How To Take Care Of Your Dog's Eyes
There's nothing quite like the gazing looks of love your dog gives you. But those same loving eyes need care and attention in order to stay healthy. Your dog has no way of effectively keeping their eyes safe and clean, leaving them vulnerable to eye problems.
Common eye issues, when left untreated, leaves your dog at risk of permanent damage and even blindness. Though sometimes overlooked, eye health should be considered a primary aspect of your dogs routine wellbeing checks.
Common eye issues in dogs include:
- Corneal ulcer
- Corneal lacerations (cuts or scratches to the surface of the eye)
- Puncture wounds
- Eyelid trauma
- Conjunctivitis
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Dry eye
Common symptoms of eye issues in dogs can include:
- General discomfort
- Squinting
- Inability to open the eye
- Pawing at the eye or face
- Rapid blinking
- Cloudiness or a yellow/greenish discharge
- Bloodshot or tearing eyes
If your dog is showing any of these symptoms or has given you a reason to feel concerned, it's important to seek veterinary care as soon as possible. Your dog can have a problem while showing very little symptoms or severity in symptoms, but problems can progress rapidly. Don't risk your dog's vision!
Are some dog breeds more prone to eye diseases?
Some dogs are more easily exposed to eye problems. Dogs that are a flat faced breed, such as Pugs, Shih Tzus and Bulldogs are more likely to experience corneal exposure and corneal dystrophies.
Long haired facial hair also makes dogs more at risk of eye injury and irritation, most commonly on Sheepdogs and Poodle like breeds.
Although some breeds are more prone, all dogs are at risk due to the canine lifestyle.
How to maintain healthy eyes for your dog:
All dogs are inclined to suffer from injuries and infections to their eyes and oftentimes, there's nothing you can do - however, there are steps you can take to reduce the risks of your dog developing an issue. The most important step you can take is to develop a routine in which you regularly check your dog's eyes, looking for early signs and symptoms before it spirals into a serious problem.
Other steps you can take to keep their eyes as healthy as possible include:
Keep their hair trimmed
Well groomed hair, most particularly around the face and eyes, will prevent fur from becoming irritating.
Attend your routine check ups
Routine check ups help keep your veterinarian informed and allow them to pick up on any eye problems or symptoms.
Keep nails trimmed
Dogs sometimes paw at their face - with trimmed nails, this prevents the likelihood they'll injure their eye with their nails.
Keep their heads in the car
Hanging their head out the window of a moving car might be fun for your dog, it simply isn't safe. Not only does it put their safety in general at risk but it makes their eyes vulnerable to bugs, dirt and debris which can lead to infections, irritations and serious eye problems.
Check their eyes regularly
Having a routine where you regularly look into your dogs eye will help you notice any changes before they progress into something sinister. Best practice involves looking for signs of redness, cloudiness and tearing. If you're concerned, get in touch with us as soon as possible.
Your dog's eye health is of the utmost importance. Eye diseases can have severe effects on their health and their quality of life, however, the good news is virtually all eye issues can be treated with high success rates through early detection and diagnosis. Ensuring regular observations and veterinary health checks are done will help keep your dog healthy and their quality of vision as strong as possible.
If you're concerned about your pet's health at any time or want to bring them in for a routine check up, book an appointment or call us on (07) 4630 8399 - we're here to keep your pet as happy and healthy as possible this holiday season.
