Diseases of the lacrimal apparatus. Veterinary services: ophthalmology

Eye diseases in cats are as common as in other animals and even in humans. Pets get sick just like their owners. And if the content is not at the proper level, then health problems only increase. It would seem like a simple draft, just to quickly ventilate the room. And then bam! The cat has tears, a runny nose, she is sneezing and snorting. Stop! Let's figure out what eye diseases exist in cats, how to identify their symptoms and treat your pet correctly.

• Inflammatory
• Non-inflammatory

TO inflammatory diseases eyes in cats include conjunctivitis, keratitis, keratoconjunctivitis, iritis, inflammation of the nasolacrimal duct (yes, we must not forget that eye diseases in cats also include problems with the duct, orbit and other tissues surrounding the eye), blepharitis, panophthalmitis and others.

Non-inflammatory ones include bruises (and other injuries), a foreign body in the eye, entropion of the eyelid, prolapse eyeball, cataracts, glaucoma and others.

The course can be subacute, acute, chronic. And the symptoms of eye disease in cats do not disappear over time, but only fade a little. But this only increases the risk that the animal vision will decrease or other health problems will appear (especially if the cause of the cat’s eye disease is an infection).

Eye diseases in cats are primary and secondary. Primary is when the changes that have occurred in the eyes are the underlying disease. Secondary is when problems with the “mirrors of the soul” have already appeared due to a more serious health problem (for example, infectious disease), then we can safely say that conjunctivitis is one of the symptoms. And in order to cure a pet, it is necessary to fight not the clinical sign, but the disease itself. In any case, you cannot do without consulting a veterinarian.

Now let’s briefly go over the main eye diseases in cats.

Types, symptoms and treatment

Below is a classification of eye diseases in cats, symptoms characteristic of each disease, as well as approximate diagram treatment.

Conjunctivitis

- perhaps the most common eye disease.

Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyelids is called conjunctivitis. There are many types of it:

• Catarrhal;
• Purulent;
• Ulcerative;
• Follicular.

Reasons for the appearance of this inflammation plenty. The most common ones are a foreign body getting into the eye (grains of sand or hair, for example), vitamin deficiency, injuries, infections. In babies (especially kittens), inflammation from the nasal cavity (a seemingly harmless runny nose) quickly spreads to the eyes. Therefore, not only rhinitis is recorded in them, but also inflammation of the nasolacrimal duct and purulent conjunctivitis.

When an animal has conjunctivitis, the mucous membrane of the eyelids turns red, swells, and tears flow. Pus may also appear (but not immediately; first, catarrhal conjunctivitis, which, depending on the cause of its appearance, gradually or extremely quickly “turns” into purulent).

The first step is to determine what caused this inflammation? If it is a foreign body, then you just need to rinse the eye and, to prevent complications, apply tetracycline eye ointment to the lower eyelid a couple of times a day (eye ointment is always 1%!). You can purchase it either at a veterinary pharmacy or at a human pharmacy. This is not a scarce medicine at all and costs a penny. It is best if you always have it in your first aid kit.

Just don’t apply it to your finger and then to your eye. So still more risk that you will get an infection (your hands are not sterile, no matter how much you wash them at home laundry soap). And you don’t need to touch the “nose” of the tube to the lower eyelid, so as not to introduce pathogenic microorganisms into the tube of ointment.

So, the next time you apply it (even if not for tomorrow), you will introduce pathogens directly to the inflamed area. And instead of treating conjunctivitis in a cat or dog, it will become over-infected.

However, you should not self-medicate as soon as you see tears in your cat or whitish crusts in the inner corner of the eyes. Firstly, this way you can only “drown out” the symptom, while the underlying disease will rage with all its might. Secondly, you may not guess with the dosage or even the drug, which will lead to the transition to catarrhal acute inflammation mucous membrane of the eyelid into chronic, but already purulent or follicular. Clinical signs conjunctivitis in a cat or dog will subside, but will not disappear. And this will certainly affect visual acuity. Symptoms of purulent conjunctivitis in addition to yellow crusts in the morning after sleep or obvious yellow (or even greenish) discharge causes an increase in body temperature. This is understandable.

