Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

or hair loss are discussed in
Eyelids, page 177.
• Bulging or sunken eye. A
bulging eye occurs with glaucoma,
tumors and abscesses
behind the globe, and with an
eye out of its socket. A sunken
eye occurs with dehydration,
weight loss, eye pain, and
tetanus. Some breeds, such as
Pugs, have eyes that normally
bulge somewhat.
HOW TO EXAMINE THE EYE
An eye examination can be performed
easily and does not require any
technical expertise. It will provide
you with the type of information you
need to determine if this is an emergency.
When in doubt, consider any
change in the eye to be an emergency.
THE EYES • 173
How to examine the surface of the eyeball.
Note the third eyelid in the bottom
of the eye. It contains a tear gland that
produces about half the tear volume.
The examination is best done in a dark room using a single light source,
such as a flashlight. A magnifying glass will help you see fine details on the
surface of the eye. Have an assistant restrain the dog, as described in
Restraining for Examination and Treatment, page 2.
First compare one eye to the other. Are they the same size, shape, and
color? Are the pupils equal in size? (Remember, if you shine a light directly
into an eye, the pupil will shrink.) Is there a discharge, and if so, is it watery or
mucoid? Is the dog squinting? Is the nictitating membrane visible? Does the
cornea look smoky, hazy, or cloudy? Is it painful to the dog when you press
gently on the eyeball through closed eyelids?
To examine the surface of the eyeball, place one thumb against the skin of
the cheek below the eye and the other thumb against the ridge of bone above.
Gently draw down with the lower thumb and apply counter traction with the
other. Because of the mobility of the skin of the dog’s face, the lower eyelid will
sag out and you can look in and see the conjunctival sac and most of the cornea
behind it. Reverse the procedure to examine the eye behind the upper eyelid.
Flash a light across the surface of the cornea to see if it is clear and transparent.
Any dull or dished-out spot is an indication of corneal abrasion or ulcer.
Press gently on the surface of the eye through the closed eyelids to see if
one eye feels harder or softer than the other. If the eye is tender, the dog will
give evidence of pain.