Sunken eye in a Golden Retriever

Re: Sunken eye in a Golden Retriever

Anthony Dennison — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:08:58 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

Warning though, the last one I saw in a retriever developed lymphoma in the same eye a couple of years later - coincidental?

[/quote]

I was thinking this, though I did listen to the dogs chest (though guess that won't pick up any mediastinal issues) and didn't hear anything abnormal.

Re: Sunken eye in a Golden Retriever

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:02:24 GMT

As Robert says, this is common and idiopathic in Golden Retrievers, it should recover by itself. Warning though, the last one I saw in a retriever developed lymphoma in the same eye a couple of years later - coincidental?

Re: Sunken eye in a Golden Retriever

Anthony Dennison — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:12:06 GMT

Thanks very much! As soon as I saw the responses I realised I'd just described a textbook case, always forget about Horner's!

Re: Sunken eye in a Golden Retriever

Robert Lowe — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:09:26 GMT

Agree with Peewit. Horner's is the overwhelming favourite based on your description.

You can in theory differentiate it to 1st ,2nd or 3rd order with application of 10% phenylephrine drops to the eyes. If the clinical signs resolve in under 20 minutes then likely to be 3rd order (sympathetic nerve damage after the cervical ganglion). If greater than 20 minutes could be 1st or 2nd order.

I mainly use phenylephrine just to confirm the diagnosis.

Causes are many but the vast majority of GR's are idioapthic and self resolve.

I would warn the owners that the other eye could develop the same issue

Re: Sunken eye in a Golden Retriever

peewit — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:39:17 GMT

Sounds like Horners syndrome to me..... the only cases I ever see are in late-middle aged GR's......... others probably have better suggestions but I tend to leave alone and often will spontaneously resolve