Any purulent inflammation, even the smallest localization, indicates the presence of infection!

And the clinical sign of such a pathology will be an increase in temperature. But whether it will increase only in the affected area of ​​the body or in the entire body immediately depends on the state of your pet’s immunity. the weaker it is, the higher the temperature.

Now about follicular conjunctivitis. Everything is much more complicated here. A simple tetracycline ointment or intramuscular antibiotics is not enough. The fact is that near the third eyelid (and it is located in the inner corner, this normally pink “skin”) the lymph nodes become inflamed. they enlarge, swell, and prevent the animal from blinking. It cannot be done without surgical intervention by a veterinarian. After the operation, the doctor will prescribe ointments and injections.

Keratitis

We’ve sorted out the inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyelids, but what is the name for damage to the cornea in cats? Keratitis. It doesn't matter whether it was caused by injury or infection. It would seem, how can one examine some kind of pathology on a transparent cornea, especially if the pet blinks or does not even want to open its eyes because it hurts? But some symptoms will still help you recognize keratitis in a cat.

This is lacrimation. With keratitis, tears flow constantly and in large quantities from the affected eye. It’s as if the body is trying to “wash out” the lesion. The mustache will try to keep this eye closed, and if it is very bright in the room (or on the street), it will close its eyes completely. This is called photophobia.

Agree, this is very difficult not to notice. You can determine whether an infectious disease is the root cause of keratitis yourself. If pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, viruses) are to blame, then both eyes almost always immediately suffer. With fungi it is more complicated; they do not immediately move to the second organ of vision. However, in any case, contact veterinary care needed as soon as possible.

Without treatment, in almost 100% of cases, conjunctivitis is added to keratitis (since there are plenty of microorganisms in the air) and the pet already has another disease - keratoconjunctivitis.

That is, in addition to lacrimation and photophobia, clinical signs characteristic of inflammation of the eyelid mucosa also appear. Pus begins to come out very quickly.

If the cause of keratitis in a cat was not a wound (a scratch on the cornea can also appear from a foreign body under the eyelid, after a fight), then the transparent membrane of the eye ceases to shine, becomes cloudy, and discharge (often purulent) accumulates in the corner of the eye.

Third eyelid

The nictitating membrane in cats is a unique protective “device” provided by nature. If you are planning to treat a cat’s eye disease – prolapse of the third eyelid, then first find out about the functions of this amazing feature. By using nictitating membrane eyes are always protected from application various damages and contact with the cornea. The so-called third eyelid can be seen with the naked eye. This white film in cats it is the thinnest layer light skin, located near inner corner eyes.

membrane ( inner eyelid) helps maintain the health of the mucous surface of the eyes. In addition to cats, some other mammals and birds are endowed with a similar protective organ.

Eye disease in cats - third eyelid: loss is manifested by the following signs:

• uncontrollable spasms of the orbicularis oculi muscle (twitching and closing of the eyelids);
• increased lacrimation and redness around the eye;
• purulent or mucous discharge;
• massive formation in the corners of the eyes.

This pathology is similar to adenoma. It is very important to distinguish between these eye diseases in cats, the treatment of which, if misdiagnosed, can provoke the development dangerous illness– keratoconjunctivitis, from which the pet cannot be completely cured.

If the white film does not disappear, it’s time to contact the veterinarian. A timely detected symptom and immediate treatment will help save your pet’s vision, save it from developing any disease, and maybe even protect it from death.

In a situation where the third eyelid is visible only in one eye, it is recommended to check the cat for the presence of pathologies such as:

• hit foreign object under the nictitating membrane;
• traumatic injuries to the white membrane, cornea, cartilage or facial nerve;
• symblepharon;
• bacterial inflammation of the membrane.

