Dog Conjunctivitis

Problems such as conjunctivitis in dog and inflammation of the membrane that covers the inside of the eyelids and the exterior part of the visible part of the eye, are caused by infections, or from accidental lesion because of a scratch or by something getting into the dogs eyes. The symptoms of conjunctivitis are reddening of the eye, tearing, blinking and secretions. A dog's cornea can also get damaged if the dog does not have enough tears or if they extend over the whole external surface of the eye. Dry eyes in a dog will look kind of dull and sticky, and it causes the dog pain. If the problem is in the cornea of the eye, it will allow the tears to go in and the dog's eyes will look kind of shadowy and bluish. Cataracts are hereditary in the case of some breeds; although the truth is that any breed is able to get them. In many cases when a dog has cataracts it means he has diabetes mellitus. Sicknesses that affect the eyes such as lesions of the optic nerve can occasionally cause blindness, even when the aspect of the eye looks completely normal. Believe it or not, dogs that have lost their sight manage themselves pretty well because their smelling and hearing senses increase tremendously. Blindness in dogs does not mean the end of the dog's life.

Taking care of a dog eyes

If your dog's eyes are having problems it's likely the veterinarian will want you to apply eye drops in the dog's eyes. To do this, grab the dog by the chin firmly with one hand. Put the eye drops upside down and place your thumb on one end and your index finger on the other end. Finally put the eye drops into the dog's eyes and place your other three free fingers on the dog's head. If you need to apply cream onto your dog's eyes, put a small amount on your clean finger and very carefully spread it along the surface of the dog's internal eyelid. If the dog's eyes emit secretions, you need to wash it out with an abundant amount of warm water with a small amount of salt. You should put about one teaspoon of salt for every half liter of water. A dog that is having eye problems needs to be protected from an excess amount of light, sun, strong currents of air, and you must also make sure the dog does not get into any water (the pool, a river, etc). If your dog constantly scratches at his eyes, ask your veterinarian about your options on how to solve this problem. There are also special contact lenses for dogs that serve as a transparent band-aid allowing the dog's eye to heal.