Conjunctivitis inflammation

Conjunctivitis or conjunctiva inflammation

What is it?
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the eye’s conjunctiva. This is the lining of the eye lids. With most pet types you can observe a ‘third” eye lid, in the inner corner of both eyes (the “nictitating membrane). This also consists of conjunctiva and therefore is also a part of the conjunctiva’s inflammation.

What do we see?
Characteristics of an inflammation are: swelling, redness, warmth and pain. In case of conjunctivitis the conjunctiva gets red, swollen and sometimes painful and itchy (figure 1). Often, pus comes out of the eye. Sometimes the animals rub with their paws over their eyes or with their head along objects like for example a mat. If it concerns a painful inflammation the animals will partially or fully squeeze the eye.

How does it exist?
Our skin and therefore the eyes’ conjunctivas is a natural barrier against penetrating pathogenic organisms like bacteriums and viruses. Pathogenic organisms can end up on the eyes. If the patient has a reduced resistance or wounds, they cause problems. The pathogenic organisms get the chance to “attack” and can make the patient ill. In case of reduced or changed resistance a conjunctiva reaction might also occur due to an invasion of pathogenic organisms, or sometimes even due to something you react allergic to (clumps, scales, pollen and so on (see figure).

Not every “red” eye is an inflammation!
In case of complaints which are more serious than a simple conjunctivitis we first notice conjunctivitis symptoms (swell, flood of tears, redness, and pain). However, in case of damage to the cornea or even to much deeper parts of the eyes giving a salve or drop isn’t sufficient. In case of glaucoma, a very threatening increased eyeball pressure, the dog will first have only some red conjunctivas. This is however an emergency!

When must you see the veterinarian?
It shows that every eye deviation must be judged by a veterinarian. It is often hard to make the right diagnosis, and you certainly need knowledge in order to do so. Some eye diseases start innocent but have a very fast and serious course. Consider that you only have 2 eyes. You need to remember the following points:

•  Squeezing one eye
•  Rubbing over the eye or along objects
•  Red, swollen conjunctivas
•  Blood vessel which runs over the cornea
•  More tears than before
•  Pus coming out of the eye
•  Scabs in the corner of the eyes or on the eye lids
•  Thick eye lids
•  Mist on the cornea
•  Being photophobic
•  Reduced sight
•  Rounder eyes than normal

In case of above mentioned points you must call the veterinarian. A scratch over the eye or a thorn in the eyeball is an emergency!! 

A decent eye check examines the eyeball, the eye lids and the inside of the nictitating membrane, a measurement of the tear production (Schirmer Tear Test; with help of a couple of simple paper strips) and a fluorescing coloring in order to check a damage of the cornea. 

Treatment of conjunctivitis
As mentioned, there are more causes for having conjunctivitis. Most types can be solved with either antibiotics or a combination of antibiotics with corticosteroids. Corticosteroids may only be administered after a veterinarian has diagnosed by means of fluorescing coloring that the cornea hasn’t been damaged. Almost all eye means are available as salve or as drop. In case of extreme pus in the eyes, they should be cleaned prior to administering the medicines, for example with a physiological solution.

Salves are administered by placing a line of salve on the eyeball; the hand with the tube leans on the patient’s head: if the head suddenly moves, your hand will follow the movement and you will not prick him/her in the eyeball. Drops must fall, keeping the head up and keeping the lowest eye lid wide open. If the drop hangs on the spout of the bottle and also touches the eye, the contents of the bottle get infected. Most salves and drops must be administered as much as possible but at least 5x a day. The reason is that the contact time of the product with the eye is very short. An opened package isn’t usually perishable a month. On the package you can read how you should keep the product.