Scratches and abrasions on the cornea of a dog's eye can occur in healthy, active animals. These minor scrapes and scratches usually heal quickly; however, older dogs may develop a more serious erosion of the cornea called an ulcer. If not treated properly, these ulcers can pose a risk to the dog's eyesight.
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Identification
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A corneal ulcerative lesion is an ulcer that develops on the cornea of the dog's eye. These lesions cause the dog to rub the eye, which makes it more painful and worsens the condition.
Causes
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Some of the most common causes of corneal ulcerative lesions in dogs are bacterial infections, scratches, insect bites and fungal infections.
Symptoms
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The symptoms of an ulcer on a dog's cornea are pawing at the eye, squinting and a discharge of the eye. Large corneal ulcers can cause the dog's entire cornea to swell and the cornea may turn white.
Diagnosis
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There are several tests veterinarians use to diagnose a corneal ulcerative lesion. These may include a fluorescein dye test, a shimmer tear test and an intra-occular pressure test.
Considerations
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A corneal ulcerative lesion is graded according to its depth. If only the outer layer of the cornea is affected, then it is labeled a superficial corneal ulcer. If more than half of the thickness of the cornea is affected, then it is called a deep corneal ulcer. Superficial ulcers heal rather quickly, usually in days. A deep ulcer may take as long as several weeks to heal.
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