An imperforate lacrimal punctum is a
congenital disorder
A birth defect is an abnormal condition that is present at childbirth, birth, regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disability, disabilities that may be physical disability, physical, intellectual disability, intellectual, or dev ...
of
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...
s involving the lack of an opening to the
nasolacrimal duct
The nasolacrimal duct (also called the tear duct) carries tears from the lacrimal sac of the eye into the nasal cavity. The duct begins in the eye socket between the maxillary and lacrimal bones, from where it passes downwards and backwards. ...
(tear duct) in the
conjunctiva
In the anatomy of the eye, the conjunctiva (: conjunctivae) is a thin mucous membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids and covers the sclera (the white of the eye). It is composed of non-keratinized, stratified squamous epithelium with gobl ...
. Dogs normally have two
lacrimal puncta
The lacrimal punctum (: puncta) or lacrimal point is a minute opening on the summits of the lacrimal papillae, seen on the margins of the eyelids at the lateral extremity of the lacrimal lake. There are two lacrimal puncta in the medial (inside) p ...
, the superior and inferior. This condition can affect either or both. Symptoms include excessive
tearing
Tearing is the act of breaking apart a material by force, without the aid of a cutting tool. A tear in a piece of paper, fabric, or some other similar object may be the result of the intentional effort with one's bare hands, or be accidental. ...
and tear staining of the hair around the eye. Affected breeds include the
American Cocker Spaniel
The American Cocker Spaniel is a breed of sporting dog. It is a spaniel type dog that is closely related to the English Cocker Spaniel; the two breeds diverged during the 20th century due to differing breed standards in the US and the UK. In the ...
,
Bedlington Terrier
The Bedlington Terrier is a dog breed, breed of small dog named after the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland in North East England. Originally bred to hunt, the Bedlington Terrier has since been used in dog racing, numerous List of dog s ...
,
Golden Retriever,
Poodle
The Poodle, called the in German () and the in French, is a breed of water dog. The breed is divided into four varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, although the Medium Poodle is no ...
, and
Samoyed.
Imperforate lacrimal puncta can be corrected by surgical opening of the punctum.
See also
*
Congenital lacrimal duct obstruction
Nasolacrimal duct obstruction is the obstruction of the nasolacrimal ducts (better known as the tear ducts) and may be either congenital or acquired. Obstruction of the nasolacrimal ducts leads to the excess overflow of tears called epiphora. ...
References
Dog diseases
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