Like all other muscles, the pupils receive impulses from the brain through the nerves. Any issues can occur from the brain or through the nerves. This can cause the message from the brain about when to constrict or dilate to get lost. In some cases, the only noticeable symptom will be different sized pupils. Other signs may include redness in the affected eye, a cloudy or bluish cornea, discharge coming from the eye, a droopy eyelid in the affected eye, the dog may be squinting or rubbing at its eye and your pet may be less active than usual.
Head Trauma
Head trauma, including concussions, are common neurological causes of different sized pupils. In the case of head trauma, anisocoria can indicate a lesion that is affecting either one side of the brain or will show that one side is more affected than the other. If the pupils are unresponsive to light changes, it could represent a compression or disruption of the oculomotor nerve tracts.
Ocular Cancer
There are two types of eye cancer. Myelocytic cancer is caused by abnormal melanocytes and does not spread. The second type of cancer is called myelocytoma tumors which do spread. The type that is more commonly found in dogs is myelocytic, and it will usually originate in the pet’s iris. There are also eyelid, limbal, choroid and conjunctival tumors, which are all rare causes of anisocoria. Tumors are seen most often in dogs who are heavily pigmented. Signs can include weeping and redness of the eye and eventually the formation of a lump. Ocular cancers are known to be painful. These tumors can grow and bulge into the fluid within the eye, called the vitreous fluid. If they grow large enough, it can cause inflammation, an increased ocular pressure, optic nerve compression and retinal detachment, all of which can eventually cause blindness.
Iris Atrophy
This is a disease that occurs as pets age and can begin to appear in middle-aged to older dogs which can, among other things, decrease your pet’s ability to constrict the pupils with the change of light. Your dog can be experiencing a stromal thinning or a sphincter muscle atrophy. Thinning of the iris stroma is more often seen in select breeds such as the Chihuahua, the Toy Poodle and Yorkshire Terrier. This can make the iris look like lace and make the pets appear to have numerous pupils. This disease is not as serious as others, but the inability to constrict the pupil can lead to an excess of light entering the eye and therefore you may notice your dog squinting in the light.
Glaucoma
This is a condition that is caused by an increased pressure in your pet’s eye. This can be a result of the fluid within your dog’s eye not draining properly, which will lead to a buildup of pressure. If left untreated, it can cause an enlargement of one eye and can very quickly lead to blindness that will be permanent. Glaucoma is thought to cause a pain similar to headaches and migraines. This can cause your dog to have a smaller appetite, be irritable, be rubbing at their eye or not wanting to play. Some other signs to watch out for include a bulging eye or dilated pupil. Squinting or keeping their eye closed, fluttering eyelids and a loss of vision occurring in one eye may be seen. This disease is inherited primarily and can occur commonly in dogs, more so in certain breeds including Jack Russell, Shih Tzu, Cocker Spaniel, Siberian Husky, Chow and Basset Hound. It can also occur secondarily as a result of inflammation to the eye which is called uveitis, ocular cancer, advanced cataracts, chronic retinal detachment and displacement of the lens.
Ocular Pain
If your dog has a scratch, dry eyes or something stuck in their eye, they may be experiencing ocular pain. Firstly, take a look in your dog’s eye in an area that has good lighting. A healthy eye is bright and clear, has equal sized pupils, no crusts, discharge or tearing and the area around the pupil should be white. You can check the lining by gently rolling the lower eyelid down with your thumb. It should be pink, not white or red. Anything other than what was mentioned should be noted as unusual. This includes crusts and discharge, tearing around the eye, different sized pupils, cloudiness or a change in eye color, closed eyes, a red or white lining and the third eyelid is visible. You can clean your pet’s eyes by taking a damp cotton ball and gently wiping outwards from the corner. Visit your vet if you notice that your pet often has runny eyes and discharge, as it can be a sign of infection.
Horner’s Syndrome
Horner’s syndrome happens when there is a dysfunction occurring in the sympathetic nerves in the facial muscles and eyes. Symptoms of this disease include anisocoria, a droopy upper eyelid, a recessed or sunken eyeball and an elevated third eyelid that can be red in color. Sometimes, the dog will also experience difficulty eating on the affected side, along with excessive salivation. Horner’s syndrome occurs when enervation to the eye is disrupted, which could happen for a number of reasons, including damage in the sympathetic pathways running through the chest and neck, which can be a result of a bite wound, tumor, middle or inner ear diseases or intervertebral disc disease. In half of the cases of Horner’s syndrome, the cause is idiopathic, meaning that the underlying reason cannot be found. This can occur in any dog, but Golden Retrievers and Cocker Spaniels are of higher risk.