Dog Eye Ulcer: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options

Eye damage can threaten your dog’s vision. Corneal ulcers can go from not that bad to serious in a surprisingly short amount of time.¹ Unfortunately, dogs will be dogs, so they can’t always be avoided. Learn about corneal ulcers in dogs, including symptoms, treatment options and prevention.

What Are Corneal Ulcers?

A corneal ulcer is a sore on the eye’s cornea that becomes inflamed, making it slow to heal.² The cornea is the thin, transparent membrane covering the front of the eyeball, which is composed of three layers of skin cells:³

• Epithelium. This is the thin outer layer.
• Stroma. This is a thicker layer that supports the shape of the cornea.
• Descemet’s membrane. This deepest layer holds the liquid that covers the pupil and iris.

A scratch or erosion of the epithelium is called a corneal abrasion and tends not to be serious.³ A corneal ulcer penetrates to the stroma layer, where fluid can accumulate, causing the eye to cloud over.

A shallow or superficial ulcer tends to be easily treatable, but a deeper ulcer, or one that is slow to heal, can take more time and attention and is likely due to bacteria getting into the wound. An erosion that reaches through to Descemet’s membrane, however, can be quite serious, possibly resulting in irreversible damage and, in some cases, permanent loss of the eye.⁴

Causes of Corneal Ulcers in Dogs

The most common reason dogs get corneal ulcers is eye trauma or injury, which may have many causes. Some potential causes of ulcer-causing eye injuries include:³

• Cat scratches
• Fighting or playing too roughly with other dogs⁴
• Getting poked in the eye with a sharp object
• Rubbing eyes on the carpet
• Running through the woods or heavy vegetation⁴

Corneal ulcers may also result from eye infections or irritants coming into contact with the eye. Additionally, certain health conditions can cause corneal ulcers. These include:³

• Endocrine disorders such as Cushing’s disease, diabetes or thyroid disease
• Entropion, a condition that causes the eyelid to curl inward, rubbing the lashes against the cornea
• Epithelial dystrophy, an inherited disorder in some dog breeds, such as boxers, that causes the cornea to weaken
• Keratoconjunctivitis, or “dry eye” — a condition that causes reduced tear production

Symptoms of Corneal Ulcers in Dogs

Signs that your dog might have a corneal ulcer can differ somewhat depending on whether the cornea damage is mild or severe. Mild symptoms of a corneal ulcer may look like this:¹

• Eye redness
• Frequent blinking
• Occasional squinting
• Pawing at the eye
• Slight cloudiness
• Tearing up

Symptoms of a more severe ulcer might include:¹

• Blue-white cloudiness
• Keeping the eye closed
• Persistent squinting
• Rubbing face on furniture or carpet
• Yellow or green eye discharge

In advanced cases, you may see a visible depression on the surface of the eye or a bulge where the cornea is weakening. These signs should be treated like an emergency, and a vet should see your dog right away. Even mild corneal ulcers are painful, and they can become infected. So it’s important to see a vet if you notice any of these signs.¹

Diagnosing Corneal Ulcers

If you suspect your dog might have a corneal ulcer, your vet will perform an eye exam. Testing for a corneal ulcer involves placing a drop of an orange stain called fluorescein on the eye, which will stick to any ulcers located on your dog’s eye and turn green.³

While this is usually sufficient to detect the presence of an ulcer, for deep ulcers that are harder to see or for chronic ulcers that keep developing, your vet may collect tissue samples to test for bacteria and to examine them under a microscope.³

The national average cost* of a fluorescein test is $36, and ranges from $28 to $71, depending on your location as well as on the provider.⁵

Treating Your Dog’s Corneal Ulcer

Superficial ulcers typically heal on their own within three to 10 days.⁴ Your vet may provide antibiotic ointment or drops to prevent an infection, as well as oral pain medication or pain-relieving drops.³ Ulcers that are slow to heal may require a minor surgical procedure known as a keratotomy that will aid healing.⁴ Your dog will also need to wear an Elizabethan collar to prevent them from rubbing or scratching the eye while it heals.³

Deeper corneal ulcers require more intensive intervention, which may include both oral and topical antibiotics, as well as medication to slow down the deterioration of the cornea.³ Your vet may create a medicinal serum from your dog’s own blood that can be administered as eye drops to prevent the breakdown of the stroma and aid healing. In severe cases, more intensive surgery may be needed to remove dead tissue and possibly to replace it with a corneal graft.³

The national average cost* of treating a corneal ulcer is $677, ranging from $520 to $1,306, depending on the severity of the ulcer, as well as on your location and which provider you use.⁵

Tips to Prevent Corneal Ulcers in Your Dog

Here are a few things you may do to prevent your dog from getting a corneal ulcer:¹

• Avoid letting your dog play too roughly with other dogs.
• Consider protective doggie glasses or goggles, especially if your pup has eyes that protrude from the skull.
• Follow the treatment regimen for any health conditions your dog has that could cause a corneal ulcer to develop.
• Keep facial hair trimmed around the eyes if you have a long-haired breed.
• Remove thorny plants, low-hanging branches and other potential doggie eye hazards from your yard.
• Steer your dog away from areas with tall grass or brush that could scratch their eyes.
• Visit the vet regularly for checkups, which can help catch any health conditions that could make your pup vulnerable to corneal ulcers.

Acting Quickly to Help Your Dog

Corneal ulcers have the potential to damage your dog’s vision. It’s important to act quickly and see your vet as soon as you notice the symptoms. Swift action to diagnose and treat your pup will improve their chances of recovery and also help them feel better faster.

CareCredit Credit Card Financing for Dogs

The CareCredit credit card provides a convenient way to pay for your pet’s vaccinations and other health and wellness expenses, including exams, medications and products at providers in the CareCredit network.** Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App. You can find a provider on the go, manage your CareCredit account and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos. Use our Acceptance Locator to find a veterinarian that accepts CareCredit to help keep your pet healthy and happy for a lifetime of love.

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Author Bio

Jean Marie Bauhaus is a freelance writer and novelist who has been writing pet content since 2013. Her work has appeared on Forbes.com, Hill’s Pet, Chewy, AKC.org and more.