The proverbial faithful dog look is cute and heart-warming – but dog eyes are very easily irritable. They are sensitive to drafts, cigarette smoke, perfume, or room sprays. Also, bell to hang on door for dog the ventilation in the car or wind can harm the beautiful dog’s eyes. If they are glued, swollen, or reddened, something is wrong. Read here how to properly approach your dog’s eye care so that your dog has a healthy view.
Eye diseases in dogs
Basically, there are two types of eye diseases in dogs: acquired and congenital, i.e. genetically determined eye diseases. Whether and when the latter will break out, however, cannot be predicted. Some congenital diseases already appear in puppies or young animals age, others only in advanced dog age.
Overview of eye diseases:
Corneal inflammation is indicated by milky turbidity of the eye (or cornea). On the other hand, the clouding of the lens can be a symptom of cataracts. If you suspect these eye diseases, you should consult a veterinarian immediately.
Conjunctivitis is often caused by foreign bodies in the eye, wind, or dust. Incorrectly growing eyelashes that come under the eyelid, or individual hairs at eye level can irritate the dog’s eye again and again.
Clogged lacrimal glands, injuries, or allergies are also causes of possible eye problems, as is advanced dog age.
Detect eye diseases in time
Eye diseases of the dog are sometimes difficult for a layman to recognize. Therefore, it is important that you regularly care for the eyes of your four-legged friend and subject them to an “inspection”. If there is the slightest doubt about the undisturbed functionality of the dog’s eye, do not hesitate to consult a veterinarian immediately.
Not all eye diseases of the dog are accompanied by visible eye changes. Therefore, it is important that you also pay attention to symptoms in your four-legged friend that do not initially indicate eye disease.
Watch out for the following symptoms:
- Above-average light sensitivity
- Rubbing the head on the carpet
- Pinching of the eyes
- Blink
- Touch of the eye with the paws
- Irritability and/or restlessness
- Lethargy, displeasure, and need for sleep
- Anorexia
- Touch sensitivity
- Whine
With some symptoms, the immediate visit to the veterinarian or a veterinary emergency center is unavoidable.
Consult a veterinarian for the following symptoms:
- Purulent yellow or greenish discharge on the eye
- Severely bloodshot dog eyes
- Eye changes of any kind: especially turbidity, glassiness, eye enlargement, gray veil
- If your dog doesn’t want to open his eyes
- Expansion of pupils/different pupil sizes
Treating tearing eyes and dry eyes
Clear, vivid eyes and a clean eye environment testify to your dog’s health. But in some dogs, the eyes water particularly strongly or are even glued. Tearing eyes in dogs – especially in small breeds that have their head near the ground – is initially a natural process of self-cleaning.
You can support the self-cleaning powers of the dog’s eye by applying a mild eye care solution based on herbal essences without alcohol after walking.
However, there are other reasons for your dog’s increased lacrimation:
- Allergic reactions
- Wind/draughts/air conditioning
- Physical irritation: foreign bodies in the eye, eyelashes, overhanging hair
- Clogged tear duct, so the tears cannot drain into the nasal cavity
A dry dog’s eye is irritated, red, and painful, so the dog often rubs against the carpet with his paw or head. If the dog’s eye is otherwise healthy, the first therapeutic measure is to avoid drafts and dry air as well as air conditioning, e.g. in the car.
In the acute state, the dry dog’s eye should be moistened with special eye drops or eye ointments. If the dryness of the dog’s eye is caused by other factors such as genetic malformation of the eyelid, you should definitely consult a veterinarian specializing in eye diseases.
Never use human eye medication for your dog. You can do more harm than good. Even in the case of non-specific symptoms and even more so in the case of visible changes in the dog’s eye, a veterinarian must be consulted.
Treating glued eyes
For glued dog eyes, a soft, lint-free cotton cloth dipped in the warm water helps, which you wipe along with the eye from the inside to the outside. Specially developed cleaning cloths for dog eyes are suitable for this. So that no germs are transmitted, you should take a fresh cloth for each eye.
Caution should also be exercised here with dog breeds that are genetically prone to eye problems. In them, encrusted eyes could indicate possible conjunctivitis or sagging lower eyelids and belong in the hands of a veterinarian.
Eye care for certain dog breeds
Some breeds have above-average eye problems caused by their special anatomy. This particularly affects flat-faced dog breeds with protruding eyes such as Pekinese, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Maltese or French Bulldogs. In these breeds, dry eyes or increased lacrimation may occur regularly. Therefore, they require daily eye care with appropriate care products, which you can get both from the veterinarian and from us in the online shop.
