Canine Eye Socket Diseases

In veterinary medicine, the term "eye socket" can refer to the orbital bone as well as the contents of the socket--the eye, nerves and other tissues. The anatomy of the eye socket varies across breeds of dogs. Anatomical characteristics, such as size and shape of the eye socket, automatically predispose some breeds to orbital diseases. Causes of eye-socket diseases include immune system responses, inherited conditions, trauma, inflammation and cancer.

  1. Glaucoma

    • The eyeball of the dog naturally produces liquid that drains away through the nasal canal. When a dog suffers from glaucoma, the liquid does not drain away properly. The improper drainage results in increased fluid pressure within the eyeball. The increased fluid pressure can cause enlargement of the eyeball, distortion in its shape and blindness, according to Dr. Terri L. McCalla at Animal Eye Care in Bellingham, Washington.

      Glaucoma can be hereditary, or it can manifest when the eye is afflicted with cancer, inflammation, cataracts or trauma-induced retinal detachment. A veterinarian can determine the exact cause of the disease. When glaucoma is caught early enough, it can be treated with eye drops, and the eye can be saved. Advanced glaucoma often requires surgical removal of the eye.

    Zygomatic Salivary Gland Disease

    • Zygomatic salivary gland disease occurs when the gland becomes inflamed or infected and presses into the eye socket. A tumor of the salivary gland can place pressure on the eye socket that causes the eyeball to protrude or to sink inward. In addition, a tooth abscess can cause the salivary gland to enlarge and distort the eye socket. The infection can even spread to the orbital bone and cause severe pain for the dog. In this case, treatment involves removing the infected tooth, placing a drain into the dog's mouth to drain off the fluid, and the administration of antibiotics.

      A veterinarian must determine the underlying cause of zygomatic salivary gland disease before treatment can begin. The dog may require surgery to remove the infected gland and thus restore the eye socket to its normal size. If the eye socket is damaged from the infection, the veterinarian may have to use tissue and bone grafts to replace destroyed areas.

    Orbital Neoplasia

    • Orbital neoplasia is normally a slow-growing cancer that shows very few symptoms until fully advanced. The advanced state of the malignancy upon diagnosis makes prognosis poor, according to Dr. David T. Ramsey of Michigan State University's Veterinary Medical Center.

      Symptoms include eyeball protrusion, pain when opening the mouth, fever, loss of vision, redness and a distorted socket shape. The cancer tends to affect younger dogs, with an average age of around 8 years old upon diagnosis.

      Diagnosis is made by ultrasound and a needle biopsy of the affected area. If the cancer appears to be confined only to the eye socket and there is no indication of metastasis to other areas of the body or skull, surgery is the usual method of treatment. The dog may have to undergo complete removal of the eyeball, supporting tissue, orbital bone and nerves in the area.

    Horner's Syndrome

    • In this disease, the eyes often move backward into the socket . One or both eyelids may begin to droop. The eyelids may turn inward and irritate the eye. Facial muscles may begin to atrophy due to varying degrees of paralysis. Horner's Syndrome is caused by injury, inflammation or malignancy within the dog's brain, ears or spinal cord. Treatment involves relieving the symptoms with eye drops and then treating the underlying cause of the disease. The condition may be resolved in six to eight weeks with medical treatment if the dog is not suffering from a malignancy.