General Information:
Dog owners are very good at noticing signs of sickness since you spend so much time with your pets. You should look for inflamation, redness, discharge or scabs. Looking for the signs and catching an infection early is important.
Unless there is an problem, you should not need to clean your dog’s eyes regularly. When you give your dog its regular cleaning, you can put mineral oil in its eyes. This will protect the eyes from the debris or shampoo that might get into them. While it is not a cure for dry eye, it does lubricate the eye.
What is dry eye?
Dry eye is simply what it sounds. It is when your eyes become dry. While that may not sound like much, it can be incredibly painful. The medical term for it is keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) and is caused by things like infection, tumors, immune reactions, trauma, or nerve degeneration. It can also be cause by chemicals that fall in the eye. This is why it is a good idea to put mineral oil in your dog’s eyes when you are bathing it.
How do you clean your dog’s eyes?
Before you do anything, you need to see your vet for medication. Usually dogs are given Optimmune and some type of antibiotic ointment. The first dosage will likely be given at the vet and will give you a lesson on how to do the same procedure at home.
The most common way to administer any ointment is to hug your dog under its chin. This should put you in a spot to be looking into its eyes. You might need to administer them on the side of the eye, so it will seep inward, in case your dog blinks.
With luck, the medication will kill the infection, and your dog will be back to normal. Sometimes, however, dry eye is chronic. While it might not be convenient, it is not fatal. Your vet will give you something to administer daily.
If you notice any signs of infection later, you will want to take your dog to the veterinarian immediately.
