# Eye problem: Diagnosed as Horner's Syndrome



## GabesMom (Jan 24, 2013)

About a month ago, I noticed our 8 month old, male Vizsla, Gabriel, had two different sized pupils. I immediately took him to our vet (Friday). The vet said his left pupil was constricted and suspected that Gabe ate something toxic. I'm almost positive that he didn't get into anything and since he was acting normal (playing, eating, drinking, pooping), the vet ruled out toxins. But the vet did total body function and thyroid blood work just to make sure. The blood work came back on Monday and all his levels were normal. The vet did find that he had a ear infection (yeast) in his left year and gave us Gentizol to use. He recommended that we go to an opthamologist. 

We got into the opthamologist on Wednesday. She did a glaucoma test, vision test, and pupil dilation to look at the back of his eye. The only things that she saw were obviously the constricted pupil, his left eye lid drooped minimally (you can't really tell unless you study his face), and he had a very mild case of conjunctivitis. The back of his eyes looked good. She told us she suspected that he had Horner's Syndrome. http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/horners-syndrome-in-dogs/815 She put some drops in his eyes (Epinephrine I think) and within 20 minutes his eye looked normal. This confirmed her diagnosis. She told us that Gabe could have done this to himself by running into something or by pulling to hard on the leash; and that this should go away by itself in 1-3 months. 

We have started to use a no-pull harness. Gabe's ear infection is gone and we try to use Epi-Otic Advanced every other week to clean his ears. His eyes haven't changed though. There are days where it is more noticeable than others. We rinse his eyes out with saline solution to get any gunk out. He does rub, but I'm not really sure if he is rubbing his eyes or his ears. We have a followup appointment in about a month. 

Has anyone experienced this before or similar symptoms? I'm just worried that if this isn't Horner's Syndrome, we are just letting this go for 2 months and possibly doing permant damage to his eye. Our breeder had never heard of anything like this before.


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## VizslaLouie (Jul 3, 2013)

How is Gabriel? What was the outcome, I hope all is well.


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## lonestar (Jun 2, 2013)

I know nothing about this, but looked it up. I can tell you're rightfully worried, though. I'd do two things (other than watch him very carefully for other signs/symptoms). The first is hold out that the vets optimism that this will correct within 2 months is accurate, and 2) Get a second opinion (although it sounds like the ophthalmologist gave that). Is there a specialty hospital near you? I'm lucky that Cornell is nearby and I can get absolutely top flight specialty medical treatment. It might be worth while seeking out a similar place near you and have a second look.


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## GabesMom (Jan 24, 2013)

Gabriel is doing better. His eye will still constrict if we take out on his collar rather than the harness (you can't use a harness at dog shows, field trails, and hunt tests). When it does happen, it's not as bad as when we first noticed it in January and seems to be getting better with time like the specialist said. It's just taking a little longer. We've kept up with rinsing his eyes out with saline solution and for whatever weird Vizsla reason he actually enjoys it! LOL ;D


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

I was told washing with camomile tea their eyes might help. Old hunter's trick, LOL. 
I used it on the dog after running in tall grass, no problems so far. 

As far as collar Vs harness, I read the flat collar (esp the chain type choke collar) might contribute to eyesight related problems. Something about cutting off blood and nerve circulation at the carotid artery and causing trauma to the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

Very good looking Pup" 

Glad things are improving"


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## GabesMom (Jan 24, 2013)

Datacan, that's what the specialist told us as well. The collar is pinching/interupting the nerve between the eye and the brain. "The nerve travels down the spinal cord from the brain, emerges in the chest cavity and then finds its way up the neck along with the carotid artery and jugular vein through the middle ear and then into the eye." So we've been trying to not use the flat collar at all but we inevitably have to sometimes.


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