Eye discharge is common among dogs, especially in small breeds. It can be a sign of minor allergies to severe infections, such as glaucoma or conjunctivitis, leading to blindness if left untreated. Dogs with flatter faces, such as boxers, pugs, bulldogs, and Pekingese, are usually prone to eye discharge than the other breeds. This is because they have shallow eye sockets and bulging eyes.
As a pet owner, you are responsible for their health and long life. It helps if you know the causes and consequences of some common health problems among dogs. These include the ears, skin, pet dentistry concerns, and overall health.
Top 5 Causes of Eye Discharge in Dogs
The common types of dog eye discharge include watery eyes, a little goop or crust, white-gray mucus, yellow or green, and reddish-brown tear stains. If you believe your pet’s eye discharge is not normal, take them immediately to specialists, like Memphis Veterinary Specialists & Emergency.
1. Conjunctivitis
Also known as “pink eye,” conjunctivitis is when there is an inflammation of a dog’s eye lining. Because it causes discomfort, dogs often blink or squint and paw at their infected eye. Physically, there is a clear or green discharge from that eye or the sclera (white part of the eye), eyelids, or the area that surrounds their eye are swollen and red.
You can also see them blinking too much or keeping their eyes closed. This infection in dogs is caused by various conditions, including:
- Allergies
- Viral infections
- Irritation from foreign particles
- Injury
- Parasitic infections
- Obstructed tear ducts
- Existing eye conditions (glaucoma, anterior uveitis, ulcerative keratitis)
- Trauma to the eye
- Birth defects
2. Epiphora or Excessive Tearing
Rather than a specific illness, it is more of a symptom of many underlying diseases, including allergies, inflammation, corneal ulcers, abnormal eyelashes, eye pain, and even tumors. Dogs with epiphora usually have watery, teary eyes with reddish-brown staining of the fur beneath their eyes.
3. Corneal Ulcers
Corneal ulcers can be a simple defect or abrasion of the eye’s tissue caused by minor trauma. Deeper ulcers often indicate a bacterial infection, which is sometimes considered an emergency due to the risk of eye rupture.
The most common symptoms are squinting, redness, and discharge. They are typically painful, forcing infected dogs to squint, blink excessively, or even hold their eyes completely closed. The white of their eyes also becomes red and swollen in some cases.
4. Dry Eye
When a dog’s eye fails to produce enough tears that naturally cleanse its eyes, it usually produces a sticky, firm discharge. Sometimes you can also see mucus and inflammation. This condition may result from an injury, distemper, or their own body’s immune system attacking their tear gland tissue.
Depending on the severity, treatments include:
- Artificial tears for some weeks for mild cases
- Antibiotic eye drops to aid in managing secondary infections
- Immunosuppressant drugs to help control the immune system
- Surgery
5. Glaucoma
It results from excessive pressure in the eye that manifests only in a few days with signs, including cloudy eyes, pus-like discharge, bulging eye or eyes, and sometimes tearing. This condition is painful and causes infected dogs to lose their appetite or even vomit.
The veterinarian may prescribe medications to manage ocular pressure but may also recommend surgery.
Preventing Eye Problems in Dogs
Before it happens, prevent eye problems that can hurt your pets by regularly inspecting their eyes. Their eyes should be bright and crust-free with no redness around the white of their eyes. Make sure that their pupils have the same size and there should be no or little tearing, no squinting, and their inner eyelids should not be visible.
Gently pull down your pet’s lower lids, which should be pink and not white or red. If there’s tearing, discharge, cloudiness, tear-stained fur, visible third eyelid, unequal-sized pupils, closed or squinted eyes, take them to the vet immediately.
Choosing the Right Vet for Your Dog
Choosing a vet for your furry friend plays a crucial role in their health. That’s why you need to ensure you’re dealing with the right animal doctor. Usually, you can tell they’re reliable and reputable if their clinic or hospital has veterinarians of different specializations, such as dermatology, emergency and critical care, internal medicine, etc.
It’s also important that you consider a hospital or clinic near you so that you can get there right away during emergencies. If you don’t know anyone, you can go online and search “emergency vet Cordova” if, for instance, you’re from the area.
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