You may have seen your dog with a swollen eye. It looks serious and you are wondering what to do. My dog’s eye is swollen. What Can I do? This is the most common question in this case scenario and you deserve to know a complete story. Yes, there is a condition known as blepharitis and yes you need to take him to a vet if your dog has it. But, there are other causes as well. Here, we will cover the main causes, symptoms, and also treatments.
My Dog’s Eye Is Swollen. What Can I Do.
Swollen eye of a dog: Symptoms
My dog’s eye is swollen. What Can I do? The first thing you need to know all about the symptoms. As you shall see, there are a lot of reasons why his eye is swollen and you need to act differently, depending on the main cause. For instance, in the case of blepharitis, the eyelid and the area around the eye will swell. This can affect one or both eyes and can affect all dogs. It is important to take your dog to a vet immediately.
Your pet will scratch the area which can cause severe injuries to the eye or the surrounding area and even make a dog completely blind. A simple treatment is therefore mandatory. If your pet suffers from blepharitis the symptoms will be:
- Red or puffy eyes or both
- He will paw the eyes all the time
- Fast and more frequent blinking
- Coughing or sneezing
- Discharge from the affected eye/eyes
- He will hide or look withdrawn
Why your dog has swollen eye: Main causes
Blepharitis is one of many things that can affect a dog’s eye and make them swollen. But, there are a lot more issues that will show the same or at least similar problems. In most cases your dog has an irritant inside the eye and once removed the swelling will go away. On the other hand, he may suffer from conjunctivitis which is an infection or he may suffer from allergy.
However, there may be another issue present that will be detected with the help of other symptoms.
A swollen eye can be a sign of an anaphylactic reaction which is severe it can be life-threatening. This requires immediate care from a vet. You will notice that your dog needs breath or has difficulties breathing if an allergy of this kind is present.
If your dog has a swollen eye this may be caused by numerous things. All of these are explained below.
- Glaucoma
- Allergy
- Bacterial or viral conjunctivitis
- Fungal infection
- Foreign object that is present in the eye
- Scratched cornea
- Parasites
- Tear dust issue
These are basically all the causes. It is unlikely that your dog has two or more of these. Some affect one eye only while others affect both eyes.
Possible treatments
It is almost impossible to prevent a completely swollen eye in a dog. Most dogs have this issue at some point. It is important to stay calm and start from the beginning. If your pet has one swollen eye only and he acts normal, make sure to inspect that eye. If there is an object inside, remove it. Also, If your dog has one or two swollen eyes and has problems breathing, take him to a vet immediately. This may be a severe allergic reaction, as we have mentioned. He may need an injection!
In other cases, a veterinarian’s help is needed as quickly as possible. For instance, if glaucoma is the problem, your pet may need immediate surgery. This can cause massive pressure in the eye so surgery will be needed to relieve the pressure. This is one of the more extreme options but still something you need to know about.
Luckily, many issues are less severe and they can be treated with a simple treatment. The best example is conjunctivitis. It sounds like a life-threatening disease but it is far from that. Your dog will need eye drops and he will need them daily. The treatment is very effective and there are no massive issues present. Once again, you will need to take your dog to a vet in order to diagnose the issue and prescribe the treatment.
You may want to increase care for the eyes of your dog.
Perhaps this sounds funny but it is important for dogs who have issues with eyes on a regular basis. You will have to use an irritant-free solution to make his eyes clean and remove any irritants that may get inside. Yes, this should be done on a regular basis.
The best thing you can do is to increase care for the eyes of your dog if he is prone to these issues. Look for all the symptoms that are present and if you deduce that something severe or even if you don’t know what happens to your dog, take him to a vet. Still, professional help is always needed and can be the best and the most appealing option.
These treatments are not free. However, they are not very expensive and obviously, your dog must get them. The prices vary from place to place and obviously are different according to the condition that is getting treated. The most expensive option is treating glaucoma which can reach thousands of pounds. Luckily it is not as common as other issues from this list so odds are low that your pet will need surgery or treatment.
The final word
My dog’s eye is swollen. What Can I do? At the end of the day, you need to do a few things. Care for the eyes of your pet and always inspect the eyes for any foreign objects or irritants. If heavy breathing or your dog hides is present, take him to a vet. If you are not certain about the main cause, take him to a vet. Swollen eyes in dogs are usually harmless and will go away within days but in certain cases, these can cause serious problems and can even be life-threatening.
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