The eyes are a delicate and sensitive organ of our dog and it is by It is important that we know how to take care of them.In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain how are the eyes of dogs, what are the main signs of eye condition, such as secretion or redness, how to examine the eyes, how to extract a foreign body and, of course, how to clean our dog's eyes to avoid problems and maintain proper normal hygiene.Keep reading and learn how to take care of your dog's eyes!
What is a dog's eye like?
The eyeball, wrapped by the sclera , is inserted into the orbital cavity and protected by eyelids and eyelashes, responsible for preventing the entry of foreign bodies.transparent front is the cornea .In the center of the eye, the round hole is called pupil and is surrounded by the iris , pigmented membrane that has the ability to contract according to the incidence of light.The conjunctiva is the membrane that covers the part we see of the sclera.It contains blood vessels and nerve endings, so it can become inflamed and redden, causing conjunctivitis in the dog.a third eyelid in the inner angle of the eye, also called nictitating membrane , which is not usually visible.Also, each eye has two lachrymal glands.The tears prevent the cornea from drying out and help fight infections.
Dogs are nearsighted and can only distinguish some colors .They have a wide field of vision, they follow well moving objects and get good vision in depth and in moderate absence of light.Their shortcomings in this sense supplement them with the ear and Smell, even so it is essential to know how to clean the eyes of a dog or how to administer drugs if it presents any pathology.
How can I clean my dog's eyes?
In this section we will see how to clean the eyes of a dog.The first thing to consider is the periocular area.If our dog has abundant hair that grows towards the eyes we must either comb it so that the eyes are clear, or trim it.Otherwise it is possible that the contact of the hair with the eyes will produce irritations.This discomfort can also appear when eyelashes are introduced in the eyes .Some dogs have a congenital condition that involves the growth of an extra row of eyelashes on the edge of the eyelid and that grow inward, brushing the inside of the eye and irritating it to the point that can a corneal ulcer can occur .Dystrichiasis, as this problem is called, should be treated by a veterinarian.It is normal for our dog to produce leganas and only in cases such as those we will see in the next section will be cause for consultation.To clean iar we can follow the following recommendations:
- From the first encounter with our dog we must accustom it to let us manipulate it .To be very sensitive, they should always be touched with tranquility and in moments of calm.We can get accustomed to the dog by passing our hand through them.Logically the dog will close them.With our fingers index and thumb we will try to open them a little, always with delicacy, so that we can observe the eye by separating the eyelids.If our dog accepts this maneuver, it will be easier for him to allow himself to apply medications when he needs them, as we will see below.clean them from the inside to the outside of the eye , making one or several passes always in that direction.
- For cleaning we can use a gauze or cotton soaked in physiological serum .It is possible to acquire this serum in single dose format, making it easy to use and throw away.
- It is important to use a gauze or cotton pad for each eye to avoid transferring germs from one to another.
- If we find some hardened legana that is difficult for us to clean, we can warm the serum a little or soak the eye well (even pouring the serum directly) so that it softens and, thus, we can remove it after a few seconds.
- Of course, any alteration such as those we will see in the next section will be subject to veterinary consultation.
Signs of eye condition in dogs
Once we know how to clean the eyes of a dog, we can look to observe alterations that will indicate eye problems.We must pay attention that the eyes maintain the same size, shape and color and, very important, if there is any type of anomalous secretion and how it is.We can also see if the nictitating membrane is present, if there is any coloration in the cornea, if the dog has pain when we touch it, etc.In the same way that we have explained in the first section, we can open the affected eye to look for an injury or foreign body.Among the typical signs of ocular condition the following stand out:
- Tearing.
- Frequent blinking.
- Strabismus.
- Itching (we will see that the dog rubs its eyes with its legs or seeks to rub against objects).
- Pain.
- Photophobia (sensitivity to light).
- Visibly nictitating membrane.
- Secretion.
- Redness.
- Whitish or opaque color of the eye.
- Soft or hard consistency of the eye.
- Swollen eyelids.
- Crusts.
- Hair loss in the periocular area.
- Salton or sunken eye.
As we say, any of these symptoms requires veterinary assistance .
How to put drops in the eyes of a dog? And ointment?
Before applying eye drops to a dog, or any other medication, we have to make sure the eye is clean.We have already seen how to clean the eyes of a dog in previous sections.If we have to administer an ointment in the dog's eyes , we will follow these steps:
We must gently pull the lower eyelid , from the skin of the cheek, and deposit a small amount of the ointment in the hollow that is created between the eyelid and the eye.Then we will close the eye, giving a gentle massage so that the ointment spreads.With a gauze or cotton soaked in physiological serum we can clean the excess , if any.To administer drops to the eyes of a dog , we will do the following:
The drops can be thrown directly on the eyeball, for which we must keep the eyelids open , carefully separating them with our index fingers and thumb.For these applications the The dog's head should be tilted upwards.In very moved dogs a couple of people may be needed to ensure that the medication enters the eye.These applications usually have to be repeated several times a day for at least , one week.As always, it will be our veterinarian who prescribes the appropriate treatment, as well as its dosage
.
Removal of foreign bodies in the dog's eyes
In the eyes of dogs they can go to foreign bodies such as seeds, vegetable particles, spikes or splinters .Travel by car with your head outside the window or walk among Dense vegetation are risk factors.
We may suspect a foreign body if our dog scratches one or both eyes with its legs or against objects, and if it appears tearing, blinking, secretion or protrusion of the third eyelid.We have already seen how to clean our dog's eyes, so that during this process we can also observe some foreign body.If so, we will keep the eyelids open, as we have already explained, and We will apply serum directly or by soaking a cotton and pressing it on the eye, without touching it, so that the liquid falls on it.On occasions this irrigation manages to eliminate the foreign body.If it is not so but we see it very superficial we can try to catch it or push it towards the edge of eye next to the nose with a swab cotton .If we do not get it or the foreign body is stuck in the eye, we must go directly to the veterinarian.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to clean my dog's eyes ? , we recommend you enter our Eye Care section.
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