What Are the Warning Signs of Eye Problems in Dogs?

1 Dog Eye Problems: Signs and Care

I. Warning signs of dog eye disease

1. Excessive tearing: Tears keep the eye moist and help clean it, so if a dog keeps tearing—especially if the tears look cloudy—its eyes are in trouble.

2. Eye discharge buildup: When inflammation occurs, the pus-like discharge in tears collects at the corner of the eye into a hard lump. Heavy discharge can also signal distemper or infectious canine hepatitis.

3. Swollen eyelids: Inflammation makes the eyelids congested and red, sometimes clearly swollen—especially obvious next to the other eye.

4. Red eyes: If the eye is diseased, the corner, lids, or white may redden, usually from keratitis or conjunctivitis.

5. Rubbing or bumping the eye: If a dog keeps pawing its eye or rubbing against the wall, the area itches or hurts—conditions like inflammation, retinal disease, or cataracts cause this. A foreign object in the eye also makes a dog rub constantly.

6. Bulging or whitening: A bulging eyeball likely means raised eye pressure, which can lead to glaucoma; white clouding over the black of the eye signals cataracts.

II. Dog eye care

1. Clean often: Wipe away tears and discharge promptly, but not with plain water—use boric acid solution or eye wash to ease tearing and fade tear stains.

2. Reduce inflammation promptly: For mild eye inflammation, apply eye drops or ointment in time.

3. Trim lashes: Inward-growing lashes easily trigger eye disease, so watch the lash growth.

Once you spot a warning sign and are unsure what to do, take the dog to a clinic promptly to avoid the condition worsening. If you have other related questions, you can also consult an online veterinarian.