ROTTWEILER HEALTH PROBLEMS - ECTROPION

Ectropion is an abnormal distortion of the eyelids in which they roll outwards so that there is exposure of the underlying conjunctiva. It only affects the lower eyelid. and the entropion may affect the whole length of a lid or just part of it. Sometimes ectropion and entropion (turning in of the lid) are present at the same time. Tears collect in the pocket that this creates, and if the tear duct is out of position tears may overflow from the eye.

Causes:- A congenital defect, which is prevalent in some breeds (see below).
- An acquired defect :
- scarring following the healing of wounds (burns, injuries or inflammatory diseases) involving the eyelids
- as an age-related change (loss of tone in the muscle and skin)
- when there is spasm of the orbicularis muscle in the eyelid

Symptoms:
Clinical signs include running eyes due to tear pooling and a failure to drain away properly through the tear duct. The development of conjunctivitis with reddening of the whites of the eyes (called "red eye").

Treatment:
If the ectropion is minor, simply an undesirable cosmetic affect and not causing any clinical signs no treatment is necessary.
For ectropion associated with clinical signs, there are many surgical procedures to correct the alignment of the eyelids involving plastic surgery of the skin and muscle adjacent to the eyelid margins - various techniques have been described which incorporate the use of a scalpel or, more recently, laser technology.