Dog Swollen Eye Home Treatment: Simple Yet Effective Remedies for Eye Inflammation

Dog-Swollen-Eye-Home-Treatment

Almost all animals with vision can suffer from eye swelling, and dogs are no exception. Among dog owners, it’s widely recognized that their canine companions frequently face eye infections and various conditions that lead to swelling of the eyes.

Dog eyes, like humans, are prone to multiple eye problems – some of which are easy to handle but others can be problematic if not dealt with correctly. Moreover, All dog breeds can develop these eye conditions.

If you are looking for dog swollen eye home treatment to take care of your dog’s eye infection, you are in luck! Here are some of the most common causes of swelling in dogs’ eyes and how to treat them at home.

Why Is My Dogs Eye Swollen?

Your dog’s eyes may swell in response to multiple stimuli, including allergies, bacterial infections, trauma, and even as a result of a serious underlying problem, such as a tumor.

Common symptoms that appear along with a swollen eye include irritation, redness around dog eyes, eye discharge, and pain. There might be other symptoms as well depending on the cause of the swelling.

Here are some of the most common eye problems in canines that lead to swollen eyes:

  • Allergy – Allergies are the most common cause of swollen eyes in dogs. Allergies in canines work just like allergies in humans.
  • Tumors – Tumors are one of the most common underlying causes of swollen eyes in dogs. Eye tumors in dogs can benign or malignant.
  • Infections and Abscesses Eye Infection is also among the most common causes of swollen eyes in dogs. Bacterial eye infections, as well as viral infections, occur when dogs rub their faces in unsanitary things or places, like their own poop.

Other less common causes of swollen eyes in dogs include:

  • Glaucoma – An eye disease characterized by high intra-ocular pressure (the pressure within your eye).
  • Dry eyes – Dry eyes, or blepharitis in dogs, are caused by an unstable tear film. White flakes appear on eyelids and eyebrows in this condition. Your dog may also have flaky skin if the dry eyes are caused by a systemic disorder. A dry eye can appear swollen if your dog keeps rubbing on it.
  • Proptosis – An eye disease that is caused by an underlying cause that causes overactivity in the thyroid gland.
  • Injuries – Traumatic injuries can lead to your dog’s eyes being swollen as well. Injuries to the eye can even lead to eye infections if not handled properly and timely.

What is ‘Pink Eye’ in Dogs?

Pink eye is just another term for a dog eye infection. Specifically, “pink eye” refers to conjunctivitis, which is the inflammation of the conjunctiva – the white part of your dog’s eyeball. It can be caused by a bacterial infection as well as viruses.

Conjunctivitis, like other eye diseases caused by bacterial infections, is easily treatable with antibiotics. Your dog’s immune system also plays an important role in the treatment of this infection.

So, the next time you see your dog squinting one eye, examine it gently for all the signs of conjunctivitis.

Dog Swollen Eye Home Treatment

Now that you know what can cause your dog’s eye to swell, here’s how to treat dog eye infection symptoms while at home.

Remember, these home remedies are not an alternative to proper dog care provided by a licensed vet.

Clean Eyes With Normal Saline

The first step is to clean your dog’s eyes thoroughly with an eye wash for dogs. Use a cotton ball dipped in normal saline mixed with lukewarm water and rub it over the eye area.

Try Nontoxic Healing Herbs

Healing herbs are natural ingredients that can cure some common eye problems in dogs that cause swelling. Astaxanthin, Marigold, and Eyebright are some of the more commonly used herbs that reduce eye inflammation.

Better Diet, Better Eyes

Once you’ve cleaned your dog’s eyes thoroughly, you can give them nutritional foods that are enriched with vitamins and minerals to provide enhanced eye protection and reduce inflammation.

Foods like blueberries, sardines, and kale are rich in antioxidants and other good stuff that help reduce inflammation.

Avoid Dirt At All Costs

It is very important to keep dirt away from your pet, especially if they have an active infection. You can use warm compresses to reduce eye inflammation and, thus, discomfort so that your dog stops rubbing their dirty paws on their eyes.

Put A Cone On Your Dog

Putting a cone on your dog’s head is a good way to stop them from shoving its face in unhygienic places. It also stops your pet from rubbing on its eyes, which can cause a scratch on the cornea.

Take Your Dog To The Vet

Always remember that home remedies are not an alternative to professional dog care at a veterinary clinic. Even with perfect home care, your dog might still need topical antibiotics, eye drops, and other types of treatment for some eye infections.

When To See Your Vet?

While it is a good idea to take better care of your dog’s eyes at home, you must still know when to take your dog to the vet for appropriate treatment. Here are all the signs and symptoms you should be on the lookout for that will tell you exactly when your dog’s eye infection needs specialized care.

If your dog has eyelid abnormalities along with swollen eyes, it might mean that the infection has spread. This is your call to action to take your dog to a vet immediately.

Swollen red eyes in dogs that cause debilitating pain is also a call to action. Severe pain is often indicative of a serious underlying cause which should be checked out by a vet at the earliest.

The best course of action, if your dog has any of these symptoms, is to take your dog to the nearest vet for a complete health checkup. The vet may conduct special tests to diagnose the cause of eye swelling, such as a Schirmer tear test for idiopathic blepharitis – also known as dry eyes. They can also prescribe eye drops for your dog’s condition.

Some eye conditions may even require emergency surgery. If more serious eye problems are not dealt with in time, they can cause permanent vision loss!

Conclusion

A dog’s eyes are prone to infections and other problems just like human eyes. If your dog has swollen eyes, there can be multiple different underlying causes for it. You can take care of some of these problems at home using at-home remedies.

Infections, allergies, trauma, and tumors, are some of the most common causes of swollen eyes in dogs. A dry eye can also cause swelling in the eye.

Sometimes, your dog will require specialized care from a licensed vet. Take your dog to the vet immediately if you see any signs of serious eye disease.

FAQs:

How can I treat my dog’s eye infections without going to the vet?

You can clean your dog’s eyes thoroughly with normal saline using a cotton ball and keep them away from dirt.

Can I give my dog Benadryl for a swollen eye?

You can give a half teaspoon of Benadryl to your dog only if the eye swelling is allergy related. However, make sure to discuss it first with your veterinarian over the phone!

Why is only one of my dog’s eyes swollen?

Unilateral, or one-sided, eye swelling in dogs can occur due to multiple reasons, including trauma, tumors, congenital defects, and some infections.

Can you put ice on a dog’s swollen eye?

Yes, ice works just like anti-inflammatories and can help reduce the redness and swelling of your dog’s eye.

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