Common Causes of Dogs Frequently Scratching Their Eyes

Section 1: Reasons for Dogs Frequently Scratching Their Eyes:

1. Abnormal eyelash growth, such as dogs being born with inverted eyelashes or having double rows of eyelashes, can cause the eyelashes to constantly irritate the conjunctiva, leading to itching and discomfort in the eyes. This often results in the dog scratching their eyes frequently, tearing up, and experiencing eyelid spasms.

2. Eye inflammation, which can be caused by parasites, bacteria, or viruses, leads to conditions like conjunctivitis and keratitis. These conditions make the dog scratch their eyes frequently, with excessive discharge from the corners of the eyes or around the eyes, along with watery eyes and redness. The discharge can obstruct the dog's vision, causing them to feel discomfort and scratch their eyes more often.

3. Foreign Body Irritation

Dogs are active and playful creatures, and they might accidentally get fine sand, hair, or small insects into their eyes while playing. In such cases, dogs will typically blink frequently, tear up, and scratch their eyes.

4. Periocular Dermatitis

When dogs have skin diseases like eczema, dermatitis, or ringworm around their eyes due to bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections, it can cause them to feel itchy around their eyes and scratch them frequently.

Section 2: What to Do When Dogs Frequently Scratch Their Eyes:

It's essential to take your dog to a veterinarian immediately if they are frequently scratching their eyes. This allows for a proper examination to determine the exact cause of the scratching, which is crucial for effective treatment. Regardless of the cause, it's important to put an Elizabethan collar on your dog to prevent them from scratching their eyes further.

1. If the issue is due to inverted eyelashes, treatment usually involves removing the eyelashes or using surgical methods such as electrocautery or cryotherapy to destroy the hair follicles.

2. For eye inflammation like conjunctivitis or keratitis, you can use neomycin sulfate eye drops and oral Vida amoxicillin powder to combat the inflammation. If there is a corneal ulcer, it's important to seek veterinary care for intravenous treatment.

3. In cases of foreign body irritation, use eye wash to rinse out the foreign object, or have it removed by a veterinarian. Then, apply antibacterial eye drops to prevent secondary infections.

4. For skin diseases causing itching around the dog's eyes, a skin scraping test should be performed at the vet's office to identify the type of dermatitis. Then, appropriate medication can be prescribed. If the itching is severe, consult with your vet about the possibility of administering antihistamines like chlorpheniramine maleate tablets to alleviate the allergic itching.

It's important to note that if you're not sure about your dog's specific cause of eye scratching, it's not recommended to selfmedicate. Always consult a veterinarian or an online veterinary service before administering any medication.