Effective Treatments for Dog Conjunctivitis: Quick Reli

Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye in humans, often presents with symptoms such as conjunctival congestion, swelling, and an increase in eye discharge. In severe cases, it can lead to extremely swollen and everted eyelids, potentially causing blindness. In rare instances, it may also trigger systemic symptoms due to secondary infections.

Catarrhal conjunctivitis in dogs is characterized by red, swollen, and inflamed conjunctiva. You might notice mucous, pus, or serous discharge from the corners of the eyes. Severe inflammation can cause the eyelids to swell dramatically and become sensitive to light. When the inflammation spreads to the conjunctiva of the eye, symptoms worsen, and extreme swelling can lead to conjunctival prolapse. Chronic conjunctivitis tends to have milder congestion and swelling, with less discharge, and the conjunctiva may thicken over time.

Suppurative conjunctivitis, caused by bacterial or viral infections, exhibits symptoms common to conjunctivitis, but primarily features a large amount of purulent discharge from the eyes. As time progresses, the discharge becomes more粘稠, often causing the upper and lower eyelids to stick together. Inflammation may also affect the cornea, leading to corneal ulcers.

Follicular conjunctivitis in dogs is often due to Chlamydia trachomatis infection, but can also result from other chronic conjunctivitis causes. Prolonged and intense irritation can lead to lymphoid hyperplasia beneath the conjunctival epithelium, resulting in numerous small, round, pale, and shiny follicles on the eyelid and conjunctiva, accompanied by a significant amount of serous or mucous discharge.

Pseudomembranous conjunctivitis is characterized by a grayish, cloudy film (pseudomembrane) composed of inflammatory cells, fibrin, and mucus covering the conjunctiva and nictitating membrane of dogs. This film can sometimes be easily peeled off, leading to mild bleeding of the conjunctiva.

For cleaning the affected area, use a 3% boric acid solution or a 0.1% rifampicin solution to thoroughly rinse the conjunctival sac. In cases of severe congestion, a 0.5% to 1% silver nitrate solution can be used to irrigate the eyes, followed by rinsing with normal saline to prevent silver granule deposition after silver nitrate decomposition. Once the eye discharge significantly reduces, use astringent solutions like a 0.5% to 2% zinc sulfate solution or a 2% to 5% protein silver solution to rinse the eyes.

For inflammation and pain relief, dogs may experience itching or pain, leading to scratching at the eyes and intermittent screaming. In such cases, symptomatic control therapy is necessary.

Specific methods include: mixing 0.050.1g of silver sulfate, 0.5g of procaine, 0.3g of boric acid, 0.2 mL of 0.1% adrenaline, and 10 mL of distilled water, then instilling the mixture into the eyes 35 times. For stubborn or suppurative conjunctivitis, a mixture of 25 mL of procaine penicillin oil and 5 mg of dexamethasone can be injected into the bulbar conjunctiva, providing rapid antiinflammatory and analgesic effects with a long duration of effective drug concentration, requiring only one injection.

Eye drops are commonly used for mild conjunctivitis caused by physical and chemical irritants, such as hydrocortisone eye drops or rifampicin eye drops. For viral conjunctivitis, it is advisable to use morpholine guanidine eye drops or 5% sulfacetamide sodium ointment, both of which are effective in treating the condition.

Controlling secondary infections is crucial for severe cases with symptoms like extreme swelling, photophobia, and blindness. Intramuscular injections of 23 doses of antiinflammatory and antibacterial injections are necessary to control secondary infections.

The preferred formula is: 1020 mL of Shuanghuanglian injection + 510 mL of Houttuynia herb + 12g of cefotaxime or ampicillin sodium, mixed and administered intramuscularly, 12 doses per day for 12 days, and a total of 3 days of continuous injection.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the treatment principle for conjunctivitis is "clearing the liver, brightening the eyes, and cooling the blood to dissipate stasis." An experienced formula includes: 20g of Qingxiaozi, Huangqin, Fangfeng, Longdancao, Juhua, Yujin, Caodiaoming, Cangzhu, Chishao, and Chishao each, 15g of Dahuang, 40g of Shijueming, 6g of Muzei, 10g of Gancao, and 5g of Chantui. The herbs are boiled in a sufficient amount of water, and 1520 mL is administered twice a day for 35 days. Pet dogs can be given a small amount of honey to flavor the medicine.