Can Dogs Get Pink Eye? Yes, The dog gets pink eye. The pink eye in dogs or dog pink eye, also known as red eye or conjunctivitis, is an inflammation of the tissue in the eyelids and the whites of the eyes. Treatment of the pink eye is important because the condition can cause pain, blindness and additional infection in the canines if left untreated.
Conjunctivitis in dogs can look like the pink eye in humans. But is often caused by the irritation of a foreign substance or allergen, rather than a contagious infection.
Can Dogs Get Pink Eye?
In some cases, however, the pink eye in the canines is the result of an infection, or it could accompany other conditions. It is important to consult your veterinarian to determine the cause of the pink eye in your dog and recommend the treatment accordingly. This is what you should know about the causes.
Causes of Pink Eye in Dogs:
The pink eye can be caused by anything that results in inflammation of the conjunctiva or tissue of the eyelids and white parts of the eyes.
There are many irritants, infections, and conditions that can lead to this inflammation. Here are some common causes of pink eye in dogs:
- Irritants in the air such as smoke, dust or perfume
- Foreign object lodged in the eye or under the eyelid
- Immune disease
- Canine distemper
- Upper respiratory tract infection
- Infections of bacteria such as streptococci and staphylococci
- Viral infections
- Glaucoma
- Dry eye or inability to produce enough tears
- Obstructed tear ducts
- Malformed eyelids
- Eye injury
- Allergies
Rarely, the pink eye may be caused by the presence of cancerous tumors. Sometimes it can also be the result of lesions that appear as pink masses, which are not cancerous. But appear more frequently in collies. German shepherd dogs are also predisposed to a certain type of pink eye called plasma cell conjunctivitis.
Types of Conjunctivitis in Dogs:
Purulent conjunctivitis – The eyes are red and swollen discharge and the eyes containing mucus and pus. There may be thick bark discharge that causes the eyelids. This is often caused by the bacteria Streptococcus and Staphylococcus and common treatment is a topical antibiotic ointment. It is better to take your dog to the vet, but the ointment can be purchased online.
Follicular (mucoid) conjunctivitis – This condition is when the mucous glands in the lower part of the membrane nipple react eye irritant or infection by forming a rough surface rockery irritated the eye and there is no mucus secretion. Veterinarians often prescribe antibiotics eye ointments and corticosteroids.
Serous conjunctivitis – eyes membranes look pink and swollen. The discharge is clear and watery. The possible causes are wind, cold, dust, allergies, and possibly viral. If the dog is rubbing his face, it is likely allergies. The treatment is the use of eye drops with saline or artificial tears.
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Symptoms of the Pink Eye in Dogs:
The pink eye symptom that is most noticeable is the pink or red tone found in the whites of the eyes. There are several other signs of conjunctivitis that you should consider. Other symptoms include the following:
- Swollen eyelids
- The watery fluid, mucus or pus
- Squinting
- Frequent flashing spasms
- Swelling of the eyes
- Kicking in the eyes or rubbing on the floor or furniture
- Closed eyelids
- Sneeze or a cough
Dog Eye Infection Home Remedy:
Curing canine conjunctivitis is a simple task that requires medical treatment and dedication. In general, veterinarians prescribe the use of antibiotic eye drops to combat this ocular condition.
However, this is not the only care that your dog requires since you should clean the affected eye regularly and the appropriate remedies. For this, there are physiological sera that must also be prescribed by the veterinarian.
If you want to accelerate the healing process and complement the pharmacological treatment with natural remedies, keep reading this article of a Como and discover the most effective home remedies to cure canine conjunctivitis.
Steps to follow:
- It is important to emphasize that you should not stop using the eye drops prescribed by the veterinarian nor the physiological serum for eye cleaning. The home remedies should always be a complement to cure the pathology, not the only solution. Also, if your dog has just presented the first symptoms, do not hesitate to go to the veterinarian, because the cause will determine one type of treatment or another.
- To prevent your dog from scratching his eye damaged by conjunctivitis, you must purchase an Elizabethan collar, more popularly known as a bell. One of the most effective natural remedies for eye cleaning your dog is black tea. You should clean the correct eye three times a day with this remedy. It is important that you do it using a clean gauze, with gentle movements and without rubbing, simply slide the gauze always in the same direction until the eye is completely clean.
- In addition to black tea, there are other very beneficial infusions to cure canine conjunctivitis. The most effective are chamomile and horsetail. Remember that there are a number of plants toxic to dogs, so not all are worth. If you want, you can alternate the three types of infusion and perform an eye cleanse with each one. The procedure is the same, use a clean gauze and do not rub the damaged eye.
- A very effective home remedy to reduce the redness caused by canine conjunctivitis is to alternate compresses of warm water with cold. Cold allows reducing the redness of the affected eye while decreasing inflammation, while heat is good to relieve irritation. You should leave the compresses for five minutes to be effective.
- Of course, a balanced diet, quality, and with the necessary nutrients and proteins, canine conjunctivitis will heal more quickly.
Likewise, following the proper diet will favour the prevention of it, especially if your dog is prone to suffer this type of affections. Remember that it is very important that you do not scratch your eyes, or expose your dog to toxic products, such as solvents or gases, that would worsen his condition. Before using any home remedy consult with your veterinarian, you may be allergic to any of them.
Dog Eye Infection Treatment:
Because conjunctivitis in dogs is usually the result of an irritant and not a contagious infection that can spread from dog to dog, treatment most of the time involves flushing the eyes and reducing inflammation with eye drops and ointments.
If the irritant is an allergen, this can be followed with antihistamines. In the case of a bacterial infection, antibiotics can be administered, such as oxytetracycline, tobramycin or ciprofloxacin. These can come in eye drops, ointments or pills and your dog can receive several medicines at the same time to cover multiple bacteria.
Usually, once the infection goes away, it will not return unless your dog continues to interact with the contaminants. If the pink eye results from an underlying condition, it should be treated separately. Immune disease, distemper, and upper respiratory infection have their own prescribed treatments.
Certain types of tumours or deformities of the eyelids or eyes may require surgery. The prevention of rosacea is possible by reducing interactions with contaminated water or other materials. Eliminating exposure to known allergens or irritants, such as cigarette smoke, also helps.
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Final Words:
Keeping up with vaccines for conditions such as distemper will also reduce the risk of getting rosacea as a secondary condition. The prevention of rosacea is possible by reducing interactions with contaminated water or other materials. Hope that you got the information about can dogs get pink eye and its treatment.
Eliminating exposure to known allergens or irritants, such as cigarette smoke, also helps. Keeping up with vaccines for conditions such as distemper will also reduce the risk of getting rosacea as a secondary condition.
The prevention of rosacea is possible by reducing interactions with contaminated water or other materials. Eliminating exposure to known allergens or irritants, such as cigarette smoke, also helps. Keeping up with vaccines for conditions such as distemper will also reduce the risk of getting rosacea as a secondary condition.
Did your dog ever have pink eyes? How did you treat it? Let us know in the comments below! And more information about Dog Food knows here.
