Medial Canthoplasty is a surgery to correct Macroblepheron in cats and dogs (a condition where your dog’s eyelids are longer than normal and their eyes may protrude). Our guide will walk you through what the surgery is, why it’s necessary and what to expect.
Why is the Surgery Necessary?
Several breeds, mostly those with shorter noses, such as the Pug, Shih Tzu and lhasa Apso, suffer from problems associated with breed confirmation; their eyelids may be overly long, they may have ‘buggy’ eyes, and their eyelids often don’t close fully over the cornea. Further to this, hairs on the nose often touch their eye, causing inflammation, infections and even corneal ulcers. Chronic inflammation often leads to pigmentation and vision problems.
Whilst Macriblepheron mostly affects dogs, it is also an ocular problem for cats and has been linked to corneal problems such as sequestrum.
Other Reasons Why Your Vet Might Discuss Medial Canthoplasty With You:
- Nerve damage to the eyelid
- Hairy caruncle (hair that grows abnormally from the corner of the eye)
- Entropion
What Happens During Surgery?
During Medial Canthoplasty surgery, we will reduce your dog’s eyelid length to narrow the aperture of the eye (bringing the eyelids closer together), by removing a small piece of the eyelid from the corner, by the nose.
Will Medial Canthoplasty Change My Dog’s Appearance
Post-surgery, your dog’s eyes may appear smaller and should bulge out less. They will also be much healthier as a result, and the surgery will prevent other ocular conditions that may lead to enucleation (removal of the eye).
Once their hair grows back they’ll be cuter than ever! See a before and after photo below.
What is the Recovery Like?
After surgery, your dog will usually be discharged the same day. A plastic collar is essential to protect the stitches, and eye drops may be used for a few days after surgery to help prevent infection. A post-operative check is performed within the first few days and then as required.
If you think that your dog requires Medial Canthoplasty, call Knutsford Vets Surgery today on 01565 337 999.