Eye discharge or watery eyes (Epiphora) refers to excessive discharge of the aqueous portion of the tears. Watery eyes can have many causes. Sometimes the trigger is quite harmless, e.g. B. draft, dust or a new perfume. If it is a common condition, it may be due to a disease.
Usually tears are clear and watery. However, if bacteria, viruses or fungi are involved in the disease, the eye discharge can also be mucous or even purulent.
Eye discharge is often not the only sign of eye disease. For example, red or swollen conjunctiva, clouding of the cornea or lens, unequal pupil sizes or squinting of the eyelids (blepharospasm) can be signs of a problem.
If the discharge from the eyes persists for a long time, it stains the fur brown-reddish and leads to adhesions.
The Spitz are u. a. represent the following diseases
Microblepharon- a vertical shortening of the eyelids
Entropion- eyelid deformity in which the lid rolls inward, causing the eyelashes to touch and irritate the cornea
Distichiasis or trichiasis - extra/excess, lash-like hairs that grow on the lid margin towards the eye, irritating and damaging the cornea
Ectopic cilia - misgrowing hairs that grow through the conjunctiva
punctal atresia - congenital or acquired obstruction of the lower lacrimal gland/ducts
In the Wolfspitz, distichiasis and ectopic cilia have been identified as inherited predispositions. In the case of the Pomeranian, entropion is added. There are exceptions that are not hereditary in all varieties of Spitz.
Other causes of watery eyes can be:
Inflammation of the conjunctiva, eyelids or cornea
Foreign bodies: Small foreign bodies, such as hair, blades of grass, sand or awns, can not only lead to discharge from the eye, but also cause serious injuries to the cornea
Ectropion: In ectropion, the eyelid rolls outward, exposing the conjunctiva
The complete absence of the eyelids (ablepharia)
Inflammation of the nasal mucosa (rhinitis) or the paranasal sinuses (sinusitis)
Increased intraocular pressure (glaucoma, "glaucoma")
Inflammation of the skin around the eyes (uveitis)
Tumors of the conjunctiva, nictitating membrane, eyelids, nasal cavity, maxillary bone or surrounding tissue
Inflammation of the tear ducts or the tear duct (dacrocystitis)
Trauma or fracture of the orbit or nasal bone
Paralysis of the facial nerve (facial paralysis)
Infectious diseases, e.g. kennel cough, distemper
There is not always a serious illness behind the brown tear ducts or secretions. A visit and check-up at the vet never hurts. This selects one of the following methods, for example, to track down the cause:
Schirmer tear test (STT)
With the Schirmer tear test - a kind of paper strip that is held under the eye to absorb some tear fluid - the Tear production amount measured.
Fluorescein test
In the fluorescein test, a special neon green dye is dropped into the eye. If the cornea is injured, the dye sticks to this spot. If the cornea is intact, the dye is washed away with the tear fluid and drains through the nasolacrimal canal. If the nasolacrimal duct is patent, the fluorescein can be seen at the tip of the nose after a few seconds. Alternatively, to test the patency of the nasolacrimal canal, the veterinarian can try to flush the canal with a fine cannula.
Sourceswww.fellomed.de
Dr. medical vet Claudia Busse Dissertation: Hereditary diseases of the ocular adnexa, the globe and the anterior segment of the dog (2007)
Images: pixabay & unsplash
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