It should be taken into account that membrane prolapse can occur in both eyes. The reasons for such a violation may be:

• bilateral conjunctivitis;
• fusion of part of the third eyelid with the eyeball;
• helminthiasis

Remember that a treatment regimen for cats’ eyes can only be selected and prescribed by a specialist with a veterinary education. Under no circumstances should you prescribe medication on your own, much less use eye drops and ointments intended for human use. The only thing you can do at home is to rinse your eyes with warm boiled water or chamomile decoction.

Sometimes a fallen membrane will repair itself within a few hours. If this does not happen, you will have to resort to surgery.

Blepharitis

Simply called inflammation of the eyelid. Blepharitis is also classified into “simple”, ulcerative, scaly, and meibomian. If you don’t notice in time that the eyelid is red, swollen, and prevents the cat from opening its eyes, then you may not have time to start treatment in time.

Without a competent treatment regimen, “simple” blepharitis can easily and quickly turn into ulcerative blepharitis. First, a purulent plaque forms along the line of growth of the cilia, and under the plaque (more precisely, when it begins to fall off), ulcers begin to appear. It’s much more difficult to fight him.

The pet tries to scratch the eye, which can lead to injury, since clawed paws can easily injure the cornea or the same inflamed eyelid. As the purulent plaque and sores spread, blepharitis in a cat leads to loss of eyelashes. There is a high risk that the disease will “spread” to the conjunctiva, to the eye itself, which will lead to the development of a completely different disease - panophthalmitis. And here you have to act very quickly if you don’t want your a pet left without an eye.

Panophthalmitis

It is registered extremely rarely, but similar cases are still observed. Very serious illness, since it is characterized by damage to all tissues of the eye. The symptoms of panophthalmitis are the same in cats and dogs. First, the affected eyeball noticeably increases in size, and purulent discharge appears (panophthalmitis always occurs due to infection, hence the pus).

Unfortunately, the animal will not be able to save its eye. To prevent the infection from spreading to the brain, the diseased organ of vision is completely removed and the eyelids are sutured. To prevent this from happening, do not give up on profuse lacrimation in a pet (even if this is a predisposition of the breed), do not spit on the crusts of pus in the corners of the eyes or on the fur under them.

As soon as something alerts you, or you notice a symptom, immediately contact your veterinarian-ophthalmologist. There is no need to rinse with decoctions, drip antibiotics, or smear everything. This will only “muffle” the clinical signs, making it difficult to make a final diagnosis. And this will affect the development of a treatment regimen. Without it, your pet's recovery is impossible.

Cataract

When the lens becomes cloudy. It is more often registered in older pets, however, it can also develop in young kittens if the cause is an infection. The main symptom you may notice is blurred vision. The animal bumps into objects, walks carefully, slowly, and is poorly oriented in space, especially in new terrain.

Having established the cause of the disease, the veterinarian-ophthalmologist will prescribe drug treatment. Only if it does not help will surgery be prescribed. Self-medication is extremely dangerous. First, the animal may lose vision in that eye completely. Secondly, if the cause was an infection, then panophthalmitis, which was described above, may develop.

Inflammation of the nasolacrimal ducts

Another common eye disease in cats and kittens. It occurs due to the fact that the tubules that “connect the eye and nose” (to explain as simply as possible) become clogged. Many people had no idea about the presence of such tubules. But if you remember crying man, you probably noticed that it was flowing not only from the eyes, but also from the nose.

The symptom is excessive lacrimation. It can be mistaken for a sign of keratitis or conjunctivitis because of this, but no ointment will help. The only way to help an animal is by probing. Yes, it is very painful, but after the procedure the cat immediately feels better. Literally without leaving the veterinarian's office, your pet will feel relief.

More antibiotics will be prescribed to prevent the development of infection. But usually after a week they are canceled, and the cat is re-examined. And if everything is fine, then the mustache is considered recovered.

