16 טשיקאַווע Facts וועגן בעאַגלעס איר מיסטאָמע נישט וויסן

This is a painful disease in which the pressure in the eye becomes very high. The eyes constantly produce and lose fluid called aqueous humor - if the fluid does not drain properly, the pressure inside the eye increases and destroys the optic nerve, resulting in vision loss and blindness. There are two kinds.

Primary glaucoma, which is hereditary, and secondary glaucoma, which is the result of inflammation, a tumor, or an injury. Glaucoma usually first occurs in one eye, which is red, watering, blinking, and appears painful. A dilated pupil is unresponsive to light and the front of the eye has a whitish, almost blue, cloudiness. Vision loss and eventual blindness is the result, sometimes even with treatment (surgery or medication, depending on the case).

PRA is a degenerative eye disease that can lead to blindness due to loss of photoreceptor cells. PRA can be diagnosed years before the first symptoms appear. Fortunately, dogs can use their other senses to compensate for blindness and a blind dog can live a full and happy life.

Just don't rearrange the furniture. Reputable breeders have their dogs' eyes checked annually by a veterinary ophthalmologist and will not breed from dogs that have this condition.

This condition occurs when the second row of eyelashes (known as distichia) grows on the preen gland of a dog's eye and protrudes at the edge of the eyelid. This irritates the eye and you may notice the constant blinking and rubbing of the eyes.

Distichiasis is treated surgically by freezing the excess lashes with liquid nitrogen and then removing them. This type of operation is called cryoepilation and is performed under general anesthesia.