What's causing my dog's keratitis? Is it autoimmune or genetic?

It is believed that there could be a genetic component to keratitis, but there has been no proven genetic basis to date. Breeding is not recommended for any dog who has keratitis associated with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS). KCS is a condition known as dry eye. Because there hasn't been a proven genetic basis to keratitis, I can't say the possibility of Asa giving it to her puppies, but it's best not to breed a dog who has a condition that is suspected to be inherited. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Keratitis is basically inflammation of the cornea. In most cases it improves with just topical medications (eye drops). I recommend that you continue the course prescribed by your veterinarian for now. It is likely that he will get better. Good luck and have a good day!

It depends on the trigger - in some cases if the underlying condition such as lack of tear production or ingrowing eyelashes can be addressed then the condition will often resolve but in other cases it is slowly progressive but can be reduced by ongoing management. A repeat exam, serial photographs of the eye to compare and a tear test would be recommended after treatment and again one month later

While this could be pigmentary keratitis I am concerned that it looks like the pigment may be inside the eye which would mean that an iris cyst or mass would be more likely. I’d recommend having your vet take a look in person. If it is pigmentary keratitis then your vet would look for things that could cause inflammation or irritation of the cornea like dry eye, abnormal eyelashes or an inability to fully close the eye.

Any scarring on the cornea will cause changes to the vision. Pets with this condition can also get pigmentation of the cornea which will also cause blind spots. KCS is generally a chronic and requires daily treatment with an immune suppressant eye drop like cyclosporin and an artificial tear. Here is a helpful link: https://www.petcoach.co/article/keratoconjunctivitis-sicca-or-dry-eye-in-dogs/ If that was an injury to the cornea, make sure to have it rechecked by the veterinarian to make sure it is fully healed. Pets with KCS will be more prone to infections and will have a harder time healing injuries. Any ongoing infection or untreated injuries can lead to blindness and pain. I hope this helps.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern. From the pictures you have provided, I would suspect several possible causes. A skin infection (bacterial or fungal), immune mediated disease such as lupus or pemphigus foliaceous, skin mites such as demodex or allergies. Due to the several possible causes that require testing to rule out, I would suggest having Weber examined by a veterinarian to have certain tests performed to determine what the primary cause is in order for Weber to receive the most appropriate treatment. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am available by phone or text based consultation if needed.

I'm assuming that the enterobacter bacteria was cultured from something like a corneal ulcer. This seems like an unusual bacteria for this location - enterobacter is most commonly found in urinary tract infections and occasionally skin infections. Since you know what type of bacteria is present I'm assuming your vet was also able to tailor antibiotic therapy to this specific bacteria as well and if so hopefully the infection will resolve. Sometimes there is irreversible damage done to the eyes and vision cannot return, and other times an infection heals and the eye recovers completely. I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about your concerns, or you could request a consultation with an expert if you have more details about Kitta's diagnosis.