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Should you treat your dog’s pink eye if he should develop it? Pink eye or red eye is one of the most common dog eye ailments. It’s medical name is Conjunctivitis, since it is an inflammation of the conjunctival membrane. This membrane covers the back of the eyelids, and it is also the surface of the eyeball. There are three known types of conjunctivitis:
• Serous Conjunctivitis – this is caused by allergens and pollutants such as dust, wind and cold. Its symptoms include a watery discharge of the eyes, coupled with itching.
• Follicular Conjunctivitis – in this condition, small mucous glands (located in the dog’s third eyelid) reacts to irritants and forms a rough surface. This cause eye irritation and a mucous discharge.
• Purulent Conjunctivitis – it is the second level of infection from serous conjunctivitis. Streptococcus and Staphylococcus bacteria causes this infection and the discharge can cause eyelid crusting due to the pus and mucus content.
Should You Treat Your Dog’s Pink Eye?
Do NOT treat your dog’s pink eye until you know for sure what you’re dealing with!!
As stated in an article on the pets.webmd.com website:
Conjunctivitis is not usually painful.If the eye is red and the dog is squinting and shutting the eye, consider the possibility of keratitis, uveitis, or glaucoma. Any delay in treating these conditions can lead to blindness.
I wouldn’t dare take the chance of blinding my dog! I always take my dogs to the vet, even if I am 99% sure that it is some other reason. If the vet confirms that it is not one of the above problems, then I may choose to treat the condition with home remedies, depending on the severity.
Serous conjunctivitis is the least severe of the three, and you can deal with and treat this at home depending on its severity.
Vets usually prescribe ointments or eye drops for conjunctivitis. However in this article, we are going to show you some home remedies for treating the dog’s pink eye. You will need the following for the home remedy: Organic Chamomile Infusion, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), Echinacea Glycerite, 4 Cotton Balls and 2 Shot Glasses.
First off, cover your dog’s bed with clean sheets, and make sure to wash and clean them every day. This will prevent bacteria from further getting into your dog’s eyes due to rubbing and lying on the bed. Then, add about 30 drops of Echinacea Glycerite to his drinking water, each time you refill the bowl. The Echinacea Glycerite helps your dog to recover from the infection by boosting his immune system. Do this routine for about 3 times a day for two weeks, if your dog suffers a mild condition.
Now it is time to make the herbal eyewash. Start by boiling 2 cups of water (filtered) in a pan. After you remove it from the heat, pour in 1 cup of chamomile and let it cool down for 10 to 30 minutes. After it cools down, strain the tea particles and make sure none of them stay in the tea. Store the concoction in a clean jar afterwards.
Take the two shot glasses; pour the chamomile concoction in one, and apple cider vinegar on the other. And then, dip two cotton balls in each of the glasses.
Before you proceed with cleaning your dog’s eyes, make him comfortable and calm. After this, soak his eyes with the chamomile mixture. The chamomile has great anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects to help your dog’s eyes to heal. As for the apple cider vinegar cotton ball, dab it onto your dog’s neck, especially the back, and even behind ears. Do the same on the paws. As ACV is too strong to apply directly to the eyes, the idea is that when the paws hit the eyes for some reason, there is a little content that goes to the eyes and thus benefits them indirectly, and in extremely low amounts.
So if you are questioning should you treat your dog’s pink eye, the answer is “maybe”. Make the decision with your veterinarian. The consequences of a bad choice by you are too serious, in my humble opinion.
Feel free to share these tips with others.
Jaiden Lawford RET. Vet
May 21, 2015 at 9:59 am
After 25 yrs. being a Exotic Veterinarian, I can’t believe what how to treat pink eye with tea bags, apple vinegar etc. This not a good answer. For one we are lucky that dog pink eye can not cause people to get it. It is absolutely not contagious to people. Cheap med for pink eye? My god, if you love your animal do the right thing and see a Vet. As far as going blind because of pink eye. Not realistic. I have seen severe pink eye that some people thought home remedies could fix. The cold compress is just to stop the irritation of the eye, that’s all. Working at the zoo we primarily used an ointment. Why? Drops are not really good because most comes out when the dog shakes his head. Ointment is better because it can be under the bottom lid of the eye, and the dog can’t remove like when shaking there head it stays stable. The dog may not like it but it can get to the under bottom lid. No home remedies, doing may cause it to even have a reaction more then help. I would try to get an appointment as soon as possible. Going blind maybe 1%. If you love your dog, then get him to a vet so he or she can take care of the problem. Rubbing there eyes is just irritation. Call your Vet. and get an appointment. Ointment is my suggestion. !880meds are just a pharmacy to buy dog meds. I have had to many run in with them and more than half the answer you get end up wrong. Why? You buy Meds that’s there business they can not give advice. They can say what they used for there own pet but are not in anyway allowed medical information over the phone, just like Hospitals can’t it for people. Immediately get an appointment, if they are booked then make an emergency visit. Cold compress is ok the other do not use, because it could cause more damage than good. If you love him don’t buy offline see Vet and if a refill is needed then that’s where you to 1800petmeds. I’m retired but we had our cases of pink with some of the animals and it is not good. Especially when a 600 lb White Tiger has it. As I said do the thing call your vet an get an appointment as soon as you can. If you can’t an appointment then go to emergency it may cost more, but it’s worth it for your dog. Hope things turn out well.
Nina
Jan 26, 2015 at 2:37 am
Thank you for this detailed article. My poor Miss Priss looks so miserable and on Sundays on our little town only the ER vets are open in a few towns over. It started in one eye and after her rubbing it now it’s in both. Going to the vet tomorrow and also picking up your suggested treatments. Thanks again
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Should You Treat Your Dog’s Pink Eye? | The Dogington Post
Patricia Burbank
Jun 27, 2013 at 6:37 pm
Have already submitted a detailed comment.
Patricia Burbank
Jun 27, 2013 at 6:35 pm
My dog Rosa has mucous in the inner corners of her eyes. The whites of her eyes are clear. I have treating her with Ofloxacin 0.3% 2 drops in both eyes twice a day for 3 – 5 days. This is day 3. Are we on the right track? Could be she picked it up at the Dog Park. The drops do not hurt her and I have noticed some improvement, but have not taken Rosa to the Park in case she is contagious. Office visit to her Vet is $73. What is your opinion?
Patricia Burbank
Jun 27, 2013 at 6:49 pm
My dog Rosa has mucous in the inner corners of her eyes. The whites of her eyes are clear. I have treating her with Ofloxacin 0.3% 2 drops in both eyes twice a day for 3 – 5 Days. This is day 3. Are we on the right track? Could be she picked it up at the Dog Park. The drops do not hurt her and I have noticed some improvement, but have not taken Rosa to the park in case she is contagious. Office visit to her Vet is $73.. What is your opinion?.. I have had to write this reply twice. What’s wrong?