Treatment for Dogs with Glaucoma

9 mins read
Small old purebred dog of toy terrier breed has problem with partly blind cataract eyes.

If your dog has Glaucoma, that’s not the end, as the availability of the best treatment for dogs with Glaucoma is everywhere. This could be your first time realizing that dogs could be diagnosed with Glaucoma, not just human beings.

Suppose you are researching the best treatment for dogs with Glaucoma via Google search. In that case, you will find that most articles out there contain a lot of medical terminologies that only vet doctors can understand.

We will break them down for you, but you should understand that we are not medical professionals. It is advisable to still seek professional advice from your dog’s veterinary doctor (French bulldog or any other dog breed).

Just like Glaucoma is a disease that can be found in dogs, so also have cataracts. You can read it here and what to do if your dog has cataracts.

Now let’s talk about Glaucoma and the treatments for dogs with Glaucoma. Glaucoma in dogs is called “Canine Glaucoma.” It could be referred to as a group of diseases that affects the optic nerves of dogs. According to Wikipedia, it could also “involve a loss of retinal ganglion cells in a characteristic pattern.”

Dog Glaucoma Symptoms

Most owners cannot detect Glaucoma quickly in their dogs until it is severe. The best way to know is to visit the doctor regularly. You could schedule monthly eye appointments with the pet’s vet doctor and detect Glaucoma in the early stages. Another benefit of these appointments is that in the process of doing so, you can also prevent other ocular diseases that could damage/her eyes.

If canine Glaucoma is in the early stages, you will notice your dog rubbing its eye(s) frequently, which could be painful. The affected eye(s) would be:

  • Cloudy
  • Red
  • Swollen
  • Sore

If you see these symptoms, you should start looking at the best treatment for dogs with Glaucoma with your vet doctor and, in this case, your dog.

treatment for dogs with glaucoma
A small old purebred dog of the toy terrier breed has a problem with partly blind cataract eyes.

Causes of Glaucoma in Dogs: What causes Glaucoma in Dogs?

There are three (3) major causes of Glaucoma in dogs, and they are:

Although many vet doctors would tell you that there are just two (2) causes which are primary and secondary Glaucoma, they are also right, and that doesn’t mean we are wrong.

Congenital Glaucoma

This means that canine Glaucoma is present when a dog is born, but it isn’t present. It usually comes up after a few months. Usually, Glaucoma is present due to a defect in the structure of the eye.

Primary Glaucoma

To determine if a dog has primary Glaucoma, Gonioscopy can be employed to evaluate the iridocorneal angle for Goniodysgenesis (an abnormality of the eye’s anterior chamber).

Secondary Glaucoma

This type of Glaucoma is determined when there is an increase in intraocular pressure due to disease or injury to the eye. Secondary Glaucoma in dogs is curable if the primary ocular disease is treated successfully. 

In layperson’s terms, if the luxated lens of your dog was removed successfully through surgery. As a dog owner, you should know that if unilateral Glaucoma is deemed secondary, the contralateral eye is not necessarily at risk.

Treatment for dogs with Glaucoma would range depending on the type or stage of the disease. At times, the prescribed treatment for dogs with Glaucoma might not be as effective as it is meant to be for several reasons. At that point, you should consult with your vet’s doctor.

Diagnosis of Glaucoma in Dogs (When to know when your dog has Canine Glaucoma)

A dog (any breed) could have Glaucoma when the intraocular pressure is over 25 mmHg. You should be careful if it is over 22 mmHg because it simply means the dog is at a high risk of developing Glaucoma. It is possible to obtain a wrong reading, especially if it is a pup and just squinting. 

You are advised not to diagnose the patient due to the “25 or greater than” numbers but to treat the patient instead. Look at the affected eye(s) and ask yourself, “does this dog have an intraocular pressure of over 25mmHg?” 

It could be another ocular disease causing the reading or the fact that the dog was moving while the reading was ongoing.

You should be aware that if Glaucoma goes untreated, like in humans, it could lead to blindness. This is a result of permanent damage to the optic nerve. Immediately after you see the symptoms, your next step is to look for treatment for dogs with Glaucoma.

Can Glaucoma in Dogs be Treated?

Yes, Glaucoma in dogs can be treated, but the kind of treatment for dogs with Glaucoma differs. All these will depend on various factors such as the cause, stage of the disease, and more. If it has affected the dog’s eye so badly, the possible treatment would be surgery.

What Happens if you Don’t Treat Glaucoma in Dogs?

It will lead to permanent blindness in the affected eye(s).

Is a dog with Glaucoma in pain?

Yes, a dog with Glaucoma is in actual pain, but it is difficult to detect, but not impossible. As a dog owner, you’d have to pay attention to your pet to know if it has Glaucoma, especially in its early stages. You should always pay good attention to your dog so that even if they have Glaucoma, you can detect it early and get more options when looking for the best treatment for dogs with Glaucoma.

Can a Dog Live with Glaucoma?

This depends on the stage where the Glaucoma is. If it is detected early, it could be treated medically or surgically. If a pet owner detected this late and has reached a point whereby it is extremely painful for the dog, putting down the dog should be considered.

What is the Best Treatment for Glaucoma?

There is no best treatment for dogs with Glaucoma, and you must discuss all the available options with the vet doctor.

You must note that we can’t advise you to try various treatments for your dog. A medical professional would first have to look at the affected eye(s) and decide the best treatment for dogs with Glaucoma, but in this case, your dog.

It is important to note that The French Bulldoger or Adebanjo Media LLC (its parent organization) are not medical experts. You can cross-check with your doctor if you doubt any medical-related facts in this post or on this website.

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