Wounds of the eyelids

They can be superficial (when there is only a scratch), deep (when several layers of skin are damaged) and through (the eyelid is completely damaged). Cats injure their eyelids much more often than dogs, especially fighters.

If the wound is superficial, then it will need to be washed and treated with an antiseptic (at least with iodine, but only if the wound is outside the eyelid!). if it is deep or through, then only to the veterinarian. It will be necessary to thoroughly treat it, remove all foreign particles from the wound cavity, and also apply sutures. If the wound is through, then you need to make sure that the cornea is not injured.

Turn of the century

Most often, the lower eyelid is rolled up. At the same time, its edge bends inward (towards the cornea), this is not just uncomfortable. This is very painful. Don't forget about the hard cilia that rub against the conjunctiva and cornea. As a result, chronic keratoconjunctivitis can easily develop due to volvulus (volvulus is less common in cats). It will only help surgical intervention because it is often congenital pathology. The operation is not very complicated, but effective. The volvulus is eliminated once and for all.

There are three types of glaucoma in cats: congenital, open-angle and closed-angle. With this disease, the animal's intraocular pressure increases. A symptom of glaucoma that the owner may notice is a greatly dilated pupil. The vessels cannot withstand the pressure, so they burst. And areas of hemorrhage are visible both on the conjunctiva and on the eye itself. The apple increases in size and becomes very hard (the pressure inside goes off scale).

With open-angle glaucoma, areas of cloudiness are noticeable on the cornea, it is practically insensitive, that is, the reflex weakens. With angle-closure glaucoma, a ring-shaped closed opacification of the cornea is noticeable on the cat’s cornea, as well as a strong branching of burst or dilated blood vessels.

High intraocular pressure in a cat affects not only visual acuity, but also general health. It's very painful and there's no help veterinarian(an ophthalmologist ideally) is indispensable here. The veterinarian will determine the cause. In some cases, medications that dilate the pupil help. But if the cause of glaucoma in a cat or dog is associated with lens luxation, then surgical intervention is necessary.

This is only a small part of eye diseases in cats. There are so many types of injuries, burns, inflammatory processes. It’s impossible to talk about everything at once in one article.

Still have questions? You can ask them to our site's in-house veterinarian in the comment box below, who as soon as possible will answer them.

Based on materials from www.merckmanuals.com

The lacrimal gland, located in the upper part of the outer corner of the eye, produces the water component of tears. The nasolacrimal duct system allows tear fluid to drain from the eye into the nose. Disturbances in the functioning of these structures can lead to either excessive moisture in the eye or dryness. Diseases, causing disturbances, can be either congenital (present from birth) or develop due to infections, foreign objects or trauma.

Diseases of the nasal cavity and tear ducts are observed less frequently in cats than, for example, in dogs. However, some diseases sometimes still affect them.

Dacryocystitis in cats.

Dacryocystitis(inflammation of the lacrimal sac) is rare in cats. Usually the cause is obstruction of the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal ducts due to contamination, foreign objects, or compression. This leads to tearing, treatment-resistant conjunctivitis, and sometimes the formation of a drainage hole in the middle of the lower eyelid.

If a blocked duct is suspected, the veterinarian may try to unblock it by flushing with sterile water or saline solution. In case of long-term obstruction, an X-ray of the skull with the introduction of a special dye into the ducts can be used to determine the position, causes and methods of treatment. Treatment usually involves keeping the ducts open and putting antibiotic medications in the eyes. If your tear ducts are permanently damaged, you may need to surgery to create new pathways for tears to drain into nasal cavity, sinus or mouth of a cat.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca in cats.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca(Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, dry eye syndrome) is a disease that develops with insufficient tear production. Often causes persistent mucus discharge, purulent conjunctivitis and the formation of slow-healing ulcers and scars on the cornea. Dry eye – rarely seen in cats, usually associated with long-term infection with feline herpesvirus. Treatment is carried out with ointments with artificial tears, and, if there is no damage to the cornea, with drugs containing steroids. If keratoconjunctivitis sicca does not respond drug therapy, treatment may require surgery.

