Canine Uveitis
The uvea is the part of the eye which supplies blood to the retina. It is made up of three parts:
- Iris
- Ciliary Body
- Choroid
Uveitis is when any of these parts become inflamed. There are three types of uveitis:
- Pan-uveitis: inflammation of all three parts
- Anterior uveitis: inflammation of the iris and ciliary body
- Posterior uveitis: inflammation of the choroid
Uveitis is painful and can harm your dog's vision. If left untreated, uveitis can lead to other conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, or retinal disease.
CAUSES:
- Infection: viral or bacterial
- Diabetes and high blood pressure
- Tumors
- Injury to the eye
- Autoimmune diseases: the immune system attacks the dog's cells
SIGNS:
- Cloudy eye
- Red eyes
- Bleeding eye
- Squinting and avoiding bright lights
- Extra tearing
- Loss of vision
- Puss
DIAGNOSIS:
To properly diagnose your dog with uveitis, most veterinarians will perform the following:
- Physical examination: a lot of illnesses include uveitis, so your veterinarian will need to rule out any other conditions
- Eye exam: with an ophthalmoscope or ultrasound
- Blood tests: to check for any underlying diseases
- Measure eye pressure: With uveitis, eye pressure will be low; with glaucoma, eye pressure will be high
- Aspirates: fluid samples taken from the eye with a needle for testing
TREATMENT:
Most veterinarians will recommend the following treatment for a dog with uveitis:
- Steroids and antibiotics: eye drops, ointments, and oral tablets (for pain relief, to reduce inflammation, and to prevent glaucoma)
- Surgery: to repair the eye or to remove any foreign object
- Follow up visit: to monitor the eye
PREVENTION:
For preventable cases of uveitis, it is best to avoid eye trauma and exposure to ticks and fungal diseases.
PROGNOSIS:
Simple cases of uveitis that you treat quickly and properly usually improve within 24 hours. Cases that are more complicated take a few days to get better.
Severe cases can sometimes result in irreversible blindness.
Uveitis can recur, often with further complications.
Medically Reviewed by Sara Ochoa, DVM
