Why does my DOG have swollen EYES and what do I do?

Dogs may have certain allergies to substances in the air or to insect bites such as bees, fleas, and ticks. When faced with an allergy, your dog will have swollen eyes and irritation may appear on its paws, ears, or mouth. As in long-haired breeds it is difficult to appreciate symptoms on the skin of the dog, swollen eyes may be warning of an allergic reaction, where other symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, itching, etc. may also appear.

Given this, you should go to the vet as soon as possible to diagnose the problem and find out the agent causing the reaction to end it as soon as possible. Depending on the type and degree of allergy that your furry dog ​​has, the veterinarian can prescribe a hypoallergenic shampoo, a suitable antiparasitic, some antihistamine eye drops, oral antihistamines, or an injection of corticosteroids.

We advise you to read this other post about How to know if my dog ​​has an allergy.

The eye infections are also a frequent cause that explain the inflammation of the eyes in dogs. These infections can be caused by parasites or by another type of problem. The most frequent are the following:

Conjunctivitis

Given this, it is possible to observe the irritated eye, tearing, inflamed eyelids and green legañas. So if you think “my dog ​​has puffy, red, and crusty eyes,” this may be the most likely cause.

This problem can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or allergies. The veterinarian will be in charge of finding out the cause and applying the corresponding treatment. Here you can learn more about How to know if my dog ​​has conjunctivitis and How to treat conjunctivitis in a dog.

Ocular toxocariasis

This is a parasitic type condition and is produced by a nematode, the eggs of which can reach the eye, where they are capable of destroying different structures of the eye, thus producing inflammation.

Canine ehrlichiosis

This disease is transmitted by an infected tick, which can cause death if not identified in its early stages. One of the symptoms that first appear is puffy eyes. Depending on the prognosis, the vet will prescribe antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and whatever you need to end the problem.

Eye worms

This problem is called thelaziosis and both adult worms and larvae inhabit the eyeball of the dog, causing excessive tearing, conjunctivitis and edema and swelling of the eyelids, leading to blindness. The symptom of tearing is quite common when there is inflammation, to learn more about it we recommend reading this other oneHOWTO article about Why my dog’s eyes cry.

Blepharitis

This is the name of the swollen eyelids in dogs, or any other animal. Given this, you will notice that your dog’s eyes secrete purulent fluid and that they are swollen and irritated. Causes can range from atopy, demodectic scabies, and autoimmune conditions to hypothyroidism or a staph infection. In the latter case, it is common to observe small whitish grains, so this cause can solve your doubt if you ask yourself “why does my dog ​​have a swollen and white eye?”. If, on the other hand, you ask yourself “why can’t my dog ​​open one eye?”, This can be a cause of this problem because the purulent fluid that is produced makes the eyes stick together, so They will have to be cleaned very well before applying the treatment that normally consists of the administration of antibiotics.

Infectious keratitis

This problem consists of inflammation of the cornea and it can be seen in the eye as a cloud because it causes the cornea to lose its transparency. This causes the dog to constantly rub his eye with his paws because it hurts and bothers him, and it is also possible to see purulent discharge. So if you think “my dog ​​has puffy eyes and scratches a lot“Because you observe these symptoms, you will have to take him to the vet and bear in mind that this cause is one of the most likely. Treatment is based on the administration of antibiotics.

Stye in dogs

Swelling in one or both eyes may be caused by small, pointed abscesses called styes. This happens because a hair follicle or a meibomian gland located in the eyelids becomes inflamed. Depending on the type of stye and its condition, the vet may pierce the stye to drain the fluid or advise you to apply heat 3 or 4 times a day so that it softens and opens and drains on its own, in addition to prescribing the administration of antibiotics.

Another problem that can result in eye swelling is inflammation of the third eyelid. This is in charge of protecting the cornea and becomes visible when it goes outside. When said eyelid is externalized, it is usually due to an injury or ocular alteration, although it can also be a symptom of a pathology that occurs in another part of the dog’s body. In this way, if your dog has this condition, go to the vet quickly to examine it and determine the cause that is causing it the third eyelid is externalized in order to apply the correct treatment.

The third eyelid has a gland that secretes tears and is located at the base of this, which is fixed in position. If the fixation of the gland is not strong enough, it can prolapse. If this happens you will see a pink or reddish ball in your dog’s eye. The treatment consists of the administration of anti-inflammatories and then the prolapse is reduced and inserted in its place to fix the gland with stitches and that this problem does not reoccur. Once the process is finished, the vet will prescribe antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and you should avoid that your friend makes efforts that could make the stitches jump.

Sometimes, even if you have not seen it, your dog may have been hit playing or with any object. If you wonder “what to do if my dog’s eye is swollen from a blow?”, You can clean them with gauze and water a little cold. If you see that the inflammation does not go down go to the vet for you to examine in case there is a bigger problem.

In addition to the blows, it is possible that your dog has entered or stuck something in the eye, if you observe a wound or something stuck in your eye Go to the vet so that he can remove the foreign body without causing damage and / or treat the wound if it exists.

If you notice that your dog has puffy eyes, it is recommended go to the vet quickly in order to rule out any serious pathology or problem. Also, you can follow these tips on what to do if your dog’s eye swells:

• The only thing you can do to calm the discomfort that it produces is to clean its eyes with a gauze soaked in physiological saline or with chamomile. In the event of an allergy, this will do very well and will calm the itching and inflammation, but it is necessary to see a veterinarian and tell you what else to do to cure it completely.
• If your dog has pus discharge, you can clean his eyes with gauze and saline as well, in this way if the legañas and purulent discharge have caused the eyes to stick, this will help to eliminate them and he can open the eye better.
• Check your dog’s eye to see if there is anything inside. If you can extract it without causing damage (for example if it is on the edge of the eyelid) you can try it, but if it is difficult to extract (for example if it is nailed) do not touch it and do not hesitate to go to the vet.
• Check your dog’s coat for parasites.
• Almost all the problems that cause your dog’s eyes to swell require veterinary treatment, so do not try to administer any type of medication that your veterinarian has not prescribed, as it could cause major problems in your furry’s body.

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