One of the common reasons for visiting an ophthalmologist is often characterized by the owner as “running eyes.”

Lacrimation (epiphora) – pathological condition, in which a tear comes out of the conjunctival sac onto the outer surface of the eyelid, accompanied by moistening of the skin and hair around the eye. When a tear dries, it becomes brown or reddish in color, which may for a long time remain on the wool.

Excessive tear production in cats it occurs as a response defensive reaction for eye irritation by something.

Mechanical irritants: improperly growing eyelashes - a rare pathology in cats, foreign bodies in the conjunctival sac, hair from the eyelid when turning the eyelid.

Turning of the eyelids - common pathology in cats of certain breeds (Maine Coon, British, Sphynx), this condition is painful due to contact of the hair and skin of the eyelids with the cornea, leading to blepharospasm, lacrimation, and purulent conjunctivitis.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the inversion of the medial areas lower eyelids in brachycephalic cat breeds - exotics, Persians, as well as British and Scottish. It is believed that it is normal for short-faced cats to have watery eyes and that their eyes may appear “dirty.” However, one of the reasons leading to constant lacrimation in cats of these breeds is the inversion of the medial (inner) parts of the lower eyelids: in the inner corner of the eye, the hair comes into contact with the cornea and causes irritation, and also, dipping into the tear, carries it onto the face (Figure 1 ). This condition can be expressed in varying degrees, but is present in almost any brachycephalic cat. Entropion must be treated surgically to stop corneal irritation and tearing.

• infectious causes - herpes virus and chlamydia, affecting the conjunctiva, lead to inflammation and lacrimation.
• chemical irritants (detergents, powders, shampoo, aerosols, perfume).
• reflex states (lacrimation with pain in the eye - ulcer or corneal erosion, uveitis, glaucoma).
• anomalies in the composition of tears in Sphynx cats. The meibomian glands lie along the edges of the eyelids and secrete a fat-like secretion that prevents tears from evaporating. Due to the structural features of the skin, the meibomian glands in sphinxes are underdeveloped, their ducts are practically invisible, and when squeezed, no secretion is released from the glands. Therefore, Sphynx cats may hold their eyes uncomfortable and have copious mucous discharge in the corners of their eyes.

To detect the root cause of excess tear production, a comprehensive ophthalmological examination is performed, including biomicroscopy, tonometry, ophthalmoscopy, diagnostic staining of the cornea, and sampling for laboratory tests.

Adequate therapy aimed at eliminating the underlying disease leads to the disappearance of lacrimation.

When outflow disturbances the amount of tear fluid produced by the lacrimal glands is normal, but its outflow through the lacrimal drainage system is difficult or completely blocked.

For cats, the most common problems with the lacrimal drainage system are associated with complications. herpes virus infection– obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct due to adhesions in it and closure of the lacrimal openings by conjunctival adhesions (symblepharon). There is also anatomical distortion and dysfunction of the lacrimal system in short-faced cats. Superior punctal atresia is a common condition in British and Scottish cats, which may be asymptomatic. Unlike dogs, which, in the absence of a point, have a nasolacrimal canaliculus, cats often do not have a canaliculus, so the procedure for activating the point is rarely performed.

To diagnose patency, a test with fluorescein is used: a colored solution is added to conjunctival sac, evaluate whether the solution has appeared in the nose. If the solution does not pass, then further research lacrimal drainage systems in cats are continued using general anesthesia.

Diagnostic procedures include: washing the nasolacrimal duct (Figure 2), probing the nasolacrimal system (passing it with a monofilament or thin probe), computed tomography with the introduction of a contrast agent into the nasolacrimal system, intraoral radiographs of the teeth upper jaw, rhinoscopy.

If, when probing the nasolacrimal system, it is possible to pass the probe throughout the entire system, a nylon thread is left in the nasolacrimal duct for several weeks to create better outflow (Figure 3). Unfortunately, after the thread is removed, the canal walls sometimes re-stick together, which leads to relapse of lacrimation.

