| Strabismus in dogs can cause one or both of your | | | | is usually the result of botulism or tick paralysis. |
| pets eyes to point gradually in abnormal directions, or | | | | Botulism in a dog is a rapidly fatal disease that results |
| it can develop very suddenly. However, it is not | | | | form a nerve toxin produced by Clostridium bacteria. |
| merely a condition that is often referred to as cross | | | | The most common way that your dog comes into |
| eyes in dogs, as it can be much more serious. It can | | | | contact with this deadly bacteria, is by consuming a |
| also affect the size of your dogs pupils, as well as | | | | dead animal that has come into contact with the |
| the movement of the eyes that is extremely | | | | toxin. |
| abnormal. | | | | After it has been consumed, this deadly toxin travels |
| If it becomes severe, it can also cause head tilting as | | | | from their stomach into their intestines and than into |
| well as a very sudden mental dullness that can very | | | | the blood supply. Once it hits the blood supply, it |
| easily lead to seizures. If this occurs, it is now a life | | | | attacks nerves that affect your dogs muscles. The |
| threatening situation for your dog. | | | | first set of nerves to be affected is usually the eyes. |
| Strabismus in dogs is a condition where there is a | | | | Tick paralysis can also cause the same set of |
| misdirection of your dogs eyes, and it can affect just | | | | characteristics, but it is very uncommon in dogs. |
| one eye, or both eyes. In normal vision your dogs | | | | The next set of potential causes of Strabismus in |
| eyes point forward in a direction that is parallel to | | | | dogs will be from inflammation of your dogs nerves |
| their nose. With strabismus, your dogs eye or eyes | | | | that are the result of Coon hound paralysis, or |
| are turned either inward toward their nose, or | | | | diseases of your dogs inner or middle ears. However, |
| outward away from their nose. | | | | it may also be the result of an inflammation of the |
| In most all cases with this condition, your dogs eye | | | | center of the brain. Coon hound paralysis is |
| within their socket is actually normal; it is the direction | | | | somewhat misleading, as it can affect any dog breed, |
| of the eye that is malfunctioning. When both of your | | | | not just Coon hounds. |
| dogs eyes are affected and they turn to the outside | | | | This an especially dangerous disease that is an acute |
| of your dogs nose, it is referred to as divergent. If | | | | neurological disorder that generally affects your dogs |
| they point inward, the condition is than referred to as | | | | nerves that control the muscles in their legs, but it |
| convergent. | | | | also affects their neck, their eyes, as well as the |
| However, there are two more possibilities that may | | | | muscles that control their barking and breathing. It is |
| affect their eyes with this condition; they may also | | | | believed to be the result of an overstimulation of the |
| be deviated in an upward or downward position. If | | | | immune system resulting from contact with an |
| this does happen, it is not only a very frightening | | | | infected raccoon, especially if the come into contact |
| situation; it can also be a much more serious situation | | | | with their saliva. |
| for your dog. | | | | Inflammation of the brain in your dogs is an |
| Causes: | | | | extremely serious condition, and may the result of |
| Strabismus can occur in dogs of all ages and can | | | | several causes, including meningitis. Meningitis is an |
| affect any breed. However, it can also be a | | | | inflammation that affects the meninges of the brain, |
| congenital condition where it occurs at birth, or it | | | | which are three membranes that cover your dogs |
| may not occur in the latter years of your dogs life. If | | | | brain and spinal cord. It has no known cause, and it |
| it occurs at anytime other than at birth and your dog | | | | generally seen in medium to large breed dogs, but is |
| has had no previous history, it can very easily be | | | | believed to be caused by a viral, fungal, or bacterial |
| something serious affecting their eye muscles or the | | | | infection. |
| nerves controlling these muscles. | | | | With this condition, you may see a sudden fever and |
| The first potential cause is referred to as | | | | neck pain in your dog as well as Strabismus. Central |
| Hydrocephalus and affects primarily puppies or older | | | | vestibular disease, which is the result of an |
| dogs. This is a neurological disease where an | | | | abnormality within the nerves of your dogs inner |
| excessive amount of water or cerebrospinal fluid, | | | | ears, may also be the cause, especially if your dogs |
| also known as CSF, develops in the ventricular | | | | eyes move up and down. |
| system of your dogs brain. CSF is a very normal and | | | | The final set of potential causes of Strabismus may |
| extremely important liquid that is formed in your pets | | | | be from trauma, cancer of your dogs brain or the |
| brain as it bathes, protects, as well as circulates | | | | nerves to their eyes, or from scarring of the |
| through your dogs brain system. | | | | extra-ocular muscles. The extra-ocular muscles in |
| Once it is circulated through your dogs brain and the | | | | your dog are made up of six muscles that control |
| coverings, it is than absorbed back into the | | | | the movement of your dogs eyes. These play a |
| circulatory system. In young dogs, CSF may not | | | | critical role in your dogs eyes ability to follow |
| circulate properly and will start to accumulate in their | | | | movement and than focus on that movement. If |
| brain, causing their fontanel, which is the soft spot | | | | scaring occurs from any type of an inflammation, the |
| that normally closes right after birth, to begin to | | | | result may be is a series of abnormal eye |
| bulge. Young dogs bones in their skull at this point are | | | | movements. |
| still very soft, and this can cause a dome shaped | | | | Summary: |
| cranium which can result in Strabismus. If this | | | | Strabismus in dogs is much more than just your dog |
| condition develops in older dogs, it is usually the result | | | | going cross-eyed. It can be the first signal that you |
| of something even more sinister. | | | | have that there is something seriously wrong with |
| The next potential cause of Strabismus may be from | | | | your pet and once you do see the initial symptoms, |
| a toxicity that is causing paralysis of the nerves, and | | | | you need to treat them very seriously. |