Distichia

[Dan Eckstein]

Does anyone's dog have distichia or eyelashes growing in the inside of their eyelids? Our puppy (1 year old) has been diagnosed with it and i wanted to see if anyone else had experienced it and what you did about it. The hairs are scatching his eyes and making them very sensitive. Thanks!

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

Dan -

My understanding is that this is genetic. Contact your breeder and let them know. I beleive that it can be corrected by surgery.

[Dan Eckstein]

Thanks for the quick reply! Yes, the veterinary ophthalmologist recommended a cryo procedure and a cauterization procedure, just looking to see if others had any experience with either or both procedures.

[ClarkP]

Rosco had entropian eye when he was a puppy. This is where the eyelid rolls inward so that the eyelashes are pointing at and rubbing the eye. It irritated his eyes and caused him to produce tears all the time. He had surgery to correct it and has had no problems since. I'm sure Adina will tell you more about it. :-)

[Dan Eckstein]

Thanks Clark, glad the surgery turned out well!

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Distichiasis is a condition in which small eyelashes abnormally grow on the inner surface or very edge of the eyelids. Both upper and lower lids may be involved. Some breeds are affected more commonly than others, suggesting that it is an inherited trait. Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Boxers, and Pekingese are among those most commonly affected.

Left untreated, severe corneal ulcerations and infections usually develop. The hairs can cause severe irritations and without treatment, the condition usually worsens. As stated, the animal may further irritate the eye through scratching or rubbing against it to the point of self-mutilation. Blindness can also result if infections develop.

The abnormal eyelashes are best removed through the use of surgery or electroepilation. With electroepilation, a fine needle is passed into the hair follicle and an electric current destroys the hair and its roots. This procedure may need to be repeated after several months. This is because all of the abnormal hairs may not have developed at the time of the first treatment. When these follicles do start to produce hairs, they will need to be treated.

If surgery is performed, the lid is actually split and the areas where the abnormal hairs grow are removed. Both procedures require anesthesia and a full recovery is expected. Antibiotic eye drops may be used following surgery to eliminate infections.

Hannah had entropion, and had the surgery. Both problems are very similar, and your Breeder needs to be contacted right away. Hannah was also spayed, since both are hereditary your breeder should know so it's not passed on to other pups, and also if others in the litter are having these problems. Either way sounds like your breeder should stand good for your pups surgery, or replacement of a pup. Does your state have the dog lemon laws. If so you can contact your Attorney General Office Dept. of Consumer Protection, but try and work with your breeder first.

Entropion is the inward rolling of the eyelid, most commonly the lower lid. This irritates the surface of the eye (the cornea) and may ultimately cause visual impairment.

Entropion is a common hereditary disorder in dogs. Selection for a particular conformation, of exaggerated facial features with prominent eyes and/or heavy facial folds, has created or worsened this problem in many breeds.

It is likely that ectropion is influenced by several genes (polygenic inheritance) that affect the skin and other structures that make up the eyelids, the way the skin covers the face and head, and the conformation of the skull.

This problem occurs in many breeds. It is particularly severe in the mastiff, bullmastiff, Shar pei, and chow chow.

Entropion is seen in the Akita, American Staffordshire terrier, Pekingese, bulldog, pomeranian, pug, Japanese chin, Shih tzu, Yorkshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, dalmatian, old English sheepdog, rottweiler, Siberian husky, vizsla, weimaraner, toy and miniature poodle. It is also seen in hounds ( basset hound, bloodhound), spaniels ( Clumber spaniel, English and American cocker spaniel, English springer spaniel, English toy spaniel, Tibetan spaniel), and sporting breeds (Chesapeake Bay retriever, flat-coated retriever, golden retriever, Gordon setter, Irish setter, Labrador retriever).

Entropion is common in giant breeds such as the Great Dane, Bernese mountain dog, mastiff, Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, and Great Pyrenees. In these breeds the central lower lid is often ectropic while the lid at the corners of the eye is entropic.

[Dan Eckstein]

Thanks for all the great info!

[Theresa and Doodle Dagny]

Fantastic info on this post! (I know I'm seeing this several years later).  My puppy was diagnosed with entroprion and my breeder was deceptive about it.  The breeder bathed the puppy and obviously washed her face really well, so that when we picked her up there were no tear stains or weepiness of the eye at all.  The next day it began weeping.  I thought one of my kids had poked her in the eye and I was so worried that real damage had been done.  Took her to the vet a few days later and the vet said she had entropion and recommended I call the breeder right away.  The breeder said there was no inclination of that at all prior to us picking her up.  I can tell you now after living with it weeping nearly daily for the last three months that the breeder outright lied!  Anyway, she did offer to give us a different pup, but we declined because we had become so attached to Dagny - love at first sight!  We'll do anything we can to fix the eye and keep her comfortable. 

Other than that initial offer to trade pups, she said she will do nothing...pay nothing.  Garbage! 

I wish I could tell other people that were considering this breeder.  We interviewed several breeders, visited the farm, saw all the parents, visited again when pups were born and were so confident about our choice.  The more time has passed though, and I'm learning about entropion on this website, I would no longer recommend our breeder! 

Feeling betrayed.

[Julie, Izzie & Max]

I have a four month puppy who has entropion of the lower eye lid. I noticed several people who responded had puppies with this same problem. I have had his lower eye lid tacked down to try and wait to have this surgery at the same time he is neutered. At what age did you have the surgery to correct this? My vet has suggested I go ahead with the surgery soon.

[Adina P]

Rosco had entropian in both eyes and we had his surgery (eye surgery + umbilical hernia repair + neutering all same day) at 4.5 months.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Why not neuter him now?

[Julie, Izzie & Max]

My vet recommends that he be at least six months before neutering him. The vet has tacked his lower eye lid down and his eye looks good for now. It is no longer watering and is not bothering him. I want to wait until he is a little older to have the surgery because I am a concerned about it being over corrected and him having a droopy lower eye lid. He is only four months old and is growing very rapidly right now. I read several articles on line about the concern of over correcting. At the end of September he will have the eye surgery and be neutered at the same time.