Pathologies of the teeth and nasal cavity discovered during examination most often include inflammation of the roots of the teeth, inflammation of the nasal passages, polyps on the nasal mucosa, these conditions require specific treatment, with their timely and full correction, the lacrimal drainage system begins to function normally.

Tearing in cats of any breed is not the norm, but a common pathology, etiological factors which are varied, a thorough ophthalmological examination does not reveal all the prerequisites; additional diagnostic procedures to determine the root cause and successful treatment epiphora.

Dacryocystitis. This is inflammation tearful bag. The pathology occurs in all animals, but more often in horses, dogs and cats. As a rule, dacryocystitis develops during the transition inflammatory process from adjacent mucous membranes (conjunctiva, nasal mucosa), from the adjacent periostium or during penetration foreign bodies into the lacrimal sac. Due to narrowing and blockage of the nasolacrimal duct tear fluid remains in the lacrimal sac and decomposes under the influence of infectious pathogens.
Clinical signs. Inflamed mucous membrane tearful the sac swells, the secretion, which is normally scanty, becomes abundant, often containing pus and mixed with stagnant tears. On examination, constant lacrimation, hyperemia and swelling of the conjunctiva in the inner corner of the eye are noted. Slightly lower, at the location tearful bag, a slightly elastic, often slightly fluctuating swelling of various sizes is found. When you press on it, it is completely released from the lacrimal openings. clear liquid, reminiscent of appearance egg white, mucopurulent or even purulent.
In other cases, there is no discharge from the lacrimal openings, although it is felt that when pressed, the lacrimal sac is emptied. This indicates that the contents of the sac have penetrated into the nasolacrimal canal, and from there into the nasal cavity. If the nasolacrimal canal and lacrimal openings are impassable, then the secretion accumulates in the lacrimal sac, which sometimes reaches significant sizes. Subsequently, the wall of the sac is broken, the wall tissue is lysed and a fistula is formed. On palpation, pain is detected, elevated temperature, observe profuse lacrimation. Through the lacrimal openings, pus is released into the conjunctival sac and out, which glues the eyelashes and the edges of the eyelids; crusts form. Partial purulent exudate is released from the nasal cavity.
Inflammation tearful bag (especially purulent) has great importance in the pathogenesis of other eye diseases: the process can spread to the conjunctiva, and with minor violations corneal epithelium causes the development of purulent keratitis and other complications. Therefore, any operations associated with opening the cornea are usually postponed until dacryocystitis is cured.
At differential diagnosis it is necessary to exclude neoplasms in the area of ​​the bag, subcutaneous abscess and phlegmon of the surrounding tissue. The basis for excluding tumors is the absence of lacrimation if they do not compress the lacrimal ducts; phlegmon and abscess - absence purulent discharge from lacrimal openings.
Treatment. For minor exudation it is recommended conservative treatment. First of all, it is necessary to ensure the patency of the nasolacrimal canal so that the pus accumulated in the bag drains. To do this, the canal is washed through the nasal opening with disinfectants and lightly astringents. At the same time, it is useful to rinse the bag through the lacrimal openings.
To wash the canal, you can use solutions: furatsilin (l: 5000), silver nitrate (l: 5000), 2 ... 3% protargol, 1 ... 2% zinc sulfate, 1 ... 2% - th boric acid, penicillin (25,000 units per 25 ml of l% solution of novocaine), etc.
If conservative treatment does not produce results, the lacrimal sac is excised. Since after excision of the sac the wound heals according to secondary intention, then cicatricial obstruction of the outflow tract may form. The operation cannot be considered radical, although after some time the lacrimation decreases. To completely stop lacrimation, it is necessary to remove the lacrimal gland.
Removal tearful bag. After local anesthesia The skin, loose tissue and internal ligament are cut layer by layer along the convex part inward from the horseshoe-shaped canthus. Then the wall of the bag is grabbed with tweezers and carefully bluntly dissected from the surrounding tissue. Preparation is greatly facilitated if you first make a circle around the circumference of the bag. infiltration anesthesia 0.5% solution of novocaine. The remaining junctions and lacrimal canaliculi are cut off with scissors. The operation is completed by suturing the wound.
Removal of the lacrimal gland. The operation is performed with the animal lying down and securely fixed under local anesthesia. To extirpate the lacrimal gland, the skin is cut layer by layer (cut length is from 4 to 6 cm) in the outer half of the lower top edge orbit, subcutaneous fascia and penetrate deep between the edge of the orbit and the aponeurosis of the elevator upper eyelid. The wound is widened, the edge of the gland is grasped with wide tweezers and, slightly pulling, it is bluntly dissected from the surrounding orbital tissue. The wound cavity is generously powdered with Zhitnyuk powder, loosely filled with gauze, and the edges of the wound are connected with provisional sutures. On the second day, several stitches are removed to remove the gauze. Further treatment open method. Narrowing, blockage and fusion of the nasolacrimal canal (Stenosis, obturatio et obiiteratio glanders lis nasolacrimalis). These anomalies, observed in all animals, may be congenital or the result of various pathological processes, both in the canal itself and in the surrounding tissues, for example, inflammation of the nasolacrimal canal or nasal mucosa, development of scar tissue in the area of ​​the nasal opening, neoplasm, fracture of the lacrimal or maxillary bones, introduction of foreign bodies, helminths, plant awns from the side nose
