We’ve already talked about the Entropion, where the eyelid grows inward, causing irritation or painful sensation. This time it’s the abnormal growth of the dog eyelashes. There are three types and they don’t always show clinical signs. However, if they show up, we have to address the issue. If either of three eyelash problems cause the irritation of the eye, and if left untreated, they can cause health issues. Constant irritation leads to ulcers and secondary bacterial infections. That is a whole new, serious problem.
Distichiasis
Distichia or Distichiasis is an eye problem where an additional eyelash grows beneath the normal dog eyelashes. These extra eyelashes grow through the opening of the meibomian gland. This gland is a small oil gland (sebaceous glands) and its role is to lubricate the eye by producing the tear film.
As you can see in the picture below, the additional eyelash is growing abnormally and causing discomfort, pain, and irritation of the eye. This is the case when we can notice the clinical signs. The signs are:
- Watery eye
- Redness
- Eye discharge
- Excessive blinking
- Dog scratching its eye with a paw
Risks
If left untreated, this kind of constant irritation leads to corneal ulcers and secondary bacterial infection. It can also show signs of corneal scarring, hyperpigmentation, or abnormally enlarged blood vessels in the cornea (picture 2). All of these things can lead to blindness or impaired vision in the affected eye.
Treatment
Depending on the severity of discomfort or pain, there are three options.
- If a dog doesn’t show signs of discomfort, there is no need for treatment.
- If a dog shows mild symptoms, a vet can prescribe eye lubricants to prevent any further damage.
- If the symptoms are severe, a vet can choose from several surgical procedures, such as removal of the entire eyelid portion (to remove all hair follicles), laser removal, electrocautery, or freezing (cryosurgery)
The type of surgery depends on the case. General anesthesia is used for this surgery.
Trichiasis
When the fur from the eyelashes grows abnormally into the direction of the eye, causing irritation, that is a health condition called Trichiasis. Just like the aforementioned Distichiasis, it can cause much more serious health issues if the symptoms are present and we do nothing about it.
This eyelash issue is not as uncommon as it seems. Brachycephalic dog breeds (flat-faced or short-faced dogs) and those with many skin folds actually often have this eyelash issue. So, for example, Boston Terrier, Pug, Chow Chow, Shar Pei, and so on.
Risks
The risks are the same – corneal ulcers and secondary bacterial infection. Secondary bacterial infection means the bacteria caused an “additional” inflammation by attacking the locus minoris resistentiae or the spot with the least resistance – already damaged or weakened spot on the body.
Treatment
The treatment option is the same as for the Distichiasis. It depends on the severity of the clinical symptoms. The key is, of course, to remove the irritation caused by these “longer fur hairs” permanently. Unfortunately, you cannot just remove them because they will regrow. The solution is to remove the hair follicle. This is done via surgery: laser surgery, cryosurgery, and electrocautery. As mentioned, these procedures can only be done by a professional, licensed veterinarian, and under general anesthesia.
Ectopic Cilia
This is very similar to Distichia because it involves an eyelash growing in the wrong direction. However, the Ectopic Cilia often starts from a normal place but grows through the conjunctiva and touches the surface of the eye. The other case is that it grows from the underside of the lid. Either way, if there are clinical symptoms, we need to do something about it.
Risks
The risks come after a prolonged irritation of the eye. They are corneal ulceration, eye scarring, secondary bacterial infection, and eyesight impairment. So, the risks are the same as in the two previous cases. The problem with the ectopic cilia is that it is much harder to diagnose because it is “hidden”. We can see the eyelash but we see the symptoms it’s causing – redness, eye discharge, etc.
Treatment of the Ectopic Cilia is the same as for the two already mentioned issues. It must be surgically removed, or we must regularly apply eye drops to prevent further damage. As always, this is the decision a veterinarian has to make.
Dog Breeds More Affected
Even though any dog can have an issue we talked about – Distichiasis, Trichiasis, or Ectopic Cilia, there are some dog breeds that are more affected than others. This is usually the case with brachycephalic dogs or those with loose skin or lots of facial skin folds, but it’s not always the case.
Some dog breeds are more affected:
- Pug
- Bulldog
- Shar Pei
- Chow Chow
- Lhasa Apso
- Boxer
- Shih Tzu
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Golden Retrievers
- Pekingese
- American Cocker Spaniel
- Chesapeake Retriever
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Boston Terrier
- Dachshund
Final Thoughts
There is no prevention for any of the mentioned Eyelash problems. Dogs may develop the issue, but there are no rules. However, there are those dog breeds I’ve mentioned that have a higher chance of developing either of the three eyelash problems. It doesn’t mean every dog of the breed will have the issues, of course. But, people like to know ‘why’ and understanding that the type of dog’s face could influence their health can ease our minds. The good thing is that, in most cases, these health issues are easily treatable. If we notice a dog’s eye is always red or teary with a discharge, it doesn’t hurt to take it to a vet. The sooner we find the problem, the higher the chances are that it will get solved.
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Cover photo by Marce Sedelmayer
