Your dog has surely become one more member of the family, and therefore you are concerned about its well-being and happiness, so you should also pay attention to it in case it has any type of illness or disease and be able to cure it as soon as possible so that it stops suffer.
Conjunctivitis is one of those diseases that can affect our dear companion and that must be taken care of, because it is very contagious and annoying.
If you want to know how to treat conjunctivitis in a dog, continue reading this article where we are going to show you everything you need to know about conjunctivitis in dogs.
What is conjunctivitis and its causes
Conjunctivitis is considered a condition that causes the mucous membrane that surrounds the inner part of the eyelids to become inflamed. Apart from inflammation, this condition can also include an infection.
Among the causes of conjunctivitis in dogs, they can be due to two main causes: either it is a specific problem in the eyes or instead it is a symptom of another disease.
In the event that conjunctivitis is caused by a certain problem, the conjunctivitis is due to an eye-related disease. These may be due to allergies, to the fact that some type of external body has entered the eye, such as a small stone, plant, etc., falling into the eye while playing, or for some other reason, and also for dry eyes, because the eye has become infected for some other reason or even because our dog has some kind of malformation in the eyelids, eyelashes or even ulcers. This article on conjunctivitis in humans may also help you.
On the other hand, we find conjunctivitis as a symptom of another disease; in this case it may be a symptom of a more serious disease, such as hepatitis or the well-known distemper.
No matter what the cause of your dog’s conjunctivitis is, the truth is that it is quite an annoying ailment for our friend, but it is also usually easy to detect, since the most characteristic symptoms are redness, inflammation and more. Tears than usual in one or two eyes.
In principle, it can be said that if the symptoms appear only in one of the eyes, the most likely cause of the conjunctivitis is the contact of something with the eye, or that something specific has happened to that precise eye. For example, that while playing he has hit his bone, that he has gotten it into dirt, grass, etc. On the other hand, if we notice conjunctivitis in both eyes, then the most normal thing is that there is some other cause that must be treated more specifically.
The most common general symptoms that can show that your dog has conjunctivitis are: that your dog has trouble opening his eye or eyes; the eyes may take on a reddish color; your dog may also hide from the light, denoting that it bothers him; On the other hand, another symptom that there is conjunctivitis may be that your dog is tearing excessively, that is, that it releases tears abnormally (in these you must be especially careful, because your dog can be very itchy, and will tend to scratch itself with its paws), so you can do more damage with your nails); Finally, another especially characteristic feature of conjunctivitis is yellow or greenish secretions that look like pus coming out of the eyes (the appearance of this symptom means that the conjunctivitis is in a serious state, distemper ).
As in other types of diseases, in this case we can also find dogs that are more prone to conjunctivitis than others; one of the main causes is due to hereditary reasons or for genetic reasons that have to do with the breed itself. The breeds that are more prone to continuous conjunctivitis are the poodle and the cocker, and prevention in this case will consist of doing an analysis, and even so, your puppy will need a lot of specific care for its eyes throughout its entire life. Life. On the other hand we find the Pug and the Pekingese, which are two types of dogs that are also prone to conjunctivitis due to genetic reasons, in these cases due to the shape of their skulls, which makes these animals more exposed to environmental changes, and everything that surrounds it. For example, if they play in a field and sniff everything, they are much more likely to catch conjunctivitis from contact with their eyes on grass than other types of dogs. That is why special care must also be taken with the eyes of these dogs and if necessary, your veterinarian can explain how you can safely clean their eyes every day.
How can conjunctivitis in a dog be prevented and treated?
If you want to prevent the appearance of conjunctivitis, or inflammation, and even infections as much as possible, you can start to establish a good eye cleaning routine, that is, you can clean your eyes every day as directed by your veterinarian. Another important factor in prevention is food, many times we give our dog the cheapest feed, without thinking that perhaps these do not provide all the nutrients that our dear companion needs, therefore, we must pay attention to what feed we buy, if they are the most suitable for our type of dog and age and if it is going to provide all the necessary nutrients that guarantee full health and that it is strong inside and out. Finally, as a preventive measure, you should cut your dog’s bangs if they are too long or reach the eyes,
If there is no other remedy and your dog is already suffering from conjunctivitis, remember that you should always follow the recommendations and treatments that the veterinarian has explained to you, both in the topical treatment that he has prescribed, as well as in the way of applying it and duration, so In general, some type of topical antibiotic is usually prescribed in order to reduce the inflammation of the eye. However, we must point out that cleanliness is a fundamental factor, and you can wash your dog’s eyes several times throughout the day with sterile gauze and physiological serum.
Also, if the conjunctivitis is very severe and your dog won’t stop scratching and picking at his eyes, your vet might recommend the use of an Elizabethan collar or bell to prevent this.
Dog diseases, as well as conjunctivitis, should be taken very seriously, and now that you know how to treat conjunctivitis in a dog, remember that you should go to your veterinarian to administer the most appropriate treatment and recover as soon as possible and stop getting worse the problem, the discomfort and the pain.
