Keeping your puppy healthy is a great way to escape it and yourself from trouble. Caring for your puppy for better health is as essential as your dog grooming. If you own a beautiful dog, you must be aware that they are prone to different eye problems, and this blog is especially on the same topic. This blog aims to educate you about common dog eye problems.
Common dog eye problems
People who do not have a dog at home may need to be made aware of the different medical conditions that a furry can face. At the same time, such conditions are not new to dog enthusiasts. Moreover, different vets claim to check thousands of dogs with different health conditions related to their eyes. So, we have shortlisted a few common dog eye problems that we will discuss in the following passages.
Can I give my dog human eye drops?
Importantly, canine medications differ significantly from human medications, particularly eye drops. Never provide human medication to your dog without first seeking advice from a veterinary professional. The incorrect application of eye drops might result in severe discomfort, harm, and blindness.
Corneal Issues
Getting something into the eye causes too much irritation to humans. On the other hand, the dog is also prone to face such an issue, but the effects of eradicating an object from the eye differ greatly. As humans, we ask others to help us and remove that particle from the eye carefully. At the same time, dogs scratch their eye with nails and usually damage their cornea. Moreover, the signs indicating a damaged cornea are redness in the eye, watery eyes in the form of tears, and pawing at the eyes.
If you ever notice such problems with your canine, manage a vet visit as a priority because treating the dog’s eyes yourself may cause more damage to the dog’s eyes. At the same time, a qualified vet can diagnose and help it recover soon.
Can corneal damage cause pain in dogs?
No, this problem does not cause the dog’s eye pain but irritates it with blurry vision.
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (Eye dryness)
Another common disease a dog’s eye can suffer is keratoconjunctivitis sicca, often known as dryness in the eye. Though this disease is difficult to pronounce, spell, and read, we will use another term: eye dryness. If you are aware of eye anatomy, you must know that there are glands in the eyes to produce tears. This complication takes place when glands do not produce proper lubrication. This lubricant cleans the debris and dust from the eyes.
Moreover, infected glands mean the dog’s eye faces issues like scratches, ulcers, etc. Like corneal damage, redness in the eyes is also a symptom, while other indications include rapid blinking and narrowing eyes. Seek help from a vet, as he will offer some medicines as treatment or add artificial tears to the eyes if the problem is severe.
Cataracts
It is another common disease among dogs, but baby dogs or juveniles are less prone to suffer from this problem. Cataracts mostly affect the old canine, but their results may be very problematic to your pet. Depending on the severity level, it weakens the eyesight or even snatches the colour of life. When it comes to The indications of this eye problem include cloudy eyes, irritation in or near the eyes, and inflammation. Another way to clear your doubts is to note some unusual activities by a dog, like colliding with another object. For treatment, visit a vet, as the surgery only treats this problem.
At what age do the dogs get affected by cataracts?
Small-sized dogs are known to be affected by cataracts at the age of 10, while large breeds at 6.
Pink eye
You must have seen various people using antibiotic drops in their eyes due to redness, inflammation, or some fluid that causes eye discharge; it indicates pink eye problems. Dogs also suffer such situations, as bacteria and viruses cannot differentiate between humans and dogs. Common reasons for this problem are allergic reactions, any outer particle getting in the eye or bacterial attack. Though this problem is not severe, visiting a vet is essential because it might be challenging to decide whether it is a viral or bacterial issue.
Retinal Issues
All living organisms have a retina in their eyes that helps to see them. Regarding the dog, the retina exists at the backside of the eyes, with cells, rods and cones that work as a light absorber and signalize the brain. A bad truth about retina issues is that all problems related to this part lead to blindness if ignored, to get treatment at the time. Moreover, some dogs are known to carry this problem as their inheritance.
Some common causes of this problem are high blood pressure, distemper virus, fungal infections, Ivermectin toxicity, etc. Consider visiting the vet as a priority because some chances for recovering their eye still exist.
Allergic eyes
Allergic receptors are common in all living things, and dogs also suffer from eye and skin allergies. Recognizing the allergic eye is relatively easy as you can identify it with its itch behavior. Moreover, bacterial infections are common, and the eye produces green, yellow, or transparent discharge. A common treatment for such issues is giving them anti-allergies and antihistamines.
Lazy Eyes
It is a common condition in some dog breeds where they cannot see straightforwardly. Breeds like pugs and Boston Terriers are known to be affected by this medical condition. A good thing about this problem is that it does not require any treatment, and a dog recovers. But you should be worried if your dog starts to face this problem at once and visit a vet without wasting a moment. The sudden start of this problem indicates a neurological issue affecting the balance.
Eyelid Mass
Like humans, dog eyes also produce bumps on eyelids or at the edge of an eyelid, and the best idea is to get assistance from a vet. These bumps result from cysts or benign tumors, but the good news is that they cannot result in cancer. Your veterinarian will help you to diagnose if the bump is cancerous. A common solution to this problem is surgical removal, which you cannot do by yourself but by a vet.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is also a common eye disease in dogs, and it initiates when the liquid in their eyes is not drained properly. It results in creating pressure in the eyeball. Like others, it is a very serious problem that can be very painful, and the severity can lead to blindness. Some dog breeds like Poodles, Chow Chow, and Cocker Spaniels are affiliated with such diseases. Vets offer different medications to increase the drainage and to control pain. Surgery can also become a basic need for treatment according to the severity of the problem.
Entropion
An inherited condition known as entropion causes the eyelid to curl inward. When this occurs, the eye’s cornea may be rubbed against by the eyelashes or hairs on the outside of the eyelid, irritating and harming the eye. Additionally, it may result in corneal scarring, which can impair your dog’s eyesight. Squinting and frequent crying are entropion symptoms. Breeds, including Bulldogs, Shih Tzus, and Yorkie Terriers, are more prone to entropion.
Cherry Eye
Last but not least eye problem of dogs in our list is cherry eye. If you know a dog’s eye anatomy, you must know that a dog’s eye has three eyelids. Two of them are visible, while the third one is invisible. Some ligaments hold the eyes weak, resulting in a cherry on the corner of the dog’s eyes. It is a painful situation and usually requires surgery.
Healthy eye care activities for dogs
There are a few activities that you must perform as the care of your canine’s eyes. Moreover, doing so will help you find any issue with the dog and get the best treatment.
Check their eyes regularly.
The main obligation to keep the dog’s eye healthy is to examine it with time closely. If you figure out any issue, seek help from a health care provider.
Schedule a meeting with the vet
Regular checkups to maintain a puppy’s good health help a vet detect any problem with your dog. A doctor will come to know quickly and see if there is any eye issue; he will recommend the best treatment to recover it soon.
Clean their eyes gently.
If you notice something out of the box in a canine’s behavior, consider checking its eye and gently cleaning the eyes if it is producing some unusual discharge.
Clip the nails
Another thing that falls into dogs’ care is clipping their nails with time. Doing so will prevent the damage that a dog can face if it scratches its eyes.
Consider trimming their hairs
According to vets, most dogs they check with eye problems have infections caused by hairs. It is best to trim their hairs near the eyes so their hairs may not enter the eyes and cause any infection.
When should I take my dog to a vet?
People often ask, “How often should I visit a vet?” The simple answer is once a month or when you find your canine in bad health.
Conclusion
In this blog, “common dog eye problems” we discussed some diseases that can affect your dog. These diseases are very common, while some are hazardous and can even lead to blindness. At the same time, some problems are not severe but cause irritation. So, to prevent these problems, nothing is better than to keep on checking their medical condition with time. Moreover, scheduling a visit with a vet will help you more to keep them healthy.
