There are a number of Cocker Spaniel eye problems that you should be aware of, and a dog’s red eye may signal an eye problem requiring treatment. The treatment could be as simple as eye drops or as serious as emergency surgery. Red eyes in dogs may signal many inflammatory conditions and infectious diseases so if you notice that your dog’s eye(s) is red for longer than a couple of days, visit the Vet.
Because eye problems with Cocker Spaniels are fairly common, more often than not due to genetics, the ideal thing to do if you plan to get a Cocker Spaniel (I recommend it for any breed) is to ask the breeder to do a CERF test (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) on the Cocker Spaniel pup you select, so that it is determined if the pup has a predisposition for a serious eye disease like glaucoma. Since many reputable breeders also show dogs, some will have had the CERF test done on the puppies’ parents. Because more often than not eye diseases are genetic, if the parents have a clean CERF bill of health, that should suffice 90% of the time.
It is also important to note that some common human eye problems, like conjunctivitis and cherry eye, can easily infect your friend, especially if the two of you spend lots of “cuddling” time together. If you have an eye problem, try not to touch your dog too much until you’ve had it treated.
Cherry Eyes
This is an inflammation of the eyelids. It has several causes, the most usual being trauma. It can also be fungal or bacterial. It happens in the third layer of the eyelid, which is the most sensitive part of the eye for our friends. It will inflame and appear to pop outwards.
If you treat this problem right away, it’s easily taken care of. A visit to the vet should get you the medications needed to put in the eye at regular intervals and it should be gone in a few days. Make sure that you treat both eyes because it tends to move from one eye to the other. You should never ignore it because it can be very expensive if left untreated – it will actually cost you a surgical replacement of that particular eyelid and this would be very painful for your canine friend.
Conjunctivitis
This is common in dogs and manifests quite often but it is not as serious as Cherry Eyes and is much easier to treat. Nevertheless, if you notice that your Cocker’s eyes are red, inflamed and showing signs of discharge, see the Vet immediately. Like any other health problem that you observe on your pet, do not delay in getting treatment.
Distichia
This is more of an irritation than anything else, but it still needs attention. Distichia happens on your dog’s eyelid and it is caused by a hair that’s growing inwards toward the eye instead of outwards. The hair just needs to be plucked out and your Cocker will be fine. If you don’t attend to it as soon as you notice it however, like with any other health problem, the issue can progress and it might eventually end up costing you a lot of money and much discomfort to your friend.
Glaucoma and Cataracts
Of all Cocker Spaniel eye problems, this one is the most threatening as it can easily lead to blindness if not treated right away. Unfortunately, it tends to be a genetic condition and there is not much you can do if your Cocker Spaniel has a genetic predisposition towards cataracts or glaucoma. You will need to make constant visits to the Vet for the duration of your Cocker Spaniel’s life. Unfortunately, as they grow older, they eventually go blind. This emphasizes the importance of getting your puppy certified through CERF. Puppies that are CERF tested will cost more money because the breeder will pay quite a bit for the test. If the parents have passed the CERF test, the chances of their offspring having a serious genetic eye problem are much less.
Most Cocker Spaniel eye problems are not very serious as long as you don’t leave them untreated for long. Cocker Spaniels love to spend time with their family (and vice-versa) so it’s likely that you will notice something is wrong as soon as it happens. If that time comes, take your pal to the Vet right away; it may save their vision, and problems are always cheaper to treat if detected and addressed early.
Suzana Correa — To learn more about the wonderful Cocker Spaniel and how to care for them, please visit http://www.cockerspanielcare.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzana_Correa
http://EzineArticles.com/?Avoid-Serious-Eye-Problems-In-Your-Cocker-Spaniel&id=5890910
Tags: bark collar
