Why is my dog's eye watery and squinting, and he's acting withdrawn?

Question

My dog is a 5 year old Jack Russel/Patterdale. His left eye is slightly watery and he won’t really open it; when it is open, it’s squinted ever so. It looks a bit like when we have hayfever but not too sure - I noticed this 2 days ago and there is no change. He is also very quiet in himself and also much more timmid than usual and just wants to cuddle. Any ideas on what this might be? Thank you, Katie. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered

Penelope Graben, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, The constant closing of the eye is called a "blepharospasm" and is often a pain induced reflex to keep the eye closed. Dogs also often show pain by becoming less active and interested in food. I'm concerned that what is going on with Spike is painful and that is causing his change in behavior. I would recommend taking him into a vet to be seen and find out what exactly is going on with his eye. They will likely recommend a trio of three basic eye tests, which can diagnose most of the eye diseases that affects our pets. The first one is called a fluoroscein stain, which is a dye that can tell us if there is any ulcers (scratches or defects) in the cornea, the outermost layer of the eye.. A tonometry test measures the pressures of the eye globe to rule out a couple of diseases called glaucoma or uveitis. A schirmer tear test can measure the tear production of the eye, as lack of tear production is another common cause of eye disease in dogs. These tests will help your vet come up with the best plan possible to get Spike comfortable again. :) I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Why is my dog's eye watery and squinting, and he's acting withdrawn?

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