The head and eyes of dogs are the first areas of the body where guardians look when communicating with their pet, so any kind of change or problem that occurs in these places is more easily identified, especially if it is an inflamed eye.
Swollen eyes are often associated with allergic reactions, but they may also be associated with other diseases that may not have an allergic origin and may be more serious.
- If you are looking to learn more about a dog with an inflated eye: causes and treatment.
- Continue reading this article by Animal Expert that will explain everything.
Puffy eyes can affect one or more constituent parts of the eye, including: the eyelids, eyeball, or other confined areas of the eye.
Usually, when one notices the dog’s swollen eye, the clinical sign is associated with inflammation of the eyelids (called blepharitis) and can have many causes.
Some of the congenital causes of a dog with a swollen eye include abnormalities in the eyelids and eyelashes, such as:
The presence of a foreign object (tabs, pollen, dust, sand, splinters) causes discomfort and pain in the animal’s eye from abrasion and wounds that cause cornea (the transparent layer that protects the eyes), causing tears and flickering..excessive, besides the dog with swollen eyes.
Scratches, bites, lacerations, or burns cause lesions in one or more eye structures that can cause blindness if left untreated in time and usually affect only one eye.
Usually, in case of allergies, we have a dog with a swollen eye and itching, which can be red and watery, with a clear flow of water, depending on the allergic origin.
Allergies can be food, from insect bites (bees, mosquitoes, fleas, ants), inhaled allergens (such as pollen) or allergy to toxic products, which can affect one or both eyes.
Most infections affect a dog with a red, swollen eye and can be caused by various types of agents: bacterial (Staphylococcus and Streptococcus), viral, fungal and parasitic.
Carré’s disease is a viral infection, in which one of the symptoms results in yellow or whitish eye secretions, accompanied by coughing and diarrhoea, loss of appetite and, in severe cases, seizures.
Conjunctivitis in dogs is the most common eye condition, one or both eyes are very red, swollen and itchy.
Keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), as well as dry keratoconjunctivitis (KCS), develops when the eye has insufficient tear production, causing the cornea to dry and therefore a dry, sometimes swollen eye.
Glaucoma occurs when eye fluids do not circulate or drain properly and build up, causing increased intraocular pressure and, if not controlled, can lead to blindness.Glaucoma causes redness, itching and excessive swelling of the dog’s eye.poodles, chow chow and cockers are the most susceptible to this disease.
If you have noticed that your dog has an inflamed eye, the symptom can also be explained by palpebral masses or in the conjunctiva, the lining that coats the inside of the eyelid, there are benign masses such as papillomas (similar to warts) that may appear on the dog’s eyelid, in this case the veterinarian will check whether it is actually benign or not and decide the most appropriate treatment to use.
Some neoplasms can manifest as malignancies in the dog’s eye and cause discomfort to the animal every time it blinks, despite being in a sensitive place with some risks, it is advisable to surgically remove the tumor as soon as possible to avoid a more serious condition..
Once all hypotheses have been ruled out, and in recurrent cases of eye inflammation, the veterinarian diagnoses inflammation as idiopathic, it is important to note that the third eyelid (also called a nictitating membrane), which is normally not visible, can swell, become visible, protruding and have a cherry-eye appearance.
Another important curiosity is that puppies can have eyes with many secretions and cannot open their eyes due to pockets, in this case you should let the mother wash them or, if this is not possible, clean the puppy’s eyes very carefully with a compress soaked with hot saline solution.
Diabetes can also be one of the causes of inflammation of a dog’s eye.
Blepharitis can occur at any age, sex or breed, but some breeds of dogs are more susceptible to this disease due to congenital or anatomical abnormalities (brachycephalic dogs, short snouts and larger eyes or dogs with a lot of hair near the eyelids).Collies, Shih Tzus, Rottweilers, Chow Chow, Golden and Labrador Retrievers, Pugs, English and French Bulldogs and Shar peis.
In addition to the characteristics inherent in the animal (age, sex, race), it is necessary to know its entire history: whether it has eaten anything other than normal, whether it has access to the yard or the outside, whether it may have been in contact with insects such as spiders, wasps, bees, ants or other animals and whether it has been in contact with plants, toxic products or medicines, this type of information is essential to help the veterinarian detect the diagnosis.the faster the treatment and the better the prognosis.
During the consultation, the veterinarian will perform a complete eye exam that may include tests such as blood and urine tests, skin cytology to look for microorganisms, a corneal lesion fluorescein test, a Schirmer test to measure tear production, an intraocular pressure test to rule out glaucoma, a vision background test, and an eye test.
Treatment will depend on the underlying cause, but the usual treatment in all diseases is topical application of eye drops (collyre) to restore eye integrity.It may be necessary to wear the Elizabethan collar during the first few days of treatment to prevent the dog from scratching and scratching the eyes.
Your doctor may also prescribe
Never forget to take care of your pet to avoid much worse complications!
If you notice that the animal scratches a lot or is trying to move your eye a lot, put on an Elizabethan necklace, if you have one at home, until you can accompany it to the veterinarian.
Basic daily cleaning treatment for dogs with swollen eyes includes
An inflamed or swollen eye usually has other associated eye symptoms, such as:
Symptoms depend on the cause caused them, if they are local, the dog will experience localized swelling and pain, which may not allow it to close or open the eyes, depending on the location of the swelling.In addition, you may have a dog with a swollen, swollen eye.
On the other hand, if it is something that the animal has ingested or a systemic disease, the animal may have previous symptoms and still have vomiting and diarrhea; in more severe and prolonged cases, the dog may weaken, more listless and feverish.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read dog-like articles with swollen eyes: causes and treatment, we recommend that you visit our Other Health Problems section.