Your dog’s bright sparkling eyes are a clear sign that she’s feeling good. But occasionally, inflammation and irritation of the eyelids or the eye itself can make your pet look like she just got off the late shift.
Causes
Conjunctivitis, or inflammation of the conjunctiva (the delicate membrane lining the eyelids and the whites of the eye), is common in dogs. Something as simple as wind, dust, or excitement can cause the many blood vessels in the conjunctiva to dilate, making the eye appear red and irritated and giving your precious pet a sinister stare.
When the eye doesn’t produce enough protective tears, the result is dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca), a condition in dogs that causes thick stringy discharge. Other causes of red inflamed eyes include:
• a foreign object in the eye
• a scratch to the eye’s surface, or cornea
• cherry eye, a condition in which the gland of the third eyelid sticks out, resulting in a dramatic red bulge near the inside corner of the eye (This is especially common in young cocker spaniels.)
• allergies
• smoke or chemical exposure
• bacterial or viral eye infections
• upper respiratory infections
• eyelid abnormalities.
Some serious conditions that cause redness involve the deeper structures of the eye. High blood pressure or certain infectious or bleeding disorders can cause retinal bleeding and detachment, resulting in blindness. Uveitis is inflammation of certain structures within the eye and results in pain, tearing, and lowered eye pressure. Tumors or head trauma can cause bleeding into the eye. The elevated eye pressures associated with glaucoma severely damage the optic nerve and retina, and the affected eye may be inflamed, enlarged, painful, and blind.
What you can do at home
If you can catch your frisky friend, take a good look at her eyes. You may see a small speck of dirt or debris. (Keep daredevil dogs from riding with their heads sticking out of the car window—you never know what will fly into their eyes.) Try to flush out the dust or debris with artificial tears or saline solution used by contact lens wearers. If the injury is minor, her bloodshot eyes should return to normal in a few hours.
If your dog’s eyes ooze thick discharge, let your veterinarian see the goo before washing it off, because the color and consistency can provide valuable information.
When to call the veterinarian
Schedule an appointment if the redness doesn’t improve in a day. But if your dog exhibits any signs of glaucoma, such as squinting or keeping her eye closed, a swollen hard eye, or a cloudy cornea, see your veterinarian immediately to prevent irreversible blindness.
What your veterinarian will do
Your veterinarian will likely ask a lot of questions: When did you first notice the redness? Does your pet exhibit any other symptoms of eye irritation or infection, such as squinting, excessive tears, thick discharge, or pawing at her eye? Have you noticed symptoms that may indicate internal disease, such as appetite loss or lethargy?
Your veterinarian will then perform a thorough physical and ocular examination. Looking in the eye with an ophthalmoscope can reveal problems deep within the eye or irritations that were too small for you to see. If your dog’s eye is painful, the doctor may use anesthetic eye drops to numb the eye and get a better look. Numbing the eye also allows your veterinarian to check behind the third eyelid for a foreign body or measure eye pressures.
The doctor may perform a Schirmer tear test to check for dry eye or use a few drops of fluorescent eye stain to rule out a corneal scratch or ulcer. He or she also may use blood and urine tests to detect serious causes of uveitis, such as infection or cancer.
If the veterinarian suspects hypertension, he or she will check your pet’s blood pressure and kidney status.
Treatment depends on the cause of the redness and may include eye drops or ointments for conjunctivitis or corneal scratches, surgery for tumors, anti-inflammatory drugs for uveitis, intraocular pressure-lowering drugs or surgery for glaucoma, and medications to lower blood pressure for hypertension. Your dog’s vision affects her quality of life, so discuss any concerns with your veterinarian.
