What you need to know about glaucoma in dogs

A serious eye problem which plagues both dogs and humans is glaucoma, and it appears when there is high intraocular eye pressure. The shape of the fluids from the eyes is well defined.

The body regulates the quantity of fluid that keeps the eye pressure constant and optimum. Glaucoma appears when this pressure is not at an optimum level. Vision loss is a possibility when this disease appears. Both the retina and optic nerves can get affected. Glaucoma in dogs can be quite painful, so you need to take him to a vet immediately.

Some of the symptoms of glaucoma include enlarged pupils, pain in the eye, green or yellow discharges, clouded corneas, lost color of the eyes, increased blood vessel numbers, bloody eyes and in some cases, one of the eyes can look bigger than the other one.

The glaucoma can be caused by the eye’s drainage system, if it doesn’t work properly. When it doesn’t work well, the pressure in the eye builds up, as a result of the excess liquid which can’t be removed. The most common glaucoma causes are injuries in the area and eye inflammation.

There are secondary and primary types of glaucoma. The primary type is usually caused by a genetic predisposition, when fluids accumulate as a result of drainage pores that are either too small or too big.

Diagnosis of glaucoma

A real diagnosis can only be made by a vet, since he has the right qualifications to notice the symptoms. Another option is to talk with a vet ophthalmologist. The dog will be examined and he will go through a complete workup of the blood. They will also check what the pressure is at the intraocular level, plus how the pressure can be drained. Gonioscopy and tonometry can be used for the pressure removal. Ultrasonography can be used to see if the dog has eye cancer or a tumor. The dog should be taken to a vet, as soon as you see signs of eye problems.

Treatment of glaucoma

You can treat glaucoma in dogs both medically and surgically. You can remove the extra fluid with the help of surgery, or you can try to fix it with eye drops, injections or pills. Learning how to take care of the glaucoma is easy if you try.

An option that is sometimes used is called laser cyclophotocoagulation and it will destroy some portions of the eyes of the dog. Sometimes the pain can be managed with medicine, while in other cases surgery needs to be done.