Clinical signs. The first and most noticeable signs are continuous lacrimation, maceration of the skin in the form of a strip in the area of ​​the inner corner of the eye. If the canal is obstructed for a long time, inflammation may occur. tearful sac and conjunctiva. When the lower opening of the canal is blocked, an expanded fluctuating area is identified above the narrowing site.
Congenital bilateral absence of nasal openings in three foals and one calf was observed by K. A. Fomin. The diagnosis was established by examination of the nasal cavity: cord-like soft protrusions of the mucous membrane were found above the normal location of the nasal openings of the nasolacrimal canal. The ugliness has been eliminated surgical intervention- oval incisions were made in the mucous membrane in the area of ​​protrusions until they connected with the canal.
To clarify the diagnosis, the canal is probed with a soft catheter from the lacrimal openings. By measuring the length of the catheter inserted into the canal, you can accurately determine the location of the obstruction. When probing from the side of the lacrimal openings, the catheter can be freely passed through the entire system and brought out through the nasal opening of the nasolacrimal canal. However, probing does not give a clear idea of ​​the patency of the nasolacrimal canal. More objective method- tubular test. It consists of instilling 2...3 drops of a neutral paint solution into the conjunctival sac, which, with normal patency, should penetrate into the nasal cavity in a few minutes. The most commonly used solution is fluorescein. Instead of fluorescein, you can use a solution of escorcin (red color) or a 2 ... 3% solution of collargol (brown color). If the solution does not appear in the nasal cavity, but overflows over the edge of the lower eyelid, then this indicates a mechanical obstruction of some of the sections tear ducts.
To rinse from the nasal opening, use a 20 ml syringe and a milk catheter. First, the nasal mucosa around the opening of the nasolacrimal canal is lubricated with a 1% solution of novocaine. The syringe and cannula are connected with a rubber tube, filled with distilled water, the end of the catheter is inserted into the nasolacrimal canal and the solution is squeezed out of the syringe with a piston. The solution, under the pressure of the syringe, passes through the nasolacrimal canal into the bag and is forcefully poured out through the lacrimal openings. Using this method, it is difficult to determine the degree of obstruction of the canal, since the force with which the solution is pushed out of the syringe will always be greater than the obstructive force in the canal. For example, the nasolacrimal canal for lacrimal fluid is impassable (severe lacrimation is observed with catarrh of the nasal mucosa), while at the same time the solution administered through the nasal opening under pressure passes freely. Complete obstruction is caused by obliteration of the canal due to cicatricial contractions or blockage by stones.
With careless manipulations during insertion of the catheter into the nasolacrimal canal, especially in restless animals, mechanical damage mucous membrane, and with forced washing - microtrauma of the ciliated epithelium, which is fraught with serious complications. To avoid undesirable consequences and more objectively judge the patency of the canal, the following method of washing is recommended. By connecting a syringe or funnel to the catheter using a rubber tube and filling the system isotonic solution sodium chloride, and having also fixed the animal's head well, the catheter is carefully inserted into the nasolacrimal canal, then the syringe is slowly raised to eye level. This results in a system of two communicating vessels. If the syringe is raised so that the level of liquid in it becomes 1 ... 2 cm above the palpebral fissure, then in the case of patency of the nasolacrimal canal, the liquid flows freely through the lacrimal openings. There is no need to use a piston. At this method After washing, the epithelial layer of the nasolacrimal canal is not injured, and the results of the study will be more objective.
Treatment. For rhinitis, the nasal cavity is systematically irrigated with a 2% solution of protargol or boric acid, a 0.25% solution of potassium permanganate, and a 0.3% solution of zinc sulfate. In horses and large cattle probing with an elastic probe followed by washing the nasolacrimal canal with a warm solution is successfully used disinfectants. Neoplasms near the nasolacrimal opening are removed surgically.
If the nasolacrimal duct is completely closed, the prognosis is unfavorable. Surgical removal the lacrimal gland cannot be considered effective measure, since tear production stops due to the fact that inflammatory and degenerative processes develop in the conjunctiva and cornea.

