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My dog has red, swollen, irritated eyes. Is it food allergies?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Goldendoodle | Male | neutered | 3 years and 9 months old | 30 lbs

My dog has red irritated eyes. They looked very dry around them this morning but this evening they are red and look swollen. Can a new food be the reason?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By David Darvishian

Veterinarian

Published on September 27th, 2017

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see and hear that Buddie is having problems. Of course food can be a reason but other things may be involved also. Allergies are very high this time of year. Late summer/early fall allergies due to weed pollens affect many people and pets. This is due to an inhaled allergy or breathing in the allergens. Other reasons could be due to an environmental irritant (not an allergy), bacterial infection around the eyes involving the eyelids, or some problem directly related to the eyes themselves. Any problems in this area causing eyes to be red, swollen, eyelid changes like you describe should be investigated as soon as possible. I would advise getting Buddie seen by your veterinarian so they can gather a detailed history including food/treat changes, etc and then they can do a complete examination, eventually focusing in on the eyes. Eye tests which may be performed include corneal stain to check for ulcers/scratches, tear production, and pressure measurements inside the eyes themselves. These will assess the health of the eyes and this is important since the eyes are very important sense organs and eye problems can deteriorate rather quickly. Once a diagnosis is made or suspected, your vet can discuss and implement a sound treatment plan. Good luck with Buddie. I hope he gets more comfortable soon.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on

    If Buddie has food allergies, then changing food could certainly be the cause of the irritation around the eyes. However, in the second picture it looks like there is a small region of swelling that may turn into a small pustule. You can clean the skin around his eyes with just a warm wet washcloth. If it doesn't look any better in the morning, though, I would recommend a quick checkup with your vet. Other possible causes could be allergies to something else (environmental, fleas, other), mites, bacterial infection, autoimmune disease, among a few others.

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