How to Diagnose Conjunctivitis in Dogs
Look for red eyes., Check for swollen eyelids., Monitor for any discharge., Watch for squinting., Notice if your dog rubs her face., Be aware of any non-eye related symptoms., Keep the causes of conjunctivitis in mind., Take your dog to the vet...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for red eyes.
The most common symptom for conjunctivitis is red or bloodshot eyes.
This redness affects the white of the eye, but it can also affect the lining of the eyelid or the surface of the third eyelid., Since conjunctivitis leads to irritation, the eyelids may be swollen.
This can be the eyelids or any other soft tissue of your dog’s eyes.
It may have a puffy, enlarged appearance., Another symptom of conjunctivitis is a discharge from the eye.
This discharge may appear in different ways.
Becuase of the discharge, the eye may have crust around it or stick together completely.It may be clear, which leads to dampness around the eyes.
The discharge may contain mucus or pus.
This may be yellow-green, or a thick, tacky, and glue-like substance coming from the eye. , Because conjunctivitis bothers a dog’s eyes and causes swelling, your dog may squint or blink a lot.
This may be combined with swollen eyelids., Conjunctivitis causes irritation in the eye.
Due to this, your dog may rub her face along the ground to try to relieve it.
She may also paw at her eyes often., Conjunctivitis may present along with other symptoms not present in the eye.
These secondary signs include sneezing, feeling lethargic, coughing, sickness, and diarrhea These secondary signs are connected to many other conditions.
Therefore, it is imperative that you take your dog to the vet as soon as you notice any eye problems. , Many people use the term conjunctivitis to mean an eye infection, although infection is only one of several possible causes of inflammation of the eye.
The most common causes of conjunctivitis are:
Infection General illness, like a respiratory tract infection Trauma to the eye Dry Eye Allergies Irritants Foreign Bodies Autoimmune Disease Eyelid Conformation , If you believe your dog has conjunctivitis, you need to take her to the vet.
The vet will be able to diagnose and treat your dog., When you take your dog to the vet, you should provide him with as much information about your dog as you can.
The vet will be alert for things that might have caused the conjunctivitis, like signs of trauma, such as scratches on the skin from trees or a cat fight, the vaccination history, and use of aerosol sprays around the dog., The vet will give your dog a thorough physical examination of the eye.
This is enough to reach a diagnosis of conjunctivitis.
The vet will check to see if the symptoms are due to another illness.
He will also be alert for contributing factors, such as hair rubbing on the eye, poor eyelid conformation, and patterns or trends the dog has of recurrent conjunctivitis problems.The vet will look for any foreign objects in the eye and any damage to the parts of the eye.
If you dog is squinting or blinking a lot, the vet may have to give her an anesthetic eyedrop to help numb the pain so he can perform the exam., The vet will want to rule out other issues it could be.
Respiratory tract infections can have conjunctivitis as a side effect, so the vet would want to treat the infection in addition to the conjunctivitis.In rare cases, it might be a more severe problem, like corneal ulcers.
The vet checks for this by placing a special orange dye called fluorescein into the eye.
This stains damaged tissue on the surface of the cornea green.
The vet may also wish to rule out dry eye., If no underlying cause is found, the vet will treat the eye against infection.
He may prescribe antibiotic drops or ointment that will need to be applied to the eyes.In some cases, the vet will also prescribe an oral antibiotic.If the conjunctivitis is due to an underlying condition, like a respiratory tract infection, the vet will prescribe medicine for that.
If the patient is not better at the follow up exam five to seven days later, then the vet may swab the eye and send it away for culture.
This tells the vet if bacteria are present, and which antibiotics will kill them.
If no bacteria are present, then an allergy is more likely and the vet may prescribe steroid drops.
In severe cases, an underlying condition, like entropion, may require surgery. , While you can’t always monitor what your dog gets in her eye, especially when she’s outside, you can still take measures to prevent conjunctivitis.
Keeping your dog away from smoke and aerosol sprays, watching her while she plays, and trying to reduce situations where eye trauma might occur can help reduce the risk of your dog getting conjunctivitis.Since conjunctivitis is associated with canine distemper, making sure that your dog has up-to-date vaccinations may lower the risk. -
Step 2: Check for swollen eyelids.
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Step 3: Monitor for any discharge.
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Step 4: Watch for squinting.
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Step 5: Notice if your dog rubs her face.
