Excerpt taken from a Schering-Plough Animal Health brochure
What is KCS? Although difficult to pronounce the clinical name, by
breaking this term down into its root components one can get a better
understanding of this potentially devastating disease.
“Kerato” is the scientific term for the cornea. The cornea is the outer,
transparent fibrous coat of the eye. The conjunctiva is the tissue that
covers the interior surface of the eye and the lining of the eyelids.
The suffix “it is” denotes
inflammation, and “sicca”
means dry. Keratoconjunctivitis
sicca is therefore an
inflammatory process of the
cornea and conjunctiva due to
dryness or, more specifically, to
a tear deficiency. Commonly
called “dry eye,” KCS is a
disease that affects middle-toolder-
age dogs and has also
been reported to affect cats.
Although the exact cause of
KCS in the dog can rarely be
determined, there is evidence to
believe that up to 90% of the
KCS cases are related to a
problem with the animal’s
immune system to protect against disease. In certain instances the
animal’s own immune system can mistakenly recognize parts of its
own body as foreign invaders and set out to destroy them. In KCS, it
is theorized that the immune system may actually destroy the glands
that are responsible for tear production, leaving the dog incapable of
producing sufficient tears.
In the remaining 10% of KCS cases, we are often able to determine
the exact cause of the disease. Included in this list of causes are
drug toxicities, viral infections, surgical removal of the tear gland of
the third eyelid, injury to the nerves of the face,
and congenital defects in which the dog is born without well-formed
tear glands.
Clinical Signs of KCS
Tears are responsible for maintaining the health of the cornea. They
accomplish this role by providing moisture and lubrication, removing
debris, and serving as a source of oxygen and nutrients. In addition,
tears have antibacterial properties that help to protect against
infection. The clinical signs and symptoms that may occur in an eye
that lacks tear production are listed below
• Frequent accumulation of mucus in the corners of the eye
• Reddened eye
• Dry and dull cornea
• Squinting and rubbing the eye
• Sealed-closed appearance of eye, in severe cases
• Loss of transparency in cornea
• Possible presence of ulcers of the cornea
If KCS is left untreated, scarring of the cornea may lead to blindness.
If your dog shows any of the signs above seek veterinarian treatment
now. He can diagnose the disease by the clinical signs and by using
a saturation test called Schirmer tear test.
Treatment of KCS
Treatment can range from artificial tears applied frequently along with
antibiotics, corticosteroids, and mucolytic agents that help break up
the mucus accumulations associated with KCS, to a new promising
drug called cyclosporine applied twice daily which can keep the
animal’s immune system in check so that the tear glands are not
destroyed and may also stimulate tear production through a hormonal
mechanism. When using cyclosporine, best results are obtained if
the dog is diagnosed and treated during the early phases of the
disease, so don’t wait!!!
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca
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