Cocker spaniels are adorable dogs that are great family pets. But when adding a cocker spaniel to the family, keep in mind of the breed's eye problems. From pink eye to cataracts, cocker spaniels have their share of eye issues. Keeping your pet groomed and cleaned is key to maintaining your dog's health for many years.
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Glaucoma
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Glaucoma is a serious eye conditions that can lead to blindness. Surgery is available to lessen the problem and improve vision. Glaucoma is an increased pressure inside the eye. Treatment of glaucoma includes medication to lower the eye pressure. The medication comes in the form of eye drops or oral medicine. If medicine doesn't work, surgery is an option. Laser surgery or implantation of valves both reduce fluids. Your cocker spaniel must go for checkups every three months to check the status of the glaucoma.
Conjunctivitis
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Conjunctivitis is dog pink eye. As the name indicates, pink eye can be recognized easily by the pronounced pink color of the afflicted dog's eye. The eye will take on the appearance of being severely bloodshot or irritated. Pink eye tends to last for several days to a week or more. Inflammation can cause the eye to swell shut or emit a discharge. Treatment includes using a topical antibiotic. The antibiotic comes in the form of a saline eyewash. Flush the eye several times a day with the antibiotic wash. If there's crust around the affected eye, use a damp cloth to remove it before applying the saline solution.
Cataracts
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Cataracts are formed on the cocker spaniel when the cells and protein of the eye's lens deteriorates. The lens is cloudy, which defines a cataract. Most cataracts are inherited in cocker spaniels. Normally these dogs don't go blind from the disorder. Surgery is a popular treatment of cataracts. In surgery, the lens is destroyed by sound-waves and is removed. An artificial lens replaces the old lens. The surgery takes an hour, and it has a 90 percent success rate.
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