Causes
There are many reasons why a dog's eyes become sour and itchy. If at the same time she develops pus, then conjunctivitis can be assumed. This disease is not dangerous, but, in the absence of modern treatment, it can be contagious to other pets. The main causes of itching and discharge from the eyes include:
- injuries that often occur if the animal likes to run near the bushes;
- foreign body. Many small objects often come into contact with the mucous membrane of the eye. Sometimes an x-ray is required before providing first aid;
- diseases of the oral cavity. These mucous membranes are interconnected. If your pet has pathologies in the oral mucosa, then discharge appears from the eye;
- allergic reactions that are common in dogs;
- weakened immunity. In this case, the inflamed mucous membrane is a sign of banal hypothermia;
- bacterial lesions, which are most often caused by streptococci, staphylococci. In this case, the pet develops a fear of light and general malaise;
- viral infections. In this case, sour eyes are a sign of a serious illness. Such as plague, rabies, enteritis;
- Worms are often the cause of eye souring. In this case, a white thick liquid is simultaneously released, which, when dried, leads to gluing of the eyelids;
- anatomical features. There are breeds of animals that are prone to conjunctivitis. These include pugs and Pekingese.
How and with what to wash a dog’s eyes when souring?
Routine hygienic care includes washing the eyes 1-2 times a day with solutions of Chlorhexidine or Furacilin. It is acceptable to use regular saline solution, infusion of black tea or chamomile herbs.
Such care is especially necessary for dogs whose breed is prone to this problem. A cotton pad is moistened with liquid and gently wiped over the eyes from the outer corner to the inner one. The solution should be at room temperature. If the discharge has dried and formed a crust, it is first softened, moistened generously with the solution, and then removed.
There are also special solutions for hygienic washing of the eyes of dogs and cats:
Oftal- Diamond eyes
- Ofto-Lavas
- Tear stain remover
The dog's eyes become sour and does not eat anything - most likely, it is sick. There is no point in treating a symptom without knowing the exact cause. You should contact a veterinarian as soon as possible, undergo a diagnostic examination and receive a prescription for treatment. For bacterial conjunctivitis, antibiotic ointments are used: Tetracycline, Eubetal, Bobrex drops. Viral infections are treated with Zovirax and Oxolin ointments. To quickly relieve redness, swelling of the eyelids, and itching, ointments are used: Hydrocortisone, Hyoxysone or Dexamethasone drops. In case of fungal infection of the mucous membranes, fungicidal drugs are prescribed. The listed medications cannot be used independently, without the consent of a specialist. General therapy also includes washing the eyes with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory solutions. When treating certain diseases, the animal may need diet and vitamin therapy.
Stages of souring eyes
Purulent discharge from a dog's eyes becomes immediately noticeable. There are several stages of sour eyes.
- At the first stage, redness appears on the eyeball. The organ of vision becomes inflamed and swollen. If assistance is not provided in a timely manner, purulent discharge develops. The fur around the eyes gets wet and sticks together. The dog becomes restless, whines, and refuses to eat. As the fur dries, crusts appear on the fur.
- The second stage is characterized by purulent impurities. In this case, we can assume the onset of an inflammatory process in the eyes.
- At the third stage, the general condition of the dog worsens. She has difficulty opening her eyes and suffers from photophobia. The pet completely refuses food and becomes lethargic. Pus extends beyond the eyelid area.
In acute cases of the disease, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian who will prescribe effective treatment.
What to do
If you discover specific symptoms, you should not hesitate to visit a veterinarian. It is advisable to separately obtain advice from a specialized specialist.
After examining the animal, the doctor sends it for testing. After this, he decides on a therapeutic strategy.
After the examination, it is necessary to pass tests for examination.
First aid
The first step is to wash your dog's eyes.
If it is not possible to immediately contact a veterinary clinic, then it is necessary to provide first aid to the pet yourself.
- If discharge appears after returning from the street, then it is necessary to rinse the pet’s eyes with warm boiled water. If possible, ordinary water should be replaced with distilled water. The procedure is carried out using a cotton pad.
- To prevent infection from entering the eye, tetracycline ointment should be placed behind the eyelid.
- It is very important to promptly stop the progression of acute conjunctivitis. This will help avoid the development of dangerous complications.
How to properly wash your dog's eyes
For rinsing, it is recommended to use chamomile infusion. The procedure should be performed as delicately as possible. This is necessary in order not to cause pain to the animal.
You can use chamomile infusion to wash your eyes.
The procedure is as follows:
- Soak a cotton pad in the broth.
- Apply it to your pet's organs of vision.
