My dog’s eyes are red. What should I do?
The eyes of dogs have three eyelids for additional protection, as well as more rods in the cornea for night vision. However, we humans have the blessing to see all the beautiful colors that a dog cannot. But this sensitive part can also get diseases if suffer bad circumstances like humans. Yes, here we are talking about the redness of eyes that a dog can get if his eyes are not well.
The eyes are the most attractive and sensitive part of your dog, and they melt your heart when you watch him. But what if these eyes have become red instead of their normal color? This can be tension causing for you. So, here in this article, we are going to address this problem that many dog owners want to know about.
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What are the major causes of redness in dogs’ eyes?
Redness in your dog’s eyes can be due to different reasons. This can be an allergy, an eye injury, a dust particle allergy, dryness of the eyes, and many more things. Let’s, discuss them one by one.
Eye allergies:
Your dog may develop an eye allergy as a result of seasonal changes or flower blossoms to which your dog is allergic. The pollen in such plants is quite allergenic for your dog and can cause redness in the white part of the eye or sometimes in the conjunctiva. Like humans, dogs are also allergic to certain plants and their odors, as inhaling them causes their eyes to weep along with other allergic reactions such as fever.
Treatment:
You should not administer medications or eye drops because you do not know the severity or nature of the allergy. The allergy can be due to food or pollen, and in either case, improper medication can be disastrous.
Conjunctivitis:
It is also a common eye disease that causes pain not only in your dog’s eye but can also affect humans’ eyes as well. This can occur due to many environmental factors, including different bacteria and viruses. The condition can be worse if mistreated, so in such cases, it is better to take your dog to a veterinarian.
Treatment:
If the conjunctivitis is mild, you can treat it on your own with salt water and herbal remedies like herbal euphlasia, calendula, and chamomile. To make salt water use the following steps;
- Take one cup of water
- Add 1 tablespoon of salt to it.
- Boil it for 15 minutes and then cool down.
- Now take a glass dropper so that you can pour down this salt water into your dog’s eyes.
In severe cases, however, you should contact a veterinarian, who will prescribe anti-viral or anti-bacterial medications for your dog.
Eye trauma or injury:
An eye injury can be minor or worse for your dog, depending on the nature of the trauma or accident he had to endure. It can be a piece of grass, dirt, or sand stuck in his eyes and continuously irritating him, which is why his eyes become red. And it could be a serious scratch or cut on one or both of his eyes, causing his eyes to turn red and cause extreme pain. In the second case, you should immediately go to a veterinarian.
Dry eye syndrome:
Dry eye syndrome, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), is a disorder in which the dog’s eyes remain dry due to moisture loss. This irritates the eyes, especially when the dog blinks. Moreover, it also causes redness in your dog’s eyes. Dry eye syndrome can also be caused by corneal ulcers and can become chronic in some cases.
Treatment:
Consult a veterinarian to check the intensity of the eye dryness and also test how much moisture has been left in your dog’s eyes.
In this case, the medication includes eye drops that must be taken regularly, sometimes for the rest of one’s life. Also, clean your eyes daily.
Glaucoma:
A chronic disease that occurs due to the fluid that swells your dog’s eyes. It occurs due to scratches or trauma. And if it remains prolonged can cause blindness in your dog.
Treatment:
It is better to treat it earlier. Otherwise, the treatment would be prolonged or painful. In severe cases, a veterinarian must remove the buildup of fluid via eye surgery, and in some cases, the eyes must be removed via detailed surgery. So, please catch the disease earlier and start treating it well.
What are the precautions to keep your dog’s eyes healthy?
- Use a soft, wet cloth to keep your dog’s eyes clean.
- Trim the small hair near your dog’s eyes
- Check your dog’s eyes weekly
- Use eyewash to clean your dog’s eyes if he is more sensitive to external environmental factors.
- Mostly, the foreign agents affect the dog’s eyes if he hangs his head out of the car. So, please don’t allow him to do so.
FAQ’s
Like humans, dogs also face redness due to sparks of dirt, hot weather, and even slight injury. However, proper treatment can readily make your dog fine without losing his eyes. However, if it remains unchecked, the results can be serious.
Besides, consult a doctor who can give first aid to your dog if the redness is starting. In this case, you have to wash your dog’s eyes with green tea and also a solution of Aloe Vera clear gel. It will surely reduce the discomfort of your dog’s eye.
Disorder in your dog’s eyes can discomfort his whole body, and he can suffer from vomiting and loss of appetite. As the entire metabolism becomes disturbed, moreover, the dog is also scared of darkness which disturbs his digestive system.