This type of dog eye discharge means it's time to visit the vet. If your dog has colored green eye discharge, yellow eye discharge or another colored eye discharge, schedule a vet appointment immediately.
Dog eye boogers are often benign, but it is important to recognize when there is a problem. Eye issues can be very serious, and quick action in the face of an ocular emergency can save a dog's eyesight. Be sure to call us right away if: There is a sudden change in the amount or nature of your dog's eye discharge.
Normal dog eye discharge is usually white to grey and consists of mucus and trapped debris. A small amount of eye discharge in the morning is normal, but abnormal discharge needs to be evaluated. Discharge that's excessive or a different color may signify an underlying health issue.
Dog eye discharge is a common problem in our canine companions, especially in small dog breeds. The causes of a dog's goopy eye range from mild, transient issues like allergies to serious conditions like glaucoma that can cause blindness.
Avoid using irritating soaps or sprays near your pet's eyes. Gently wipe discharge or mucus out of your pet's eyes using a clean, damp cotton ball (use a different cotton ball for each eye). You can also use a damp cloth with warm water. If you have a dog with long hair, keep it trimmed around their eyes.
A Little Goop or Crust
This material is made from dried tears, oil, mucus, dead cells, dust, etc., and is typically clear or a slightly reddish-brown color. These “eye boogers” are usually most evident in the morning and are often perfectly normal.
Eyes and ears require every bit as much attention. It's a good habit to clean your dog's eyes with every bath, but you shouldn't neglect to clean any noticeable discharge from the eyes. Check for redness or other signs of irritation.
In dogs with conjunctivitis, the membranes become red and swollen, causing discharge from the eyes, excessive blinking, and swelling around the eyes. Conjunctivitis in dogs can sometimes be caused by the obstruction of nasolacrimal or tear ducts. Put it simply, this inflammation might cause dogs to cry tears.
While non-infectious conjunctivitis is not a serious condition in and of itself, it won't clear up on its own without treatment, and it may point to a more serious health problem that needs to be addressed. Additionally, if left untreated, your dog could sustain a permanent eye injury or even vision loss.
One popular method is using a warm, damp cloth to gently clean and soothe the eye area. Another option is using a saline solution to flush out any irritants. However, it is important to note that these remedies should not be used as a replacement for professional veterinary care.
If your dog's eyes are weeping, watering more than usual, or you notice yellow, green or white coloured discharge, they may have an eye infection. Other signs of eye infections in dogs include pawing at their eye, blinking more than usual, swelling, redness and squinting.
The clinical signs of conjunctivitis are discharge from the eyes (cloudy, yellow, or greenish), squinting or excessive blinking, and redness or swelling around the eyes. Conjunctivitis often involves both eyes, but only one eye may be affected in certain conditions.
With appropriate treatment, bacterial conjunctivitis is usually fully resolved within 5 to 7 days. Viral conjunctivitis can take up to 3 to 4 weeks for full resolution. Allergic conjunctivitis will persist until the underlying allergen is discovered and eliminated.
If your dog develops conjunctivitis it's likely that they will squint, rub their face, and in severe cases, they may even start to feel unwell in themselves.
Twice a day, wet a clean soft cloth with lukewarm water, squeeze out and wipe away discharge from around eye area. Carefully trim eye hair to prevent contamination from building up around eyes and allow discharge to drain. Smooth hair around the eye away from the eye area. This can prevent reinfection.
Important. If you think that your dog has conjunctivitis, even if symptoms are mild, consult your vet as soon as possible. If the condition is not treated quickly, it can cause permanent damage.
What causes follicular conjunctivitis? Follicular conjunctivitis is typically caused by allergens such as dust, grass, and weeds.
Tears normally drain through ducts located at the inner corner of each eye, but sometimes a little bit of goop or crust will accumulate there. This material is made from dried tears, oil, mucus, dead cells, dust, etc., and is typically clear or a slightly reddish-brown color.
Depending on your dog's exam, your vet may choose to do a conjunctival scraping, Schirmer tear test, biopsy, or other types of tests to rule out the root cause of the infection. Some types of diagnostic tests include: Schirmer tear test: The tear test measures tear production.