What is Pink Eye in Dogs?
Pink Eye in pet dogs is a disease that needs to be closely monitored and treated in order to provide your furry friend as many healthy years as possible.
Conjunctivitis in dogs is an uncomfortable and itchy eye condition. If this condition is left untreated, it can damage your dog's eye(s).
It is a common infection in dogs which affects the mucocus membrane which protect your pet's eye and eyelids called the conjunctiva by covering over them. The condition is called conjunctivitis, or more commonly referred to as 'pink eye in dogs', when the mucocus membrane becomes infected or inflamed.
Here’s everything you have to know about pink eye in dogs – how to prevent your caninefrom pink eye, the early signs or of pink eye that you should look for, and what to do if you find symptoms of pink eye in dogs.
Symptoms of Pink Eye in Dogs
Pink Eye can cause obvious changes in your dog’s health and behaviour. Knowing the symptoms of Pink Eye in dogs is the first step in protecting your dog’s health. If any of these signs apply to your pet, bring your dog to your veterinarian for a checkup:
- Excessive Blinking
- Excessive Squinting
- Increased Discharge From The Eye
- Swelling Around The Eyelids
- Puffiness Around Eyelids
- Eyelids That Stick Together
- Watery Eyes
- Rubbing The Eyes
Please Note: The information presented on this article is designed to help inform you of pink eye. It is not meant to replace the vet diagnosis or treatment for pink eye. If you have any questionsor concerns about your pet dog’s health or possible symptoms, make to contact and consult with your vet as soon as you can.
The Main Causes of Pink Eye in Dogs
To understand and treat pink eye in dogs, we need to know the underlying causes of pink eye in dogs. This can help a pet owner prevent pink eye happening in the first place or again.
A number of health issues causes the pink eye in dogs and these include: allergies, obstructed tear ducts, parasitic infections, viral infections, tumors in the eye region, irritation from foreign bodies, breed specific conditions such as nodular episcleritis in Collies, tear film deficiency, abnormalities of the eye, injury to the eye, or an underlying eye condition such as ulcerative keratitis, glaucoma or anterior uveitis.
Diagnosing Pink Eye in Dogs
No one understands your dog better than you do and hence it is important that your dog be checked thoroughly by a vet annually.
The best treatment for conjunctivitis in dogs depends on the underlying causes of pink eye condition in dogs. A fulle eye examination by your veterinarian will help identify the causes and the best treatment for pink eye in dogs.
Contact your vet to find out more about the treatments for pink eye in dogs.
Preventing Pink Eye in Dogs
It is upsetting when your pet dog gets sick, and watching it suffer can be absolutely upsetting. With caution and a bit of extra care, a pet owner can make sure that dog stays protected from illnesses such as pink eye.
To not to seem weak or susceptible to predators, the innate survival instincts make canines hide illnesses. This indicates comprehensive physical examinations by a certified vet are crucial to keep your family pets healthy. Typically, blood and urine tests performed by your veterinarian are required to get the total picture of your family pet’s health. These preventive checks actions will diagnose any health issue earlier making treatment more successful and less expensive and, more notably, will help your pet dog live a longer, much healthier life.
Fortunately, many conjunctivitis cases in dogs can be prevented, despite the fact that some causes of pink eye in dogs such as dry eye or entropion are nearly impossible to prevent. However, one of the easiest ways to reduce the chances of preventing your dog developing pink eye is to avoid letting your dog hang their head out of a moving car's window. This will avoid your dog's eyes be struck by flying debris and reduce the wind itself irritating your dog's eyes.
By having your pet with up-to-date on vaccinations will help reduce the chances of catching conjunctivitis through virus. Another way to reduce pink eye condition in dogs is to supervise your dog while they play to discourage play that might result in eye injuries.
Catching conjunctivitis in dogs early can greatly reduce the severity of the condition, making it much easier to treat. Therefore, as soon as you notice eye symptoms or discomfort in your dog, take your pet straight away to the vet.
Treatment for Pink Eye in Dogs
Antibiotics and eyedrops are usually prescribed when bacterial infection is causing your dog's pink eye condition. Your vet may prescribe an antihistamine to help make your dog's eyes more comfortable if allergies are the suspected cause of the conjentivatis in dogs. If any foreign objects in dog's eye is irritating your pet, then the vet will remove the foreign objects while your dog is under sedation or local anesthetic.
If the conjunctivitis in dogs caused by a blocked tear duct, then the vet will need to do a surgery followed by eye drops and antibiotics.
It may be necessary to have your pet wear a cone or Elizabethan collar to prevent rubbing and allow the eye to heal, If your dog is persistently pawing at their eyes while being treated.
Contact your vet to learn more about the treatments for pink eye in dogs.