Twisted eyelids - another pet saved!
Twisting of the eyelids (entropion) is a violation of the anatomically correct fit of the edge of the upper or lower eyelid to the cornea of the eyeball. Most often, in this case, the eyelid touches the cornea with the skin surface and the ciliary edge, eyelashes. It can be one- and two-sided.
There are several degrees of entropion expression:
Excessive tight fit of the eyelid
A volvulus with the touch of the cornea with the palpebral edge of the eyelid, curved at an angle of 90 degrees in relation to the cornea.
A volvulus with skin and hair touching the cornea of the eyelid curved at an angle of 180 degrees in relation to the cornea.
In this case, the animal experiences severe discomfort, rubs its eyes with its paws on surrounding objects. The eye slit looks swollen, narrowed, which further curls the eyelids inward. Mucopurulent discharge is observed. There is practically no opportunity to see the cornea of the eye, since the affected eye is constantly squinted. Often the animal does not open its eyelids at all. In this case, the cornea undergoes significant erosive and ulcerative changes due to constant friction.
Inflammatory processes of the conjunctiva and the previously removed third eyelid predispose to volvulus of the eyelids. Breed predisposition also significantly influences the incidence of disease in dogs and cats. Most often, volvulus of the eyelids is inherent in animals with a significantly pronounced subcutaneous fatty tissue. And also animals with a shortened muzzle and bulging eyes. In addition, animals with almond-shaped eyes and animals with sunken eyeballs as a result of exhaustion, illness or a pathological process in the orbit are predisposed to volvulus of the eyelids.
Diseases such as microphthalmia - congenital underdevelopment of one or more parts of the eyeball, with an abnormally small volume of the latter - sometimes lead to the development of entropion. At the same time, the eyeball may have an extremely low degree of vision or be blind. Often the pathology is bilateral and is often combined with agenesis of the eyelids. Hereditary entropion is present in many breeds. Treatment of volvulus is surgical, which consists in excision / plasty of a skin flap and aligning the edges of the incision in order to give the eyelid the correct position. It is performed under general anesthesia.
The operation of the pet in the photo was successful. You can watch a photo with his owner :)