If you are a dog owner, you no doubt feel that your pooch is a part of the family and not just a pet. For this reason, it's important to keep abreast of all of your dog's health problems. Something that can occur regularly with dogs is watery eyes. If you notice that your dog's are eyes are red and watery, that he is pawing at his eyes, or that there is a build-up of gunky residue around his eyes, this could mean a number of things, and it's wise to take your pet to your local vet to have the issue taken care of. Here's what your dog's watery eyes could indicate:
A scratched cornea. Dogs having their corneas scratched is fairly commonplace, especially if they like to get into scrapes with the neighbourhood cats. A scratched cornea can cause excessive watering from the eyes, and the eye is likely to look redder than usual as well. Fortunately, most instances of a cornea scratch can be treated with antibiotics. If the scratch is more severe, minor surgery might be necessary.
Glaucoma. Tearing, redness, and bloodshot eyes could also be an early sign that your dog has glaucoma. This is an unfortunate condition that results in an abnormally high amount of pressure in the eye (it can affect one or both eyes), and this will cause your dog headache or migraine like pain. Unfortunately, if glaucoma is not treated at an early stage, removal of the eye will be necessary. For this reason, it's important to take your pet to the vet if you suspect glaucoma might be present.
Conjunctivitis. Discharge from the eye, including a coloured discharge, could also be a sign of conjunctivitis. This is essentially an inflammation of the moist part of the eye, and this could be caused by allergies, bacterial infections, or a foreign object entering the moist part of the eye. Treatment will depend on the cause of the infection, but an antibiotic is usually all that's required to clear up the infection. If the pink eye is caused by an allergy, a vet may also recommend dietary changes.
Distichiasis. Distichiasis is an eyelash disorder that occurs in some breeds more than others, namely spaniels, poodles, retrievers, Weimeraners, and Shih Tzus. This condition causes eyelashes to grow from within the eyelid, which can cause irritation and wateriness. Your vet will be able to use electric therapy to destroy the hair follicles so that hairs no longer grow in this area.
