Enucleation: Removal of an Eye in Dogs

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Enucleation: Removal of an Eye in Dogs

By: PetPlace Veterinarians

Section: Overview

See Larger Image

Enucleation is the removal of an eye. It is an irreversible method of treating various disorders of the eye. Reasons for enucleation include:

Severe untreatable trauma, such as a perforated or ruptured eyeball

Uncontrollable glaucoma

Infections or inflammation on the surface or within the eye that are unresponsive to therapy

Cancer of the eye

Congenital deformities of the eye

Diseases behind the eye, within the orbit

Diseases within the eye that have the potential to spread to the rest of the body

Enucleation is also reserved as a last option to alleviate the pain associated with any eye problem, especially if the eye is blind and of no use to the animal. Enucleation and blindness are tolerated well by dogs and cats.

Veterinary Care

Prior to enucleation, all medical attempts at saving the eye are usually tried.

With the advances that have taken place over the last 20 years in veterinary ophthalmology, it is now possible to treat successfully many eye diseases that were not treatable before, and in many cases to save the animal's vision.

When cancer is diagnosed in or around the eye, when an eye is blind and persistently painful, or when the cost of treating the eye is too expensive for the owner, enucleation may be chosen as the initial treatment.

Surgical Procedure

There are two surgical options for enucleation:

Removal of all the tissues within the eye socket, including muscles and other tissues, is called an exenteration. This procedure is used primarily for the removal of a cancerous eye mass.

Removal of the eyeball without taking all the surrounding tissue is referred to as an enucleation and is the most commonly performed procedure. After removal of the eye, the eyelid edges are permanently sutured closed. In some instances, a silicone or plastic sphere is inserted into the eye socket (orbit) before the skin is sewn closed. This is done to prevent the skin of the face from sinking into the orbit. It is only performed if there is no chance that infection or cancer was present in the eye or the orbit. Once the hair grows back in the area, the appearance of the dog is usually quite good.

Postoperative Care

After surgery, the incision (suture site) must be protected until healing is complete. The dog may be sent home wearing an Elizabethan collar to prevent rubbing or traumatizing the surgery site. Oral antibiotics may be prescribed if the eye or orbit was infected at the time of surgery. If the animal is painful after the surgery, pain medication may be prescribed for a few days.

There is usually some mild postoperative swelling at the site of the surgery, and if the eye was inflamed prior to surgery, then some bruising may also be noted in the area. If the dog allows it and takes comfort from it, warm wet compresses may be applied to the surgery site twice daily for five minutes. Occasionally the dog may have a little bloody discharge from the nostril on the same side as the surgery. These signs usually resolve within two to four days. The sutures are typically removed in seven to 10 days.

Carefully monitor your pet after the surgery. If there is any sign of persistent swelling, if there is any oozing from the stitches, if the animal acts as if he is not feeling well, then notify your veterinarian. Most animals are fully recovered from the surgery and are acting normal within 48 to 72 hours.

Animals with one eye enucleated do not seem to be handicapped with respect to their vision, their mobility, or their ability to function. Animals with one eye usually behave in a completely normal fashion.

Printable Version

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Share this Article with a Friend Email To:

Have a Pet Question?

Send Your Pet Question to Dr. Jon
and His Staff of Veterinarians

Dr. Jon's Newsletter

Yes! Send Me the Latest Health Information, Pet Tips, Pet Stories and more...

Search Over 15,000 articles

1 Tumors of the Anterior Uvea (Iris and Ciliary Body) in Dogs
Tumors occurring in the anterior uvea may be located within the iris, ciliary body or both. They may originate within the eye (primary tumors) or they may spread to the eye from distant body sites (secondary...
Read More
2 Ocular (Eye) Trauma in Dogs
Ocular trauma is the result of blunt, piercing, pointed or jagged objects inflicted directly to the eye, including cat claw injuries, thorns, branches, writing instruments, or small airborne objects. Ocular...
Read More
3 Glaucoma in Dogs
Inside the normal eye there is constant production and drainage of a watery fluid. When a problem with the drainage of the fluid occurs, the pressure inside of the eye can increase. High pressure causes...
Read More

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

Dogs & Puppies

Dog Breeds

labrador retriever, golden retriever, yorkshire terriers, german shepherds, beagle, boxers

Dog Medication

dog allergy medication, dog pain medication, dog anxiety medication, dog flea medication

Dog Products

dog bowls, dog crates, dog toys, dog beds, dog ramps, dog food storage, dog tags

Dog Symptoms

dog vomiting, dog limping, dog diarrhea, dog bad breath, dog coughing, dog seizures

Dog Health

dog cancer, dog diabetes, dog epilepsy, dog hip dysplasia, dog health, sick dog

Dog Care

dog vaccination, dog microchipping, dog grooming, dog neutering, dog spaying, dogs mating

Dog Training

dog aggression, dog barking, dog chewing, dog behavior, dog jumping, dog whisperer

Dog Pictures

puppy pictures, funny dogs, cute dogs, dog breeds, sleeping dogs, silly dogs, small dogs

Cats

Cat Breeds

persian, siamese cats, devon rex, ragdoll cats, sphynx, maine coon cat

Cat Medication

cat flea medication, cat heartworm control, cat tick medications

Cat Products

cat litter box, cat food, cat bed, cat flea collar, cat carrier, cat urine odor

Cat Symptoms

cat vomiting, cat limping, cat diarrhea, cat bad breath, cat coughing

Cat Health

cat health, cat liver cancer, cat diabetes, cat scratch fever, cat aids, sick cat

Cat Care

cat vaccination, cat grooming, cat microchipping, cat neutering, cat spaying

Cat Behavior

cat urine marking, cat furniture scratching, cat litterbox training, cat toilet training, cat fears

Cat Pictures

cute cats, funny cats, playful cats, fat cats, jumping cats, lazy cats, sleeping cats, cute kittens

1 Glaucoma in Dogs
Inside the normal eye there is constant production and drainage of a watery fluid. When a problem with the drainage of the fluid occurs, the pressure inside of the eye can increase. High pressure causes...
Read More
2 Ocular (Eye) Trauma in Dogs
Ocular trauma is the result of blunt, piercing, pointed or jagged objects inflicted directly to the eye, including cat claw injuries, thorns, branches, writing instruments, or small airborne objects. Ocular...
Read More
3 Tumors of the Anterior Uvea (Iris and Ciliary Body) in Dogs
Tumors occurring in the anterior uvea may be located within the iris, ciliary body or both. They may originate within the eye (primary tumors) or they may spread to the eye from distant body sites (secondary...
Read More

Enucleation: Removal of an Eye in Dogs

Enucleation: Removal of an Eye in Dogs

Related Articles

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles