Many dog breeders face an unpleasant problem - the eyes of the dog watery. What to do in this case, when you need to contact a veterinarian and what are the causes of this phenomenon? Let's try to figure it out.
Puppy Eye Care
The health of dog eyes must be monitored from early childhood. The puppy's eyes should be shiny, without discharge. If this is the case, then nothing needs to be done; try not to get into the organs of vision with your hands. In the old literature you can find a recommendation to do washing with a weak solution of boric acid. Modern veterinarians believe that making such manipulations with a healthy dog does not make sense.
There is no need to rush with treatment if the puppy has small white droplets in the corners of the eyes after a night's sleep. Carefully remove them with a clean cotton swab. For each eye, use a separate piece of cotton wool, moving to the nose. If the white secret appears in small quantities and only after a long sleep - do not worry.
When examining the eyes, you don’t need to touch them with dirty hands, this rule also applies to caring for adult dogs.
Breed Features
Why does a dog have watery eyes? Some people have problems with lacrimation especially often. This is due to breed features, the structure of the skull and eyes. The undeveloped, narrow, curved lacrimal ducts appear in the brachycephalus because of the flat muzzle, in the toy and spitz because of the small round head, in extremely small breeds due to size.
The large expressive eyes of the French bulldog, Pekingese, chin, chihuahua are prone to injury, they often get dust and specks. Dogs with loose, saggy eyelids accumulate dirt, which leads to frequent inflammation.
If a dog’s eyes are flowing from puppyhood, then you should ask if this is an anatomical feature. Such a dog will need special care - several times a day you need to remove the tears with a gauze swab dipped in a special lotion.
It is possible to remove the problem with profuse lacrimation associated with anatomical features only surgically - to expand and clean the lacrimal canals, to correct the shape of the eyelids.
Reasons why a dog's eyes are watery
Why does a dog have watery eyes? Behind this problem may be:
- Eye contact with dust, small debris, various aerosols;
- reaction to improper feeding, for example, to a large number of sweets;
- inversion of the century;
- blockage of the lacrimal duct;
- inflammation of the lacrimal sac.
Pay attention to the last 3 points. A doctor's intervention is required.
Self eye treatment in dogs
Consider the problems that the dog owner can handle on their own. If a foreign object enters the eye, rinse thoroughly with lukewarm boiled water. The same can be done if hairspray, spray and other safe chemicals have got into the organ of vision.
If the dog has watery eyes, lacrimation is plentiful, the hair under the eyes gets wet, you can try to cope with the problem on your own. To do this, gently rub your eyes with separate fleece towards the nose. For this purpose, you can use both special tools and solutions of furatsilin, boric acid, chlorhexidine, potassium permanganate, chamomile broth.
If the dog’s eyes are flowing, and home remedies do not help for 3-5 days, you should seek the help of a veterinarian.
When to contact a specialist
The dog has watery eyes. What if washing does not help? In some cases, a visit to a specialist is indispensable. Only professional help from a veterinarian will help to avoid serious problems and complications.
Contact your veterinarian if:
- the dog has red eyes and watery for several days, despite washing;
- discharge from the eyes is thick;
- the discharge is not transparent, but green, brown or yellow;
- the dog is uncomfortable, trying to rub his eyes with his paws;
- the dog squints, constantly blinks, often closes his eyes;
- eyes are dull, matte, without shine;
- You noticed that the pet’s vision has deteriorated.
These symptoms suggest that lacrimation is caused not by exposure to the stimulus (dust, smoke, wind, etc.), but by the onset of the disease. Similar pathological phenomena can be caused by conjunctivitis, dystrichiasis, plague. Only a veterinarian after examining the animal will be able to find out the exact cause of lacrimation and prescribe an effective treatment.
Carefully follow the veterinarian's recommendations, dosage, and treatment time. If you do not pay attention to the first symptoms of the disease in time and start its course, then the treatment will be more complex and lengthy, and the pet’s vision can be damaged forever.
Eye injuries
For active dogs, eye damage is not uncommon. A penetrating wound may occur as a result of a fight with another dog or cat, a dog may stumble on a sticking branch or cut itself into grass. Such damage may be initially invisible - a small dent remains on the eyeball. Then the eye begins to become inflamed, cloudy, swell. The dog cannot open it, lacrimation, suppuration is observed. This situation is very dangerous!
You cannot help the dog yourself, you need immediate consultation with a veterinarian - an ophthalmologist or a general practitioner. What should be done before visiting a veterinarian? The most basic thing - do not let the dog scratch his eyes. In order to reduce pain, instill a solution of novocaine (2%). If it is not possible to contact a veterinarian immediately, then instill an eye with drops with antibiotics. The listed measures are not a cure! In case of eye injury, the veterinarian should be contacted as soon as possible (within a day) and follow all his instructions, otherwise the animal will lose its sight.
Flowing, but not tears
Does the dog have watery eyes? There are many diseases that cause the appearance of secretions from the organs of vision. Discharge may not always be transparent, reminiscent of tears. If the dog has watery eyes and the discharge is thick, white, green, brown, blinds the eyelids after a night's sleep, contact a veterinarian immediately! This indicates a serious infectious disease of various nature. In this case, it is better to contact a specialist who can establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.
After reading this article, you will be able to determine why the dog has watery eyes, what needs to be done, and whether to see a doctor. It is important to understand that problems with the organs of vision cannot be triggered, prolonged inaction or self-medication without consulting a specialist can lead to serious problems and even complete loss of vision.