The view is one of the most dangerous senses, since the eyes are completely uncovered and the eyelashes are not enough to protect them from all the elements that can cause an infection.
One of the diseases that can be of concern to dog owners is optic neuritis. Which is a inflammation of the intraocular or infraorbital optic nerve. It can even be a symptom of a systematic disease and although the dog can be infected by an infectious cause, it can also be It can be caused by inflammations and neoplasms. Therefore, optic neuritis is more a clinical syndrome than a disease, since when exposed to inflammation of the nerve or tissues it can be the cause of serious injuries such as optic nerve atrophy or even loss of vision.
But what is optic neuritis?
This disease can occur in other animals, but in dogs it can occur more easily.
The main symptom to detect that it is optic neuritis is the partial loss of sight As the hours go by, but to be able to identify it, it is necessary to carry out various tests to determine that this atrophy is being reached. The retina begins to swell To the extent that it begins to cause some bleeding, it is undoubtedly a problem that can worsen if no treatment is carried out since the dog may end up losing the eye.
Veterinarians have to perform a cerebrospinal fluid analysis, which is the clear protective fluid in the skull and an electroretinogram in order to investigate the ability of the eye's retina to function. A CT scan or imaging scan may also be performed, as well as a urinalysis and a complete blood chemistry profile to detect the presence of viruses and any type of bacteria that can cause an infection.
It can be said that the best treatment for this type of eye disease is steroid use at the beginning of the disease, since this way you can have a better vision recovery. But the use of steroids it must be before eight hours after optic neuritis was diagnosed, if done after this margin, it can cause adverse effects in the dog. If the disease was diagnosed after eight hours, an anti-inflammatory drug that does not contain steroids should be administered through the eye.
The main reason why it is decided to prescribe the application of steroids is because this helps more to prevent the dog from getting multiple sclerosis. The veterinarian must be honest with the owners of the dog that suffers this type of problem since in case the inflammation cannot be reduced, it is most likely that the poor dog I ended up going blind. Therefore, the owner must be prepared to be more patient and affectionate with the dog that suffers from this disease.
Symptoms of Optic Neuritis in Dogs
Because this condition is in the eyes, it will be very evident that something is wrong and it is that a symptom that we can not ignore is the one that your pet can go blind suddenly or if optic neuritis is formed from an underlying condition, it can appear gradually.
The optic neuritis symptoms are few, since they will generally be: dilated pupils, the optic nerve head is swollen, sudden blindness, pain with eye movement, eyes and red areas around the eyes and / or decreased depth perception.
If you notice any of these symptoms, you should definitely take your dog and go to the vet as soon as possible, although your vet will likely refer you to an ophthalmologist for further testing on your dog's eyes.