Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Eye worm infections causing conjunctivitis in dogs in Korea 2022-2024
By Kim, Eunjik et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary science·2025·Dr. Park's Animal Eye Clinic, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Characteristics of canine thelaziasis in the Republic of Korea: a retrospective study (2022-2024).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 35 dogs in South Korea was diagnosed with a parasitic eye infection called thelaziasis, which can cause symptoms like eye discomfort, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eye), and corneal ulcers. Most dogs were referred from other clinics, but only a few were initially diagnosed correctly. The infection was more common in the fall and winter months. Fortunately, all the dogs recovered well after the parasites were manually removed, and they received anti-inflammatory or antibiotic eye drops as needed.
People also search for: dog eye infection treatment · why is my dog’s eye red · thelaziasis in dogs symptoms · dog conjunctivitis causes · seasonal eye problems in dogs
Abstract
IMPORTANCE: Previous reports on thelaziasis from the Republic of Korea focused on parasite identification and zoonotic infections in humans. This retrospective study aimed to characterize the clinical patterns of thelaziasis in pet dogs. OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of canine ocular thelaziasis in small animal clinical settings in the Republic of Korea. METHODS: Medical records of 35 dogs (44 eyes), diagnosed with thelaziasis at Dr. Park's Animal Eye Clinic between March 2022 and February 2024, were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Nine dogs had bilateral infections, while 26 had unilateral infections. Most cases (71.4%) were referred to by local clinics, but only 16% had been initially diagnosed with thelaziasis. Common clinical signs included conjunctivitis (25.7%), ocular discomfort (17.1%), corneal ulcers (14.3%), and parasite observation (14.3%). No breed, sex, or age predisposition was noted. Thelaziasis was more prevalent in fall (54.3%) and winter (28.6%), with fewer cases in spring (11.4%) and summer (5.7%). Dogs with thelaziasis had a higher incidence of follicular conjunctivitis of the third eyelid (42.9%) compared to non-infected dogs (9.7%). All affected dogs recovered well after manual parasite removal, followed by anti-inflammatory or antibiotic eye drops as needed. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Canine thelaziasis showed seasonal prevalence, peaking in fall and winter, and was linked to an increased risk of follicular conjunctivitis of the third eyelid. Veterinarians should consider thelaziasis in cases of recurrent ocular surface disease, especially in these seasons.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40183913/