Fig, a 1-year-old female spayed Labrador Retriever, presented to the NAVES Ophthalmology service for chronic conjunctivitis. She was diagnosed with entropion of the lower eyelids in both eyes.

Entropion, or inward rolling of the eyelid margin, is common in many species. It may be conformational (caused by anatomic abnormalities of the eyelids themselves), spastic (caused by marked contraction of eyelid muscle-squinting), or cicatricial (caused by scarring from a previous injury or surgery). Clinical signs of entropion include epiphora (tearing), conjunctivitis, prolapse of the third eyelid, and sometimes pain and swelling. As the entropion becomes more severe, the condition can lead to issues such as superficial keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) or corneal ulcers.

Dogs diagnosed with entropion often require surgery to improve their condition. This surgery is known as a Hotz-Celsus procedure, which is a surgery performed under general anesthesia in which a small sliver of skin is removed below the eyelid margin, and the remaining gap is closed with suture to effectively evert (pull the eyelid outward) from the eye.

Fig did great for her entropion surgery and is recovering well at home!