PK- Have You Heard Of It?

Bella's friend Honey suffers with PK.  When I heard this, I felt really stupid asking what it was.  I thought I had read about every possible thing that Pugs could get. 

What is PK?  It is pigmentary kerititis.  Anytime you get an injury to your eye, especially pugs, PK can result.  The pigment usually starts on the inside corner of the eye, then spreads across the cornea. It is more common in certain breeds then others.

After finding out Honey suffered with PK I began asking around to find out more.  Of course, all of Bella's dogster friends were more than helpful.  I decided to share her friend Bailey's story with you.

When Bailey was a puppy she was outside playing and somehow scratched her eye.  It developed an ulcer.  Her owners put ointment in but they now think it may not have been the right kind as the ulcer indentation is still present. That was the beginning.

Bailey is now 8 years old.  And as she has gotten older she has developed a little tumor.  This promotes dry eye.  She was unable to close her eye completely.  For years, vets insisted that nothing was wrong with the tumor.

The tumor on her eyelid was causing entropion, where the eyelid curls into the eye ball and the lashes then rub on the eye causing irritation and damage.  PK is the resulting "scarring" from this kind of thing.

However, since the removal of the tumor, her dry eye is improving and Cyclosporin drops are helping to thin the PK out so that she is able to see shapes now!  Her eye specialist was very pleased.

Bailey's owners are not sure how the PK developed in her other eye. Presumably their other pug, Hercules, scratched it or Bailey may have scratched while rubbing her face into the carpet or walls from the other tumors.

The vet is certain the right eye will heal completely, so she will most likely always have sight in that eye! This is remarkable because Bailey was blind not very long ago and running into everything and everyone.

What should you look for?  Bailey's owner says "One sign to look for when your dog is losing its sight is whether they lay down in strange areas and start rubbing their scent all over the walls."

The prognosis?   Dry eye can be cured, hence PK can be healed well enough to allow some sight to be restored. This depends on how much of the eye has been covered by the PK. If it has moved over the pupil...it can be thinned but probably won't ever go away. If it's only in the corner of the eye (where it usually starts) then the likliness of it going away is really good!

Again, I cannot stress this enough with any animal, but especially the pug, if you think something is wrong you should call your vet.  If you don't agree with their assessment take them to another vet.  Even vets are human and make mistakes.  Your pet depends on you to keep them safe, happy and healthy.

Thank you to Bailey, her mom, Honey and Anna for allowing me to share their experiences with PK.