- Wait 2–3 minutes.
- Remove sour crusts.
- Soak a clean disk in the broth.
- Wipe your pet's eyelids from the eye to the nose.
- Apply eye drops.
The animal needs to wipe its eyelids several times. You cannot put pressure on the eyeball. The eyes are instilled with albucid or chloramphenicol drops.
But you can also use special ointments that have a local antibiotic effect.
The improvement becomes noticeable after the first procedure. But you shouldn’t stop after the first session. The procedures must be repeated further. The duration of the therapeutic course should be advised by the doctor.
It is not recommended to wash your eyes with tea, because it contains tannins that increase inflammation.
Prescription of medications
If the eyes sour constantly, then we are talking about a chronic process. Treatment consists of prescribing special medications. Usually the animal is prescribed medications that improve immunity. Mineral and vitamin complexes help best.
Vitamin complexes will help increase immunity.
The dog's eyes turn sour photo
Dangerous condition
If sour eyes in a dog appear as a result of a walk when the animal has suffered from dust or earth, then this is not a dangerous disease. Of course, in this case he needs to provide qualified first aid and, if necessary, consult a veterinarian. In addition, you should think about strengthening your pet's immunity. Since a strong animal must cope with the current situation.
A non-dangerous condition is when similar symptoms occur after cutting the animal. If fur gets into your pet's eye and leads to irritation and an allergic reaction. When sour eyes are combined with more serious symptoms, this may be a sign of a serious illness that can lead to loss of vision. Signs of the inflammatory process include:
- general serious condition of the dog;
- refusal of “sweets”;
- increased body temperature;
- dullness of the pupil;
- presence of green discharge;
- profuse lacrimation;
- ulcerative eye lesions.
In addition, you should pay special attention to your pet's attempt to rub its eyes with its paws.
Complications
Any eye disease in an animal is dangerous to health. The development of infection without timely treatment can lead to death.
Complications:
- loss of vision;
- decreased immunity;
- significant weight loss;
- development of strabismus.
The cause may be debris, damage, infectious and fungal diseases. The doctor prescribes the correct treatment and introduces preventive measures.
They say that a dog's gaze is similar to a human's - one can read the mind and feelings in it. But sometimes owners notice painful symptoms in front of their pet’s eyes. What to do if your dog's eyes turn sour? The phenomenon is not rare and occurs in different breeds. Let's figure out what the reason might be and how to help your four-legged friend.
How to provide first aid?
When your dog's eyes begin to sour after a walk, you first need to rinse the organ of vision. For this procedure, you should use warm boiled water. If possible, it is better to replace it with distilled one. Cleaning should be done with a cotton pad, leading from the outer edge of the eye to the inner. To prevent infection, it is better to apply eye ointment with tetracycline behind the eyelid. It will help to stop the inflammatory process in a timely manner and prevent the development of conjunctivitis in the acute stage.
Veterinarians recommend rinsing with sour eyes with freshly brewed tea or herbal decoctions, for example, calendula, chamomile. If your dog's eyes become sour after sleep, you need to apply cotton swabs soaked in decoctions to the inflamed area in the morning. When the crusts come off, you need to instill eye drops. For example, Albucid or Levomycetin twice a day for a week. In addition, during this period the dog should be put on a hypoallergenic diet. It should exclude sweets, eggs, canned food, fish.
Even if after treatment the dog’s condition has significantly improved, you should not postpone a visit to the veterinarian. Since it is easier to cure a disease at an early stage of its development than to later deal with recurrent chronic inflammation.
When is eye discharge normal?
The daily accumulation of a small amount of discharge in the corners of the eyes of dogs is an absolute norm. Healthy discharge is transparent and may have a grayish or reddish tint. Their number does not exceed a couple of match heads (from each eye) per day. There is no need to worry in such cases. There are dog breeds that are prone to more abundant eye discharge due to anatomical features. These dogs include:
- Breeds with bulging eyes (pugs, Pekingese, Chihuahua, Japanese Chin).
- Breeds with drooping eyelids (Shar Pei, Basset Hound, Spaniel and some others).
- Brachycephalic dogs are dogs with a shortened facial part of the skull (bulldogs, boxers, griffins, etc.).
- Long-haired breeds (divers, poodles, Shih Tzu, lapdogs).
The amount of discharge from the eyes in such dogs is higher. But the color and consistency are always uniform. The eyelids and conjunctiva show no signs of inflammation, the cornea is clear and moist.
There is nothing to worry about when a dog’s eyes become sour after sleep, but there is no discharge during wakefulness.
The secretion may increase in older animals due to age-related changes and lack of tear fluid.
