My dog's eye is swollen, red, watery, and itchy. Should I see a vet?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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  Answered By Laura Johnson VMD

  Veterinarian

  Published on March 19th, 2018

  Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Trouble! When it comes to eyes it is best to have them evaluated by a Vet. Medications need to be prescribed that are safe to be put in the eye. He likely has doggie pink eye, conjunctivitis or allergies. But he could have a corneal scratch, dry eye or even worse glaucoma or uveitis. There are no at home medications that are safe to put in the eye. You can warm compress the eye (be sure you can tolerate it on your skin) twice daily and try an antihistamine (read the below link). Otherwise Trouble should see your vet. I hope this helps and I wish Trouble a speedy recovery! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/

  

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  Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

  Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

  Published on September 3rd, 2018

  Poor Buddy! It definitely sounds like something is wrong with his eye. This could be a bacterial conjunctivitis (what we often call "pinkeye"), or he may have an injury to his eye such as a corneal scratch or ulcer. Eye problems like this can get worse quickly, so I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic today to be seen, if possible. If you're not sure where to go, try calling your regular vet's office - their voicemail message should have contact information for your nearest ER or an on-call doctor for emergencies. If you aren't able to take him to the ER today, then I would definitely have him seen by your regular vet first thing in the morning. For now, you can gently rinse his eye with plain saline eye wash and use a warm washcloth to clean away the discharge as often as needed. This will not treat the underlying problem, but it may help to make him a bit more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.

  

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  Answered By Elva Ma DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on January 31st, 2018

  Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Ray is feeling unwell. It sounds like he may have underlying allergies (usually due to food or the environment, or a combination of both). The recent problem with his eye may be an eye infection, a corneal ulcer (scratch on the eye), or a cherry eye (prolapsed third eyelid gland). These things can be exacerbated by allergies, which cause the dog to scratch and further worsen any inflammation in the eye. I would start by putting an e-collar (cone) on his head to prevent any further damage to his eye. If he lets you, you can try putting a warm wet compress over the eye to help provide relief and reduce swelling. Tomorrow, your vet may perform a fluorescein stain test to check for a scratch on the eye, and will likely prescribe eye drops for any infection and inflammation. I hope this helps, and that Ray is feeling better soon!

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful