sensitivity, blink less frequently than normal and thus undergo localized drying, or have lagophihalmos. The affected corneas stain with 0.5% rose bengal. Other associated factors include the presence of distichiasis or trichiasis.
CATARACTS
Nicolas (3) recorded a hereditary tendency for cataracts in Pugs. The condition seems to be very rate now. No details are available.
PROGRESSIVE RETINAL ATROPHY
Progressive retinal atrophy has been reported in 4 male dogs, a 5 year old, a 9 year old, a 10 year old and a 12 year old. The ophthalmoscopic appearance is typical, with hyperreflective tapetal fundus, pallor or the iptic disks, and retinal vascular attenuation. Nyctalopia is a cardinal behavioral sign.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PET OWNER
Affected dogs lose vision completely, although day vision may be retained for variable time. No treatment is available. The condition is not associated with pain or discomfort. N.B. Although, this book states there is no pain or discomfort, check with your veterinarian, because it is not unheard of for this condition to cause unnecessary pain in other breeds that also develop this condition.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE BREEDER
There have been no investigations into the genetic mechanisms in this breed, but the presumption is that the condition, as in other breeds is recessively transmitted. Neither affected animals nor their sires and dams should be used in a breeding program. To limit the spread of the condition littermates should not be bred as each littermate carries a 0.67% likelihood of being a carrier. Progeny and siblings should be examined ophthalmologically.
Compared to most breeds, the Pug has very few eye problems that we have to worry about. I think it is a good idea to have all your breeding stock checked by a qualified vet at least once a year. For some that is very easy and for others that live in remote areas it is not very easy. I happen to belong to a kennel club that brings a Dr. up to our area once a year for the test only. If we have to have any operations done we must either take or send our dogs to a larger Centre to have it done. I hope this article will be of some help.
Lorna Sieben
Lorawill Kennel Reg'd
SEVERE SQUINRING (Blepharospasm)
Spasms of the muscles around the eye are induced by eye irritation. The irritant causes tightening of the muscles of the eyelid which rolls the lid against the cornea or conjunctiva. Having once rolled in, the rough margins of the lids and the hairs rub against the eyeball causing further pain and spasm.
Anesthetic drops may be applied to the eyeball to relieve the pain and break the cycle. The relief is temporary unless the inciting factor has been removed.
EYE IRRITATION FROM HAIRS
There are a number of eye problems in which the eye irritation is caused by hair rubbing against the eyeball.
Extra Eyelashes (Distichiasis): This is a congenital condition in which an extra row of lashes grow from the lid margins and rub against the cornea. The irritation may not be severe enough to cause symptoms until the dog is mature. This condition occurs most often in Poodles, Cocker Spanicis and Pekingese - but all breeds can be affected. The hairs may be burned out with an electric needle or removed by surgery.
Facial Hair: This is a condition seen in short-muzzled breeds such as the Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso and Bulldog in which the hair on the nasal fold grows up against the eyeball. In the Old English Sheepdog, the Schnauzer, and other breeds with long faciai hair, it is this hair which falls in against the eye causing the irritation. The offending hairs should be removed by clipping, or in some cases by plucking. Those requiring attention can often be identified because they are stained and discoloured by the tears.
EYELID ROLLED INWARD (ENTROPION)
This is the most common defect of the eyelids. It may also be caused by injury or long-standing disease of the lids. Some cases are complicated by blepharospasm.
Breeds commonly affected are the Chow, Irish Setter, Golden Retriever, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernard and Bulldog. Most commonly it affects the lower eyelid. In Bloodhounds and Saint Bernards, and in other breeds with large heads and loose facial skin, entropion can be found in the upper lid as well. This condition usually require surgical correction.
Entropion, an inversion of all or part of the lid margins that may be initiated by severe blepharospasni due to ocular or periocular pain. In many canine breeds it is an inherited disease. Inversion of the cilia or facial hairs creates further discomfort, conjunctival and corneal irritation, and if protracted causes corneal scarring, pigmentation, and perhaps ulceration. Early spastic entropion may be reversed if the inciting cause is removed, or further pain alleviated by everting the lids hairs away from the eye with mattress sutures in the lid, injections, eg: procaine penicillin, into the lid adjacent to the entropion, or by palpebral nerve blocks. Established entropion may require surgical correction.
EYELID ROIIED OUTWARD (ECTROPION)
In this condition the lower eyelid rolls out from the face exposing the eye to irritation. This condition is usually seen in dogs with loose facial skin such as hounds, spanicis, and Saint Bernards. It can also be seen in older dogs in whom the facial skin has lost its tone and sags. You may notice this temporarily in hunting dogs after a long day in the field. Plastic surgery may be necessary to tighten the lid and protect the eye.
Ectropion, a slack everted lid margin, usually with a large palpebrat fissure, is a common conformational fault in a number of breeds, but contracting scars in the lid and facial nerve paralysis may produce unilateral ectropion in any species. The resultant conjunctival exposure results in chronic or recurrent conjunctivitis from environmental irritants and bacterial infections. Topical antibiotic- corticosteroid preparationstemporarilycontrol the periodic infections, but surgical correction is indicated in many instances. Mild cases can be controlled by periodic lavage with mild decongestant solutions.
LAGOPHTHALMOS
This is an inability to close the lids and protect the cornea from drying and trauma may result from extremely shallow orbits, exophihalmia due to a space-occupying orbital lesion, or facial nerve (CN VII) paralysis. Corneal scarring, pigmentation, and ulceration are the usual results of lagophthalmos. Unless the cause can be corrected, the therapy is topical and surgical shortening or closure of the fissure(s) either permanently or temporarily, depending on the cause. Excessive nasal skin folds may aggravate the damage caused by lagophthalmos.
ABNORMALITIES OF THE CILIA
Extra or misdirected cilia on the lid margin can produce epiphora or corneal scarring and ulceration. In many instances anomalous cilia are very fine and produce neither clinical signs nor damage. However, misdirected cilia protruding through the palpebral conjunctiva are capable of producing signs of profound pain. If the signs correlate with the extra cilia, excision of the cilia is indicated. Anomalies of the cilia are common in some dog breeds and are probably inherited.
THE THIRD EYELID (NICTATING MEMBRANE)
When the third membrane is visible over the surface of the eye, it is said to be protruding or prolapsing. A protruding third eyelid can be due to one of three causes: sunken eyeball, an irritation of the eye, or a congenital defect.
Congenital prolapse is only important in that the dog has an unsightly appearance. Removal of the eyelid is seldom required for this condition.
A sunken eyeball causes the membrane to protrude. This may be the result of malnutrition or prolonged illness in which the (at pad at the back of the eye is reduced in size. Dehydration also give a sunken eye. The dog may also protrude the third eyelid in order to protect an irritated eye.
A protruding third eyelid gives the 'haws', which to dog trainers and handlers is frequently undesirable in that it gives the animal a somewhat haggard look. Most dog standards require the 'haws' (if mentioned at all) be scarcely apparent. In Bloodhounds, a visible 'haw' is called for in the breed standard.
EVERSION OF THE CARTILAGE
This is a congenital condition seen in Weimaraners, Great Danes, Golden lzeirievers and Saint Bernards. The third eyelid appears to roll back upon itself like a dry leaf. Corneal irritation occurs in some cases. This should be treated surgically.
Dislocation of the Eyeball
Dislocation of one or both eyeballs can be a common problem in dogs with
large bulging eyes such as Boston Terriers, Pugs, Pekingese, Maltese and
some spaniels. It is generally caused by dog bites or other trauma.
Struggling with these dogs while attempting to hold or restrain them for
any reason can cause the eye to bulge out so far that they eyelids snap
shut behind the eyeball. This prevents the eyeball from returning to the
socket. If this happens, it is an emergency! If not treated
right away it may lead to loss of vision.
Shortly after the eye dislocates, swelling behind the eye makes it
extremely difficult to return the eyeball to its normal position. Proceed
at once to the nearest veterinary hospital. Carry the dog, if
possible. Cover the eye with a wet wash cloth. Prevent the dog from pawing
at the eye.
Corneal Abrasions
The cornea is the clear part of the eye. Corneal injuries are extremely
painful and require immediate veterinary attention. Affected dogs will
squint, tear, and avoid light. The third eyelid often comes out to protect
the injured eye. Breeds with bulging eyes, such as the Pekingese, Maltese,
Boston Terrier, Pugs and some spaniels are particularly susceptible to
corneal injuries.
Corneal abrasions occur when either the dog accidentally scratches the
cornea when itching or when a foreign body such as dirt or lint gets in
the eye and damages this surface layer of the eye. Swelling at the site of
the injury can cause the area to appear hazy or opaque when viewed under
magnification.
Corneal abrasions in the upper part of the cornea may be caused by
misdirected eyelashes. Lower corneal opacities suggest an imbedded foreign
body. Abrasions near the inner portion of the eye can be caused by a
foreign body beneath the third eyelid.
Corneal abrasions heal once the foreign body has been removed in about 3 -
5 days. However, healing will not occur if the foreign body is embedded in
the cornea or is beneath one of the eyelids. It is for this reason that
all corneal abrasions should be see by your vet to prevent further injury
and/or infection.