1. Causes of dry eye disease in dogs:

1. Insufficient tear secretion in dogs. In addition to moistening the cornea and washing away foreign matter, tears also have enzymes and antibodies to prevent the entry of disease sources. If the eyeball loses the infiltration and protection of tears, the cornea will easily become thickened and uneven, and may even develop ulcers or fibrosis. Severe cases can lead to blindness.
2. Certain viral infections such as canine distemper can also cause dry eye syndrome.
3. Certain drugs can also reduce tear secretion.
4. Third eyelid removal can also easily cause dry eye syndrome.
5. Certain breeds of dogs, such as Pekingese and Pug dogs, are prone to the disease.
6. Old animals are more likely to have insufficient tears.

2. Symptoms of dry eye disease in dogs:

1. The dog blinks frequently and scratches its eyes with its forelimbs. The surface of the eyes loses its luster, and the eyes are covered with small, dry and hard eye droppings.
2. In the early stage of the disease, the surface of the eyeball will become cloudy and dry, followed by fibrosis and even blepharospasm.

3. Prevention and treatment measures for canine dry eye disease:

1. Artificial tears can be used for symptomatic treatment. 2. Antibiotic treatment to prevent and treat infection. 3. Inject drugs that stimulate tear secretion.

Drugs that promote the improvement of lacrimal gland function

Among the medications used to treat dry eye in dogs, the most important drug is eye drops that promote the improvement of lacrimal gland function. Drugs that promote and improve lacrimal gland function are divided into several types of eye drops according to their efficacy levels. There is Optimmune eye ointment (Optimmune, Schering Pharmaceuticals, USA) imported from the United States on the market, which can help moderate to mild dry eyes improve the tear secretion function of the lacrimal glands. For dogs with severe dry eye syndrome, usually the lacrimal gland function is severely degraded, so it is necessary to use more powerful imported eye drops to improve lacrimal gland function, and the treatment effect is usually very good.

Artificial tears

Normal tears have multiple functions such as cleaning the eyes, protecting and moisturizing the cornea. When dogs suffer from dry eye syndrome, it will cause dry eyes and discomfort and produce many eye diseases. Therefore, suitable artificial tears are very helpful in moisturizing, cleaning, and protecting the cornea. It can also relieve dry eyes and increase comfort. There are many types of artificial tears, and their composition and moisturizing properties vary greatly. You can ask your veterinary ophthalmologist about the type suitable for your dog's eyes. The ideal artificial tears for dogs with dry eye disease must meet the following conditions:
1. No preservatives: The preservatives in general bottled eye drops are toxic and have a particularly great impact on eyes with dry eye disease because the eyes cannot be cleaned and removed. preservative.
2. Good comfort: Too sticky or allergy-prone ingredients may cause eye discomfort in some animals.
3. Protect and moisturize the corneaLong-lasting effect: Many artificial tear products are lost and excreted very quickly after being instilled in the eyes of dogs. Unless the eyes can be instilled frequently every hour, the effect and significance of protecting and moisturizing the cornea is not great, and the owner cannot There is time to do so. Good artificial tears have good viscosity and surface tension and moisturizing properties, which can increase the coverage time on the surface of the eyeball. An artificial tear with good adhesion to the cornea has a long-lasting effect and does not require frequent eye drops. It can protect and moisturize the cornea throughout the day with only a few eye drops per day.