Conjunctivitis is a very common condition that can affect dogs of any age and breed. However, certain breeds of dogs can have a higher predisposition to develop the condition and this is associated with a few different factors, ranging from their day-to-day routine and exercise pattern to their facial and body conformation. Although a true genetic predisposition has not been established, certain characteristics of breeds can increase the frequency of presentation of conjunctivitis compared to others.
In clinical practice, the main reasons associated with development of conjunctivitis are body type, exposure of the eyes and eyelids and underlying allergies. Understanding the particularities of your dog’s breed can help you prevent flare ups of the condition and protect their eyes.
Why Does Breed Affect Conjunctivitis Risk?
The main reasons your dogs breed may be more prone to to conjunctivitis are:
- Different breeds have different exercise patterns, exposing them to more (or less) environmental allergens and irritating factors.
- The development of the head, face and eyelids (what is called facial conformation) are strongly associated with the degree of exposure of the eyes.
- Underlying allergies, more commonly seen in certain breeds of dogs, are strongly associated and correlated with the development of conjunctivitis.
Which Breeds are Prone to Conjunctivitis?
- Bulldogs
Dogs of this breed group, and especially French and English Bulldogs are extremely prone to conjunctivitis. The underlying reasons and mechanisms leading to recurrent and persistent conjunctivitis are multifactorial and are associated with increased predisposition to skin allergies, which lead to irritation of the eyelid skin, rubbing of the eye and subsequent introduction of allergens to the surface of the eye.
In addition, their eyelids are often longer than normal, which does not allow complete cover of the surface of the eye. This leads to constant irritation due to changes in the environmental temperature and humidity and as a result higher predisposition to dry eye, which affects the quality of their tears and can increase the frequency of conjunctivitis-like episodes. Running through long grass is one of the most common reasons causing flare ups of allergies and conjunctivitis.
Avoiding this, as much as possible, or using cooled down boiled water to gently clean your dog’s eyes after a walk especially in the warmer months can help reduce the recurrent nature of the problem.
- Retrievers and Spaniels
Dogs of these breed groups are natural born explorers. Breeds like the Labrador and Golden retriever, Cocker and Springer spaniels adore the outdoors, love long walks through fields and particularly love swimming in ponds, lakes and the sea.
This active lifestyle means that they are always sniffing around, exposing their head, face and eyes to a plethora of allergens and foreign material like grass blades, grass seeds, pollen and, possibly contaminated waters. In many of these breeds, conjunctivitis episodes are likely to be self-limiting and usually your dog will grow out of recurrent episodes after the age of one to two years; however, keeping their eyes clean and protected during a walk with the use of dog goggles or a dog visor can be extremely helpful in reducing the recurrence of these episodes.
- Pugs.
This breed has become very popular in recent years; however, inherent problems associated with poor breeding choices lead to a significant degree of exposure of their eyes. This leads to poor protection of the eyes, in addition to exposure to environmental irritating factors which can cause more frequent development, or exacerbation of conjunctivitis.
In addition, their poor eyelid anatomy often leads to the hair of the eyelids rubbing on the surface of the eye again causing ongoing or recurrent conjunctivitis due to irritation. Unfortunately, there aren’t any great home remedies for these conditions and in most cases surgical correction of the problem is recommended.
- Shih Tzus and Lhasa Apsos
Similar to the Pug breed, the eyes of dogs in these breeds are usually very exposed and poorly protected by the eyelids, leading to more frequent irritation. In addition, their beautiful long coat and the hairs around the face can regularly get in their eyes, causing irritation. . Keeping the hair around their eyes short is recommended.
- Dachshunds
One of the reasons this breed is more prone to conjunctivitis is the proximity of their body (and head) to the ground which, as a result, leads to constant irritation of their eyes. It’s easy to overlook the problem as we don’t often see things from their perspective, but the world looks very different down there and even grass and plantation that doesn’t seem bad enough to cause harm can lead to conjunctivitis.
In addition, the breed commonly suffers from aberrant eyelashes, a condition called distichia, which in some cases requires veterinary attention and surgical correction. The best course of action is to use cooled down boiled water to gently clean their eyes after a walk.
How to Reduce the Risk of Conjunctivitis
There are a few simple steps or routines you can consider on a day-to-day basis to reduce the flare up of conjunctivitis.
Monitor Your Dog’s Eyes Daily
The first and most common sign of conjunctivitis is redness and increased discharge in one or both eyes. Observing your dog’s eyes from a distance while you cuddle them in the morning (or evening) or gently lifting the skin of their eyelids and looking for signs of redness or excess discharge could be enough to put your mind at ease or recognise the early signs of a problem.
