Hello Dr. Kraemer 🩺 💉🦴 , I’m writing about my bulldog puppy, Jasmin. She’s been blinking more frequently, and her left eye appears puffy, painfully spasmatic, and watery 👀. We’ve previously addressed entropion in her other eye, but could this be connected?
We don’t trust any other vet when it comes to our Jaz! 🐾👀 #JuzTheFrenchie #entropionpain #PainFullEye” ❤️
Thank you! 😊
Entropion is a common condition in bulldogs and French bulldogs that causes an inward rolling of the eyelid edges. The amount of skin and wrinkles covering your bulldog’s head and face region, as well as the weight of the folds, determine the severity of the entropion.
Bulldog Entropion 5 X MUST KNOW
- Primary entropion is inherited, typically as a result of selective breeding for flat faces and associated skinfolds.
- The most common cause of secondary entropion is painful eyelid spasms that are linked to malformed eyelashes and ulcers. Timely
- To avoid permanent corneal injuries and vision impairment, timely repair is critical.
- Bulldog entropion is usually treated with temporary staples or with permanent blepharoplasty surgery.
- Prevention includes Dr. Kraemer’s Eyes and Eyelid Care Bundles
Members of this bulldog community prefer prevention over RX
Bulldog Entropion/AGE:
Entropion is one of the most common eye problems in bulldogs, and it is often present at a young age while they are growing, but it can also be acquired later in adulthood.
Entropion can affect both the lower lid and the upper lid
WARNING PUPPIES:
If your young puppy has not opened their eyes after a few weeks of age, the puppy’s eyes should be evaluated for entropion.
WARNING TIMING:
If you suspect that your bulldog puppy is suffering from entropion, see your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Avoiding delays can help prevent costly corneal damage and potential vision loss.
Bulldog Entropion Types:
There are two types of entropion:
- primary
- secondary
Primary Bulldog Entropion
Primary entropion is genetic (inherited), mostly due to the breed’s brachycephalic (smooshed face) anatomy and associated redundant skinfold
The amount of skin and wrinkles covering your bulldog’s head and face region, as well as the weight of the folds, determine the severity of the entropion.
WARNING BREEDING:
Due to the inherent underlying cause, those bulldogs should not be used for breeding
Secondary Bulldog Entropion
Secondary entropion is the inward rolling of the eyelids due to spasmatic pain.
Examples of eye problems that lead to painful spasms are:
- Eyelash problems
- Distichiasis,
- Trichiasis
- Ectopic Cilia
- Corneal ulcers
- Other defects
Entropion, eyelash issues, and corneal ulcers frequently manifest simultaneously.
Entropion in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs PAIN WARNING
Both primary and secondary entropion can cause excruciating pain.
There are two typical causes:
- Contact between the eyeball (cornea), the eyelid, and its associated eyelashes
- The second type is corneal ulceration caused by contact
The pain aggravates the eyelid muscle spasm, which causes a more severe inward roll-in, which exasperates the pain and thus aggravates the spasm and inward rotation of the eyelid (entropion).
Entropion in Bulldogs / PRESENTATION:
- Closed-shut lids
- Intense squinting and blinking
- Limited vision
- Obvious pain and discomfort
- Pawing and rubbing at the eyes
- Eye discharge
- Swollen eyelids
Entropion in Bulldogs / DIAGNOSIS
Eye Exam (ocular examination): check for
- Abnormal eyelashes
- Corneal ulcers
- Other deformities and abnormalities
EXAM REQURIMENTS:
- Magnification (high power glasses)
- Bright Illumination
- Topical Opthalmic Anesthetics: relive pain and spasm
Cornea Fluorcein Dye: testing for a corneal ulcer
Schimmer Tear Test: checking tear production and KCS
TIMING WARNING:
Timing of the ocular exam and treatment is critical, the longer the wait the more intense the pain becomes and the higher the chances for serious corneal injuries, scarring and even sight loss and blindness
Secondary Bulldog Entropion / PREVENT & TREAT
Identifying and treating the underlying problem, such as eyelash abnormalities and corneal ulcers, usually relieves the spasmatic eyelid and, therefore, the inner rotation.
