Pugs have large round bulbous eyes and thats part of what makes them so cute. Their big eyes make pugs look like cartoon characters. But those same cute big eyes can get our four legged friends into a lot of trouble. Because a pugs snout is so short, when they go around sniffing stuff, it leaves their eyes vulnerable to getting poked and scratched! So pug eyes are extra vulnerable to infections, scratches, and a multitude of other health issues.
CHERRY EYE
INFLATION IN PUG EYES
DRY EYE
CHERRY EYE
What Is Cherry Eye In Dogs?
Did you know your dog has 3 eyelids? Cherry Eye happens when your pugs third eyelid slips out of place and bulges out. Gross right? The inside corner of the eye will then have an inflamed pink bump that overtakes the normal white of the eye. Normally this would only happen to one eye at a time. Though often once it has happened to one eye, the other eye isn’t far off from getting the same ailment.
What Causes Cherry Eye In Pugs?
Some vets think that cherry eye occurs because of weakening connective tissues in the eye. This can happen due to old age or due to breeding issues.
How To Treat Cherry Eye In Pugs
Cherry eye in pugs wont resolve itself. You will probably need to take your pug to the vet ASAP. The longer the gland remains misplaced, the more the eye can swell which could lead to a slew of other eye problems including blindness. Usually cherry eye is treated by a simple surgery where a small chunk of the troubling gland is removed. The remaining tissue is put back into place and recovery is usually pretty fast. The good news is once the surgery is done, your pug will probably not get cherry eye again!
INFLAMATION
What Causes Inflamation In Pug Eyes
Pug eyes are super sensitive because they are more bugged out than most other breeds. This means that a pugs eye is prone to irritation and inflammation. Vets will often call these symptoms Uveitis. Inflamation in pug eyes usually either happens because of foreign bodies (like a stick, or small pieces of dirt) rubbing and scratching the eye or from a disease.
What Is Pug Uveitis
The term Uveitis comes from the part of the eye called the Uvea. It is often in reference to any disease of ailement that effects the Uvea but are not limited to that one part of the eye. Some doctors call Uveitis anything that effects the lens, retina, optic nerve, and vitreous. These ailments can be infections, irritations, or even blindness.
Symptoms Of Inflamation in Pug Eyes
Excessive water discharge or tearing up
Sensitivity to bright lights
Squinting
Lots of Blinking
Eye color becomes bluish or dulls out.
Redness in the whites of the eye
Eye becomes swollen and puffy.
Treatment Of Inflamation In Pug Eyes
If your pug dogs eyes have any sign of inflammation take them to the vet right away! Even waiting a day without treatment of an eye infection could lead to your pug losing their eye. The vet will often examine your pugs eye and if they can diagnose the problem visually they will prescribe a medicine. Sometimes this is an anti-inflammatory medication and sometimes they will prescribe antibiotics. Many eye medicines are in the form of eye drops. A blood test could be necessary if the ailment is not obvious.
DRY EYE
What Is Dry Eye In Pugs
Dry eye is often called Keratonconjunctivitis Sicca. Now thats a mouthful! So some people will call this ailement "Brown Eye". Whatever you call it, dry eye is a very common pug eye problem. It occours because the natural film that protects your pugs eyes becomes torn or ripped. This leads to lack of protection for your pugs little eyeballs. This simple illness can actually be extremely painful to your little guy.
What Causes Dry Eye In Pugs
One cause of dry eye in pugs in malnourishment. The natural film that protects your pugs eyes can also degrade with age. Other causes of Dry Eye in pugs is Hypothyroidism, minor infections, or Keratonconjunctivitis can occur as a side effect to some medications.
Symptoms Of Dry Eye
Eye develops a brown tinted film (hence the name brown eye)
Scar tissue appears on your pugs eye
Red blood vessels grow rapidly througout your pugs eye. This can get thick enough to block out all the whites of the eye.
How To Treat Dry Eye In Pugs
As with any pug eye problem, take them to the vet! Your vet will probably prescribe eye drops to lubricate the eye. They will also give your puppy medication to decrease any swelling or infection. Only in very rare cases will Dry Eye lead to surgery. If surgery is necessary, they will probably go into the tear duct and repair it for any damage that has occured.