Sweeper.

Greyhounds in Doggles and sun visors look so adorable!  But sometimes the reason for the sun protection is, unfortunately, an eye disease called Pannus (aka chronic superficial keratitis).  Greyhounds are predisposed to Pannus so it's important we all know a little bit about it.

Pannus is an immune mediated inflammatory disease, meaning a subcellular

Halley.

change occurs in the cornea which the immune system recognizes as abnormal, triggering an attack on the tissue.  Pannus isn't painful but it is progressive, potentially leading to blindness.  The disease can affect the cornea, conjunctiva, and sometimes even the third eyelids.  VCA Animal Hospitals describes the initial symptoms as an "elevated pink mass" appearing on the outside lower surface of both eyes.  Sometimes one eye will be much worse than the other.  The third eye lid sometimes thickens and appears inflamed.  You might also notice a grayish-pink film on the eye, redness and tearing, or cornea pigmentation and opacity.  As Pannus progresses, the lesion flattens and spreads, often becoming pigmented.  The dark pigment covering the cornea leads to vision impairment, including blindness. 

Pannus requires life long medications in the form of eye drops or ointments, as well as periodic examinations by an ophthalmologist.  Rarely, Pannus requires injections, surgical or radiation treatment.  But with early diagnosis, the prognosis is almost always good.  If you suspect your dog has Pannus, please make an appointment with your vet right away.  Early treatment can save your dog's vision! 

Thanks to all who participated in the Strut Your Mutt event this year, especially our Austin crew who literally got out and strutted their stuff!  We had a record turn out of both humans and hounds. Mueller Lake Park provided the perfect back drop, and perfect place for the hot hounds to take a cooling dip.  Please enjoy some cute photos of the event here. It's not too late to make a donation and we haven't quite reached our goal. The link remains live until October 3.  So if you didn't get a chance to donate before the Strut, please swing by today to help the hounds.