Why do cocker spaniels have red eyes

Today, she enjoys lounging on the couch with her owners rather than hunting, but squirrels should still be on alert since she enjoys a good chase! Her coat is long and beautiful, but does require frequent grooming. The Cocker Spaniel is a generally healthy breed with an average lifespan of years.

We know that because you care so much about your dog, you want to take good care of her. That is why we have summarized the health concerns we will be discussing with you over the life of your Cocker. By knowing about health concerns specific to Cocker Spaniels, we can tailor a preventive health plan to watch for and hopefully prevent some predictable risks. That does not mean your dog will have these problems; it just means that she is more at risk than other dogs.

We will describe the most common issues seen in Cocker Spaniels to give you an idea of what may come up in her future. This guide contains general health information important to all canines as well as the most important genetic predispositions for Cocker Spaniels. At the end of the article, we have also included a description of what you can do at home to keep your Cocker looking and feeling her best. Unfortunately, your Cocker Spaniel is more likely than other dogs to have problems with her teeth.

Dental disease starts with tartar build-up on the teeth and progresses to infection of the gums and roots of the teeth. In fact, your Cocker Spaniel's lifespan may even be cut short by one to three years! Cocker Spaniels are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections — the same ones that all dogs can get — such as parvo, rabies, and distemper. Many of these infections are preventable through vaccination , which we will recommend based on her age, the diseases we see in our area, and other factors.

Obesity can be a significant health problem in Cocker Spaniels. It is a serious disease that may cause or worsen joint problems, metabolic and digestive disorders, back pain, and heart disease. Instead, give her a hug, brush her fur or teeth, play a game with her, or perhaps take her for a walk.

All kinds of worms and bugs can invade your Cocker's body, inside and out. Everything from fleas and ticks to ear mites can infest her skin and ears. Hookworms, roundworms, heartworms , and whipworms can get into her system in a number of ways: drinking unclean water, walking on contaminated soil, or being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Some of these parasites can be transmitted to you or a family member and are a serious concern for everyone. One of the best things you can do for your Cocker is to have her spayed neutered for males. In females, this means we surgically remove the ovaries and usually the uterus, and in males, it means we surgically remove the testicles.

Spaying or neutering decreases the likelihood of certain types of cancers and eliminates the possibility of your pet becoming pregnant or fathering unwanted puppies. Performing this surgery also gives us a chance, while your pet is under anesthesia, to identify and address some of the diseases your dog is likely to develop. Routine blood testing prior to surgery also helps us to identify and take precautions against common problems that increase anesthetic or surgical risk.

A number of different musculoskeletal problems have been reported in Cocker Spaniels. While it may seem overwhelming, each condition can be diagnosed and treated to prevent undue pain and suffering. With diligent observation at home and knowledge about the diseases that may affect your friend's bones, joints, or muscles, you will be able to take great care of him throughout his life. Your Cocker Spaniel is prone to a chronic liver disease called hepatitis, which can develop around middle age.

We usually diagnose hepatitis with blood testing and liver biopsy, and we can treat it with medication and a special diet. Signs of liver disease do not usually occur until the liver is already significantly damaged or destroyed, so early detection and intervention with routine blood screening are crucial for detecting problems at an early, more treatable stage.

Your Cocker is more likely than other dogs to have a liver disorder called portosystemic shunt PSS. Some of the blood supply that should go to the liver goes around it instead, depriving the liver of the blood flow it needs to grow and function properly. If your friend has PSS, his liver cannot remove toxins from his bloodstream effectively. Surgery may be needed, but in some cases, we can treat with a special diet and medication.

If the immune system destroys red blood cells, your dog quickly becomes anemic, weak, and lethargic. His gums will look whitish or yellow instead of a normal bright pink color. Sometimes an emergency transfusion of red blood cells or platelets is needed. There are several types of inherited bleeding disorders that occur in dogs.

They range in severity from very mild to very severe. Many times a pet seems normal until a serious injury occurs or surgery is performed, and then severe bleeding can result. Not many things have as dramatic an impact on your dog's quality of life as the proper functioning of his eyes. Unfortunately, Cocker Spaniels can inherit or develop a number of different eye conditions, some of which may cause blindness if not treated right away, and most of which can be extremely painful!

We will evaluate his eyes at every examination to look for any signs for concern. Cocker Spaniels are prone to multiple types of heart disease , which can occur both early and later in life.

Veterinary dental care and weight control also go a long way in preventing heart disease. There are three types of seizures in dogs: reactive, secondary, and primary. Reactive seizures are caused by the brain's reaction to a metabolic problem like low blood sugar, organ failure, or a toxin. Secondary seizures are the result of a brain tumor, stroke, or trauma. If no other cause can be found, the disease is called primary or idiopathic epilepsy.

This problem is often an inherited condition, and Cocker Spaniels are commonly afflicted. Conjunctivitis is relatively common in dogs and usually occurs in one eye. The tissue coating the eye becomes inflamed and the eye becomes red.

If your pup has pink eye, bring him to the vet. The vet can determine the actual cause of the problem and prescribe the right treatment. Your dog might need certain medications for inflammation, or he may need an antibiotic ointment if a bacterial infection is present.

