ENTROPION

Entropion occurs when the eyelids and therefore, the lashes are turned in towards the cornea. The condition is usually inherited and most often seen in the Shar-pei, Chow Chows and Rottweilers but other breeds can be affected. Some dogs may have symptoms as soon as the eyes open but more often the inversion becomes worse as the skin and lids develop.

Clinical signs will depend upon how severe the entropion, or how many lashes are contacting the corneal surface. Tearing, pain, exposure of the third eyelid (a pain response) and keeping the eye more closed will all occur. In advanced cases, conjunctivitis and keratitis will occur. If allowed to persist, permanent damage to the cornea will lead to blindness due to corneal pigmentation and corneal ulceration may badly damage the eye. Diagnosis is based on physical examination.

TREATMENT FOR ENTROPION

In young dogs, a procedure known as "eye tacking" is employed. Sutures are placed in affected lids to reposition the lid margin in an everted manner. Sutures are left in 7-10 days, then removed. Some dogs can be re-sutured several times if unsuccessful. If this fails to train the lids to lie where they should, surgical correction will be needed.

Surgical correction amounts to removing some portion of excess skin and suturing the margins leading to lid reposition. A type of plastic surgery, many different techniques exist, are beyond the scope of this program. The technique chosen should best suit the entropion present, but the experience of the surgeon is most important in producing the most functional and cosmetic results.

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