- Pain medication
- Topical eye drops
- Anti Spasmatic
- Lubricant
- Antibiotics
- Serum (some type of ulcer)
- Pain relief
- E-Cone (protective buster collar)
- Temporary entropion surgery
Secondary entropion typically does not require entropion blepharoplasty surgery; instead, temporary entropion is sufficient to relieve the spasm and enhance access to corneal ulcers and ingrowing eyelashes.
Bulldog Therapeutics
- V4B Bully Comfort & AcheLess
- V4B Bully Fish Oil EFA
- V4B Bully Antiseptic Skinfold Wipes:
Bulldog Primary Entropion / PREVENT & TREAT
See Secondary Entropion for topical and systemic medication
Blepharoplasty Surgery Entropion Correction
Primary entropion requires surgery correction in addition to topical and systemic pain relief medications.
The goal of the surgery is to remove skin in the shape of a crescent to allow stretching upward (upper eyelid) or downward (lower eyelid).
Entropion Surgery Suture Material:
I recommend soft, non-irritating sutures that dissolve quickly.
- When suture removal is due, it will reduce stress and unintended injuries to the patient and medical team.
- It will also eliminate the need for sedation in noncompliant patients, as well as the risks and costs associated with it.
- Itching, inflammation, and allergic reactions to suture materials are less likely with these types of suture materials.
WHAT IS TEMPORARY ENTROPION?
Temporary entropion ideally is done with surgical stapling; the benefits are
- It does not require anesthesia
- It does not require surgical expertise
- It takes only a few seconds
Secondary entropion is ideal for:
- Growing puppies
- Anesthetic-risk patients
- Secondary Entropion
- Primary Entropion: as “first aid” to relieve pain and prevent progression till surgery can be scheduled
WHAT IS ECTROPION?
Ectropion is an entropion overcorrection characterized by an excessive outward roll of the eyelid.
Ectropion interferes with normal blinking and tear distribution, resulting in dry eyes (KCS).
WARNING
Ectropion correction is challenging and necessitates surgical expertise. Additionally, it might need permanent artificial tear placement.
Therefore it is critical that an experienced surgeon perform the entropion blepharoplasty surgery
Entropion Bulldog Dr. Kraemer’s Rule of Thumb:
Bulldog entropion frequently manifests as abrupt squinting along with red, watery eyes, which is a sign of a developing corneal ulcer and needs immediate attention. I advise you to get veterinary care as soon as you can.
Entropion in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs / PROGNOSIS
For both primary and secondary entropion, the prognosis is good if the problem is identified and treated early and the cornea has not sustained any damage.
If the cornea has been affected ulcered and scarred, vision might be permanently impaired and in a severe case such as perforated corneal your bulldog might lose his/her eye.
Selective breeding may have simply exaggerated entropion in breeds that were already prone to it. We do not recommend breeding a bulldog who has had entropion.
Bulldog Entropion Dr. Kraemer’s Tips & Warnings
Bulldog Entropion PUPPIES TIP:
Entropion in bulldogs and French bulldogs can happen at any age. to avoid the risk associated with anesthesia in young bulldog puppies, I will typically delay the surgical correction until the dog is more fully grown. Instead, I will place a temporary suture with only light sedation to evert the eyelids as a temporary fix.
Entropion in Bulldogs VISION LOSS WARNING:
Injury to the cornea due to entropion can lead to partial or complete loss of vision.
Entropion in Bulldogs E-CONE:
Place a buster collar on the head as soon as you become aware of an eyelid, entropion, or corneal problem. The pain of the ulcerated cornea can lead to pawing and rubbing, inflicting additional trauma.
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