Blepharitis, which is inflammation of the eyelids,  is a common finding in many dogs with various skin diseases.  A clinical study examined records of 102 client owned dogs with clinical signs of blepharitis and a definitive diagnosis of skin disease.  The results suggested that blepharitis occurring without other skin lesions is rare and the most common underlying cause is allergic dermatitis.  

Highlights of the study are below:

·       Brachycephalic dogs were significantly more likely to present with blepharitis than other breeds.

·       Twenty five dogs had blepharitis alone, twenty two dogs had blepharitis with cutaneous lesion beyond the periocular skin and Seventy one presented with periocular dermatitis in addition to blepharitis.

·       Typical lesions included alopecia/hypotrichosis (97%), erythema (93%), eyelid oedema (50%) and crusts (39.2%).

·       Allergic skin disease (52%) was the most common underlying cause of blepharitis, followed by infectious/parasitic diseases (21.5%), autoimmune disorders (17.7%) and neoplasia (4.9%).

Read more:

Blepharitis in dogs: a clinical evaluation in 102 dogs.