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Step 6: Be aware of any non-eye related symptoms.
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Step 7: Keep the causes of conjunctivitis in mind.
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Step 8: Take your dog to the vet.
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Step 9: Provide the vet with a history.
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Step 10: Get a physical exam.
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Step 11: Rule out other issues.
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Step 12: Treat conjunctivitis.
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Step 13: Learn how to prevent conjunctivitis.
Detailed Guide
The most common symptom for conjunctivitis is red or bloodshot eyes.
This redness affects the white of the eye, but it can also affect the lining of the eyelid or the surface of the third eyelid., Since conjunctivitis leads to irritation, the eyelids may be swollen.
This can be the eyelids or any other soft tissue of your dog’s eyes.
It may have a puffy, enlarged appearance., Another symptom of conjunctivitis is a discharge from the eye.
This discharge may appear in different ways.
Becuase of the discharge, the eye may have crust around it or stick together completely.It may be clear, which leads to dampness around the eyes.
The discharge may contain mucus or pus.
This may be yellow-green, or a thick, tacky, and glue-like substance coming from the eye. , Because conjunctivitis bothers a dog’s eyes and causes swelling, your dog may squint or blink a lot.
This may be combined with swollen eyelids., Conjunctivitis causes irritation in the eye.
Due to this, your dog may rub her face along the ground to try to relieve it.
She may also paw at her eyes often., Conjunctivitis may present along with other symptoms not present in the eye.
These secondary signs include sneezing, feeling lethargic, coughing, sickness, and diarrhea These secondary signs are connected to many other conditions.
Therefore, it is imperative that you take your dog to the vet as soon as you notice any eye problems. , Many people use the term conjunctivitis to mean an eye infection, although infection is only one of several possible causes of inflammation of the eye.
The most common causes of conjunctivitis are:
Infection General illness, like a respiratory tract infection Trauma to the eye Dry Eye Allergies Irritants Foreign Bodies Autoimmune Disease Eyelid Conformation , If you believe your dog has conjunctivitis, you need to take her to the vet.
The vet will be able to diagnose and treat your dog., When you take your dog to the vet, you should provide him with as much information about your dog as you can.
The vet will be alert for things that might have caused the conjunctivitis, like signs of trauma, such as scratches on the skin from trees or a cat fight, the vaccination history, and use of aerosol sprays around the dog., The vet will give your dog a thorough physical examination of the eye.
This is enough to reach a diagnosis of conjunctivitis.
The vet will check to see if the symptoms are due to another illness.
He will also be alert for contributing factors, such as hair rubbing on the eye, poor eyelid conformation, and patterns or trends the dog has of recurrent conjunctivitis problems.The vet will look for any foreign objects in the eye and any damage to the parts of the eye.
If you dog is squinting or blinking a lot, the vet may have to give her an anesthetic eyedrop to help numb the pain so he can perform the exam., The vet will want to rule out other issues it could be.
Respiratory tract infections can have conjunctivitis as a side effect, so the vet would want to treat the infection in addition to the conjunctivitis.In rare cases, it might be a more severe problem, like corneal ulcers.
The vet checks for this by placing a special orange dye called fluorescein into the eye.
This stains damaged tissue on the surface of the cornea green.
The vet may also wish to rule out dry eye., If no underlying cause is found, the vet will treat the eye against infection.
He may prescribe antibiotic drops or ointment that will need to be applied to the eyes.In some cases, the vet will also prescribe an oral antibiotic.If the conjunctivitis is due to an underlying condition, like a respiratory tract infection, the vet will prescribe medicine for that.
If the patient is not better at the follow up exam five to seven days later, then the vet may swab the eye and send it away for culture.
This tells the vet if bacteria are present, and which antibiotics will kill them.
If no bacteria are present, then an allergy is more likely and the vet may prescribe steroid drops.
In severe cases, an underlying condition, like entropion, may require surgery. , While you can’t always monitor what your dog gets in her eye, especially when she’s outside, you can still take measures to prevent conjunctivitis.
Keeping your dog away from smoke and aerosol sprays, watching her while she plays, and trying to reduce situations where eye trauma might occur can help reduce the risk of your dog getting conjunctivitis.Since conjunctivitis is associated with canine distemper, making sure that your dog has up-to-date vaccinations may lower the risk.
About the Author
Pamela Coleman
Enthusiastic about teaching crafts techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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