Dog eye problems

The eye is a complex and sensitive organ. It is therefore important to contact the veterinarian if the following symptoms occur:

• Thick red eyelids
• Dog squeezes with his eyes
• Crusts on the eyelids
• More eye discharge such as tears or pus
• The dog is light shy
• The eyes are more bulbous than normal
• Your dog tries to rub his eyes against everything
• Vision has deteriorated

My dog has an eye infection

When a dog's eyes become inflamed, it is often due to inflammation of the conjunctiva. This is the mucous membrane lining on the inside of the eyelid. With healthy mucous membrane, this looks smooth, pink and moist. The mucous membrane fold in the corner of the eye is also called the third eyelid. Usually this is not visible. If an eye is inflamed, the conjunctiva becomes red and swollen. Also, the third eyelid becomes more visible because there is a swelling, and because of the pain the eyeball withdraws. In addition, there is a lot of eye discharge, these can be tears and a thick green pus. Leaching can dry up into crusts in the eyelids. The cornea can also become inflamed, creating a light blue haze with small blood vessels. The dog starts pinching his eyes and tries to rub everything because he suffers from the irritation.

The most common causes of eye inflammation are:

• dust
• wind
• bacteria
• Viruses and fungi
• Damage to the cornea
• Hairs in the eyes
• Wrong position of eyelids
• Dry eyes

Each cause mentioned requires a different approach. For a correct diagnosis, a visit to the veterinarian is necessary. 

Slime in the corners of my dog's eye

If there is mucus in the corners of your dog's eye, this does not always have to be immediately harmful. When the eyes otherwise look fine, you can simply wipe this mucus away with your finger.

You can dip a in cooled or lukewarm cooled tea from organically grown Chamomile to cleanse slightly irritated eyes. Dep from the outer corner of the eye towards the nose. Then, with a vitamin A ointment, you can care for and protect the eye. If the eyes remain irritated for a long time and there is a haze on the cornea or when the discharge becomes pus-like, plan a visit to the veterinarian. Dogs that have good resistance are less likely to suffer from inflammation.

My dog suffers from tear streaks

Tear streaks are dark streaks under the eyes and are caused by increased tear production or clogged tear ducts. With too much tear fluid, the tears are no longer carried through the tear duct towards the nose, but roll over the cheeks. This eventually causes a browning (the tear stripe) on the hairs. Go to the vet so he can investigate if the cause can be remedied. If the cause is an allergic reaction or hereditary predisposition, it is best to keep the coat under the eyes as clean and dry as possible. This allows you to prevent the formation of tear streaks and possible skin irritation. Special cleaning products have been developed against tear streaks. Furthermore, it helps to smear Vaseline under the eye after cleaning, so that the tear fluid does not stick.

Does my dog have cataracts?

Grey cataracts are a clouding of the eye lens. This looks like a gray-colored pupil. The cornea still looks clear and transparent. Because the eye lens becomes cloudy, the dog can go blind in the longer term. Most dogs suffer from cataracts when they are a bit older. It can also be something hereditary or when the mother dog has been fed poor food during gestation; cataracts can also develop at a younger age. Furthermore, cataracts can arise as a result of diseases, for example diabetes. Sometimes surgery by a specialized veterinarian can help.

Dry eyes in your dog: cause and treatment

If too little tear fluid is produced, eyes can become chronically irritated. The eyes get dull, the nose gets dry, and occasionally pieties stick to the middle of the eye. If you think your dog suffers from too little tear fluid in the eye, the advice is to make an appointment with the veterinarian. Here they can give you a treatment that consists of giving artificial tears and a special eye ointment that stimulates the production of tear fluid.