Keep Their Eyes Clean
Some dogs will have more ocular discharge compared to others, and this can be normal. Gently wiping any discharge from the middle corner of their eyes with cooled down boiled water or using a fine comb through the long hair of the eyelids can remove debris effectively. It is important to remember that the use of cotton wool to clean your pets eyes is not ideal and is contraindicated as this can leave fibre residue to the eye, which can cause subsequent irritation. Cotton pads are a much safer alternative. But be mindful not to touch the eye with the comb!
Manage the Hair and Skin Folds Around the Eyes
If combing the hair on a daily basis becomes laborious or is not an option (let’s face it, some dogs really don’t like the TLC around their eyes!), then keeping the hair around the eyelids short and trimmed is the best course of action.
Be mindful when approaching your dog’s eyes with clippers or scissors, especially if they are wriggly, as accidental damage is very common. If your dog has large skin folds around their eyes and nose, this can be quite irritating to them and lead to an itchy sensation and cause rubbing of the face and eyes (which in turn leads to conjunctivitis if they manage to catch their eye). Cleaning the skin folds with non-alcoholic wipes or cooled down boiled water is recommended.
Know When to See a Vet
Conjunctivitis is not an uncommon disease in dogs, especially in young dogs, but if the problem recurs frequently (multiple times over a period of a few months or year) or if the problem never fully resolves, your dog might be suffering from a condition that resembles conjunctivitis.
In this instance, it is very important to speak to your vets and arrange an appointment for an eye examination which aims to assess the overall “health” of their eyes by performing certain tests like the fluorescein staining test, dry eye tests (Schirmer tear test-1) and glaucoma tests (tonometry). If despite these tests your vets are unsure about the underlying cause of the problem, referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist would be sensible.
In addition to the general checks performed at your general practice clinic, an additional consideration for certain breeds of dogs is the BVA/KC/ISDS hereditary eye test scheme (hyperlink). A certified panelist (ophthalmologist) can screen your dog’s eyes for known hereditary abnormalities and identify specific eye conditions.
Consider Your Dog’s Breed
A very important consideration to keep in mind is that the same problem can be more (or less) concerning depending on the breed of the dog. Looking specifically at the breeds discussed above, conjunctivitis can very commonly be a self-limiting problem that requires minimal attention in Retriever dogs and Daschunds.
However, in Bulldogs, Pugs Shih Tzus or a Lhasa Apsos a problem persisting for more than 24 hours can be particularly concerning and requires prompt veterinary attention.
Don’t Forget Pet Insurance
Finally, remember that although some conditions can be addressed with a one-off treatment course others can become lifelong problems which require frequent vet or specialist appointments, which can be costly, in addition to life-long medication which, over the years, accumulates to a significant expense.
Specialised surgical eye procedures can also be particularly expensive. For this reason, when possible, it is worthwhile ensuring your dog is covered by a reputable ‘covered for life’ pet insurance policy which will support you with vet bills throughout your pet’s life.
When to See a Specialist
In the majority of cases, a visit to the vet and a short course of topical medication will resolve the signs of conjunctivitis and restore comfort to your dog’s eyes. However, if
- The problem does not resolve within a period of 10-14 days following standard treatment by your vets
- There are complex conformational problems, such as entropion, distichia or aberrant eyelashes
- The problem waxes and wanes with very short intervals or relapse is noted as soon as the medication is stopped
- The problem does not resolve at all
- Your dog shows a rapid change in their comfort and behaviour while receiving treatment
You should promptly seek referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist as the problem has likely become “complicated”. In breeds like the French bulldog, Pugs, Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu even 24 hours are enough to lead to rapid deterioration of an overlooked problem, which can then become detrimental to your dog’s sight.
At Vet Eye Care, we are committed to providing excellent specialist ophthalmology care to your loved pets. Our ophthalmologists have undergone rigorous specialist training over the years and their day-to-day routine involves complex ophthalmological problems in the breeds described above (among others).
We know their particular needs and concerns associated with the particular anatomical changes and we can formulate and tailor a treatment plan to their needs.
The most important aspect of the problem is recognising if your dog is at increased risk of developing complications or more serious conditions than just a simple conjunctivitis.
Pay extra attention to small details and changes in your dog’s eye comfort, especially if you own a dog of the breeds listed above. Most eye conditions can be easily treated by your vets or by a specialist when recognised and addressed promptly.
However, when overlooked they can become a serious, eye threatening concern. Remember that prevention of a serious problem is always more helpful than treatment of a complicated problem!
Worried about your dog’s eyes?
If your dog is showing signs of conjunctivitis, we are here to help. Request an appointment and let one of our specialist ophthalmologists assess your pet’s eye health.
Feel free to explore our prices too. Early action can make all the difference. Your dog’s sight is worth protecting!