Dog Eye Redness & Tears: Safe Eye Drops for Pets

When your furry friend's eyes turn red and they start shedding tears, it's often a sign of various issues, such as foreign body irritation, dry eye syndrome, bacterial or viral infections, and more. It's crucial to identify the root cause before administering any medication to prevent the condition from worsening.

Next, let's delve into the common reasons behind red eyes in dogs and how you can manage them, hoping to assist all our fellow pet parents.

What Causes Red Eyes in Dogs and How to Handle Them?

1. Foreign Body Irritation: This can be due to dust, hair, smoke, bath products, or disinfectants that irritate the eyes. It can also happen if your dog accidentally gets hit or scratched while playing rough.

2. Overheating: A diet high in greasy, salty, or highprotein foods can increase your dog's metabolic load, leading to red eyes and excessive tearing.

3. Conjunctivitis: This condition, often caused by bacterial or viral infections, results in increased eye discharge, conjunctival congestion, red eyelids, and tears.

4. Elongated Eyelashes: If your dog's eyelashes are too long or if they have eyelashes that grow inward (a condition known as entropion), they can continuously irritate the conjunctiva, causing redness and excessive tearing.

5. Ectropion/Entropion: Ectropion is more common in breeds like the American Cocker Spaniel and Newfoundland, while entropion is seen in breeds like the Shih Tzu, Pug, Labrador Retriever, and Bulldog. These structural issues can lead to conjunctival congestion, excessive tearing, increased discharge, and cloudy corneas.

What Medications Can Be Used for Red Eyes in Dogs?

The appropriate medication depends on the specific situation, such as:

1. Foreign Body Irritation: Use sterile saline solution to rinse the eyes, trying to flush out any foreign particles. If this doesn't work, it's best to seek professional veterinary care for a thorough cleaning.

2. Overheating: To address redness and excessive tearing due to overheating, consider the following steps:

Wipe away tears and discharge with physiological saline solution, twice or thrice daily.

Apply Shan Jing (Jin Yin Hua Jie Yan Ye) eye drops to alleviate dryness, redness, and discomfort.

Adjust your dog's diet to avoid greasy, salty, and highprotein foods, and incorporate more cooling fruits and vegetables.

If your dog shows severe signs of overheating, such as excessive mucus, bad breath, and hard stools, consider giving them a cooling medicine like Ka Wa Ning (Qing Wen Bai Du Pian).

3. Conjunctivitis: For conjunctivitis, you can use Bai Lang Ming (Sulfamethoxazole Eye Drops), applying them three to five times a day, one to two drops each time. If your dog exhibits additional symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, fever, and listlessness, it's important to consult a vet promptly.

4. Elongated Eyelashes: If the issue is not severe, regular trimming of the eyelashes or hair around the eyes can help prevent irritation. If your dog frequently blinks due to eyelashes and develops conjunctivitis, consider veterinary intervention for electrolysis or eyelid correction surgery.

5. Ectropion/Entropion: Immediate veterinary care is recommended for surgery. After the operation, ensure your dog wears an Elizabethan collar to prevent them from scratching their eyes. Follow up with antibiotic eye drops to prevent infection at the surgical site.