OPTIONS FOR CHRONIC, LOW- GRADE TEARING & TEAR-STAINING TEARING & Depending on your pet’s diagnosis, he or she may benefit from a procedure to correct the 521 Old Great Neck Road, Suite 2 TEAR-STAINING underlying cause of chronic tearing. Virginia Beach, VA 23454 TREATMENT No treatment. Some forms of tear- (757) 749-4838 staining are purely cosmetic and do not Dr. Heather Brookshire, DVM, DACVO necessarily require specific treatment. Visit us online at AnimalVisionCenterVA.com Long-term therapy. Use of an ocular facebook.com/AVCVA lubricant to minimize contact and instagram.com/AVCVA_STAFF irritation of hairs on the surface of the eye may decrease the secondary or reflex increase in tearing and corneal scarring HOURS OF OPERATION that can result over time. Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Cryotherapy. When used to freeze the One Saturday a Month 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. hair follicles, this procedure will allow SUFFOLK CLINIC at THE COVE Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. the abnormal hairs contacting the ocular 6550 Hampton Roads Parkway, Suffolk, VA 23435 surface to be plucked, helping to prevent them from returning. SERVICES WE OFFER . Surgical procedures to alter the shape and conformation of the are other options. These could involve a Complete Exam & medial canthoplasty (most commonly), Diagnosis surgery, opening of the nasolacrimal ducts, and/or removal of a Medical Therapy problematic nasal fold, among others. In more severe cases, surgery is often Surgical Therapy the most successful treatment option as it more permanently addresses the Orthopedic Foundation for underlying problem. Animals (OFA) Eye Exams & Registration

OVER-THE-COUNTER PRODUCTS Genetic Testing for Prevention There are many over-the-counter preparations for tear-staining, including pads, wipes, Free Exams to shampoos, and tetracycline-containing chews Service Dogs and supplements. However, none of these preparations address the underlying cause of the Military, First tearing and tear-staining. Some can be effective Responder, & Senior Citizen Discounts Providing quality in the short-term, but generally require lifelong ophthalmic care therapy to be effective. CareCredit® for animals of all

Financing shapes and sizes Note: Every case of tearing and tear-staining so they can see a may have slightly different causes and therefore Telemedicine & better life different ideal treatment plans. Mobile Consultations

DP0319 ABOUT TEARING & FUNCTION AND WHY DOES MY PET HAVE TEAR-STAINING ANATOMY ? CHRONIC TEARING?

Tearing is due to an overflow of tears, The shape and function of the eyelids, and the While each case of tearing should be evaluated which can result in staining under relationship of the eyelids to the ocular surface, on an individual basis to determine the specific and around the eyes. In addition to play a large role in whether a pet develops a underlying cause and degree of concern, certain visible tears, your pet may show signs problem with chronic tearing. breeds are predisposed to tearing and tear- of squinting, redness or irritation. staining based on the relationship of the eyelids There are many problems that can Eyelid function is three-fold. It protects the to the ocular surface. Check your pet against the cause tearing and tear-staining of the surface of the eye from harmful UV radiation; following breeds to learn more: face. Some of the contributing factors keeps the ocular surface from drying out through Dolichocephalic or long-nosed breeds are due to eyelid conformation, but blinking and the distribution of tears; and (Labradors, Shepherds, Huskies, Retrievers, tearing can also indicate more serious removes foreign debris from the ocular surface. etc.) tend to have a “well-fitting” to eyelid ocular disease. Always ask your family veterinarian Over the years, canine breeding programs have conformation similar to those of their wolf or veterinary ophthalmologist for an evaluation if both intentionally and inadvertently selected ancestors, and generally have minimal problems your pet experiences tearing problems so he or for eyelid conformational changes that differ with tearing. she can be examined thoroughly. from the ancestral or wolf phenotype of dogs. Just look around, and you will see the dramatic Brachycephalic or short-nosed breeds (Pugs, difference in the appearance of the eyes across Shih tzus, Bulldogs, Llasa apsos, Cavalier King various canine breeds. Charles spaniels, etc.) often have very large eyelid openings (euryblepharon) and shallow While this brochure primarily orbits. These features create a large/round-eyed addresses the causes of chronic DISTICHIA ENTROPION appearance, resulting in excessive exposure tearing, it’s important to know of the ocular surface and decreased complete that a sudden increase in tearing blinking (lagophthalmos). When combined can indicate a more significant and with haired skin folds near the eye (nasal folds, vision-threatening underlying disease, brow folds) and/or poor tear quality, this can such as a , glaucoma or result in devastating damage to the eye and the uveitis (inflammation within the eye). If potential for discomfort and blindness through you notice an abrupt change in your pet’s the development of corneal ulcers and excessive tearing, notify your family veterinarian or a scarring and pigmentation of the ocular surface. veterinary ophthalmologist immediately. COMMON CAUSES OF TEARING: DISTICHIA Toy breeds (Toy , Maltese, Havanese, (ABNORMAL EYELID HAIR), ENTROPION Yorkie, Bichon, etc.) frequently have smaller, very (ROLLING IN OF EYELID MARGIN) AND tightly-fitting eyelids that do not allow normal ECTROPION (ROLLING OUT OF EYELID). access to the tear drainage system. Additionally, there is often hair growth on the lacrimal caruncle, a small bit of tissue on inside corner of function protects the eyes from small the eye that allows tears to wick down onto the particles, such as sand, dust and debris, from face from the inside corner of the eye. gaining access to the ocular surface. Function can become problematic, however, when there Giant and hound breeds (Mastiffs, are extra hairs or lashes growing in the wrong Newfoundlands, Great Danes, Bloodhounds, location (distichia, ectopic cilia), or when the Basset hounds, etc.) are prone to have large, eyelid does not rest properly on the ocular floppy eyelids that are not functional in their surface and instead rolls inward (entropion) or ability to distribute tears normally on the ocular outward (ectropion) to allow the hairs to rub surface and often have regions that roll inward or directly on the . This leads to chronic outward (entropion/ectropion) resulting in tears irritation and reflex tearing. spilling onto the face.