In rare cases, your pup might need surgery. If a blocked tear duct causes his issue, your vet will need to remove the blockage. His eyes can become very dry and red. Talk with your vet about your dog's best options and consider if a prescription might be necessary. Glaucoma is a serious issue caused by fluid and pressure build-up in the eye.

If glaucoma is not treated quickly, it can lead to blindness. In some cases, your dog may need surgery or his eye may need to be removed. These ulcers are usually caused by an injury, such as a scratch to the eye. The thin membrane in front of the eye wears away and causes trauma to the eye. If the ulcers are not severe your vet will prescribe antibiotic eye drops and advise that your dog wear an Elizabethan collar to prevent him from pawing at his eye.

For more serious cases, your pup might need surgery or a corneal transplant. In some cases, your pup might wear a soft contact lens over his cornea until it heals. If not addressed quickly, this condition can cause blindness. Your vet will prescribe a combination of antibiotic ointments and drops for the eyes and oral medications. Keep reading, there are products to help, too! Those beautiful Cocker Spaniel eyelashes can also be the source of problems if the dog is affected with distichiasis.

Dye to the direction the eyelashes grow, they may touch the eyeball surface. Due to this and how harsh the contact is, dogs can suffer from any number of conditions including ulcers, abrasions, inflammation, and eye tissue infection. Diagnosis is by examination, sometimes with magnification, fluorescein staining if the cornea, and tear duct assessment to survey for damage. One study in our research reports that English Cocker Spaniels may have a genetic link, although there is no permanent conclusion.

Conservative management includes keeping the eye lubricated or even removal of the portion of the eyelid that is causing the most issue seek a veterinary ophthalmologist for this. Canine electroepilation to destroy the follicles causing the issue can also help.

Our first Cocker had this condition and we treated it with special lubricant with success. Each dog is different. You may not be able to even see the offending lashes. Outward drooping or rolling of the lower eyelid describes ectropion while entropion is when all or part of the upper or lower eyelid turns itself inward.

Both conditions may have a hereditary factor, and most experts agree that breeding of these dogs should be discouraged.

Of the two conditions, ectropion is the more mild one and may be managed and treated with eye drops, unless surgery is needed for ongoing issues. Entropion may be treated with surgery, ointments, and drops. A qualified veterinary ophthalmologist should perform delicate surgeries of this nature since a risk is removing too much tissue and causing ectropion to develop.

If you made it this far, there are three other common eye issues that affect Cocker Spaniels, though there are more. These are the ones we have experienced and seen in our lifelong Cocker Spaniel passion and ownership. Painful and itchy, Cocker Spaniels affected with dry eye need veterinary help.

Dry eye is what it sounds like: a drying of the tears that are needed to lubricate the eye, keep infection away and provide the oxygen and nutrients of the eye.

Without tears, the eye is compromised. The medical term for dry eye is keratoconjunctivitis sicca KCS. Dogs may get KCS from other infections of diseases, as a secondary problem, or from a condition of the tear glands. Even injury can cause dry eye. Diagnosis of dry eye is with the Schirmer tear test, a normal result which merits 15 mm and 25 mm per minute.

Any dog that is under 5 mm per minute is a dog with dry eye. Redness and inflammation are generally present in a dry eye and the eye is itchy. Medications like prednisolone acetate and Atopica may be used until tear function is restored. One more eye disease that has a higher rate in the Cocker Spaniel breed is PRA progressive renal atrophy.

Night blindness and an increase in reflectivity of the retina are two signs of PRA. There is another type of renal atrophy that occurs, called central renal atrophy, but for this article, we are showcasing PRA. Early on, dogs may bump into things. Cataracts can occur in dogs with PRA, so vet ophthalmologists recommend an electroretinogram be done before cataract surgery in Cockers who may be blinded by PRA.

It is not painful. When the mucous membranes of the eyes are inflamed, conjunctivitis occurs. Whenever the suffix -itis appears on a word, it indicates inflammation. Any number of things can cause inflammation of the conjunctivae of the eyes. Things like dust, pollen, airborne irritants, distemper, and even other viral diseases can cause conjunctivitis.

An antibiotic ointment is generally prescribed. If antibiotics do not help, the concern is a Staph infection. Overall prognosis is very good in this condition.

Many dog eyes, including Cocker Spaniel eyes, get tear stains. I keep Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Gel on hand for safe, effective relief for any sort of canine eye irritation or wounds. I like that it is antibiotic-free and nontoxic in eye gel form. It is designed to treat conjunctivitis and secondary bacterial inflammatory conditions of the eye — check with your veterinarian before using. My Cocker Spaniel, Dexter, digs his Doggles , as you can see in the photo below.

For dogs like Cockers who have a history of known eye issues as a breed, seeing a veterinary ophthalmologist for a baseline examination can be helpful. OFA eye exams take place in special clinics, sometimes at a dog show, or even in veterinary offices or with a veterinary ophthalmologist. Our dog, Dexter, went to an eye clinic several years ago as a baseline.

It was held at a local firehouse and a team came through with a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist. With a few droplets of a solution in each eye, a veterinarian will assess if your dog is affected by a number of eye diseases.

For breeders, this is important, as it is for dogs in the show ring. The OFA eye certification exam does not provide complete ocular health assessment, but it does provide a good eye screening exam. The exam is done about a half hour after pupil dilation drops are placed in the eyes. There are foods that your dog can consume for overall good health, and that includes for the eyes.