You don’t need us here at IndulgeYourPet to tell you that your dog’s eyesight is important. But you might want us to try and shed some light on what exactly the condition known as entropion is because if your dog has it, it could potentially cause some significant and irreversible damage to your pup’s eyes!
This is why…
In this article we wanted to take a moment and discuss what it’s like to own a dog that has been diagnosed with entropion that way you’ll know what to be on the lookout for as well as have a better idea what to expect when it comes time to treat your little buddy.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Entropion, what is it?
Entropion is a disease that makes the eyelids roll in towards the eye. The makes little skin folds from the lid that are pressed against the eye. Needless to say, this can cause a lot of irritation and pain to the eyes. After all, just imagine if your eyelids rolled back into your eyes. No thanks.
But wait, there’s more?
Unfortunately, the negative consequences of developing entropion don’t quite stop there. A lot of the times if your dog has Entropion, they’ll end up with corneal ulcers as well! This happens because of the increased irritation to the cornea. You see, when the eyelids rub against the eye more and more, the cornea gets irritated and inflamed.
Now…
If corneal ulceration occurs then your dog may end up with permanent scarring, blindness, or in some cases you might need to get the eyeball removed! Which is why we it’s so important to immediately address any issues which may be affecting the health of your dog’s eyes.
How can I tell my dog has it?
Fortunately, the signs for entropion are pretty easy to spot. You’ll almost always notice something’s up with your dog’s eyes and eyelids. Also, your dog will demonstrate behaviors indicative that he or she is suffering from some type of eye irritation. In fact, the eye itself will often times be the first thing that you notice due to it being red or inflamed.
Dog breeds commonly affected by Entropion include:
- Akita,
- American Staffordshire Terrier,
- Bernese Mountain Dog,
- Dalmatian,
- English Bulldog,
- French Bulldog,
- Golden Retriever,
- Great Dane,
- Great Pyrenees,
- Hound breeds,
- Japanese Chin,
- Mastiff,
- Newfoundland,
- Old English Sheepdog,
- Pekingese,
- Pomeranian,
- Pug,
- Rottweiler,
- Saint Bernard,
- Shih Tzu,
- Siberian Husky,
- Spaniels,
- Toy Poodle,
- Vizsla,
- Weimaraner,
- Yorkshire Terrier.
Treatment options of dogs with entropion
The main treatment, unfortunately is surgery. With that being said that’s not the only treatment. It all really depends on how badly the Entropion has damaged your dog’s eyes.
For most basic cases…
Surgical correction is typically required. This correction will just cut out a small piece of skin from the eyelid so that the eyelids can be rolled out the correct way. This is called, “blepharoplasty”.
Now…
We’ll be the first to admit that this sounds horrible but given the alternative you pup will definitely be grateful that he or she has you as their owner. The only problem is that your typical veterinarian will usually charge about $300-$500 for the blepharoplasty.
And that’s just…
For the easy cases. If it turns out that your dog has a more severe case of entropion, you’ll may need to seek out the services of a really trained professional like an ophthalmologist, and that treatment can run you up to $1500!!
And the worst part is…
Depending on your dog’s age and a few other factors, they may need surgery more than once because entropion can be a “reoccurring” issue!
Which reminds us…
That while we here at IndulgeYourPet do know a lot about animals, we’re certainly not trained professionals or have any “medical training”. Which is why, if you feel like your dog may be suffering from entropion, or any other health issues for that matter, be sure to have him or her checked out by a professional!
Doing so quickly…
Could save your form suffering needlessly and could save your wallet a whole ton of money. You see, there are a lot of medical issues out there that if “caught” quickly aren’t all that expensive to treat. But, once they become “complicated” or progress, what could have been a simple fix becomes really expensive, really fast.
Which is why…
We here at IndulgeYourPet also recommend that any new pet owner take a moment and see what it might cost for you to purchase a pet insurance policy for your new animal.
Now will a pet insurance policy be right for everyone?
No, probably not. But until you fully understand what these policies “will” and “won’t” cover and how much these pet insurance policies cost, how will you know if one might be right for you?
For more information on who we feel currently offers the “best” pet insurance policies out there, we would encourage you to check out our Best Pet Insurance Policies article.