Inflammation of the nasolacrimal canal (Inflammatio canalis nasolacrimalis). Catarrh of the nasolacrimal duct independent disease is very rare. It usually occurs when the inflammatory process moves from the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity or tearful bag. The cause of inflammation can be dacryocystitis, which often occurs simultaneously with catarrh, and much less often - retention of secretions in the nasolacrimal canal or swelling of the nasal opening of the canal, which leads to stagnation and decomposition of fluid, the development of the inflammatory process.
Clinical signs. It is observed that there is abundant discharge only from the nasal opening of the nasolacrimal canal, the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity is not changed. If you run your finger along the canal downwards, you can squeeze out a large number of secret. The lacrimal sac remains unchanged. In animals upper lip and drops of serous mucous exudate are visible in the nasal opening. The horse occasionally snorts, throwing out drops of mucus.
Treatment. Systematically wash the nasolacrimal canal with astringents antiseptics(see treatment for narrowing of the nasolacrimal duct).

Dark tear tracks decorative dogs: Yorkshire breed, poodles, maltese, british cats, Persian breeds, are often an aesthetic problem for owners. With insufficient care for eye discharge, diaper rash and irritation occur, which aggravates the problem and forces owners to consult a veterinarian.

Sometimes, conservative approaches are not enough to solve the problem: prescribing drops in the eyes and hygiene. It is necessary to identify the cause of constant profuse lacrimation.

The main reason is the physiological, anatomical predisposition of dogs and cats with a shortened facial shape of the skull, which leads to the formation of bends and narrowings of the nasolacrimal ducts, subsequently blocking them with dust, plant seeds, pathological discharge with inflammation. Increased skin folding tends to allow hair to get into the eyes. Also, after suffering from severe infections that damage the eyes, the tear duct often becomes clogged.

To determine the quality of the tear ducts, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics: probing and washing the tear ducts in order to identify the localization of narrowings, deformations and blockages.

If the animal is prone to blockage of the lacrimal canaliculus, rinsing to prevent “tear ducts” can be carried out once every two months, less often according to indications.

As a rule, it is not difficult to accustom your pet to this procedure along with visiting a grooming salon. You can combine these procedures by visiting and receiving a consultation with an ophthalmologist while waiting for your pet.

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