Bald Eye

[Guest chaoran22]

i've posted all over the place in the past two weeks with my multitude of little issues with my new girl (she's really so perfect and easy, she just has so many little quirks i haven't encountered before with my male). anyway, she used to scratch her eye, the eye specialist didn't think it was an eye related problem after examination and gave some aloe vera cream and artificial tears to soothe the area (strangely enough, 3 of her littermates also do this - not sure if that's relevant). the aloe vera gel was not working, she would scratch all the time so i tried hydrocortisone and it worked great in keeping her from scratching. she never scratches now but now the hair around the area has disappeared. she's got quite a bunch of bald spots around her eye now. no scratching and no redness anymore but no hair! i'm continuing to use the hydrocortisone to keep the itching down and she's on fish oil but is there something else i can do to make the hair grow back around her eye? it looks awful

 

i've only had her for 3 weeks, but she has been scratching her eye for 2 months (since her foster home) and the hair was fine (but obviously the skin was red and scabby from scratching), she's only become bald after i started using the hydrocortisone these past two weeks so i'm thinking about stopping it but i also don't want to stop because once i stopped for a day and she scratched again. and i'm not sure it's the hydrocortisone but it does seem to be as far as timing goes....i did a quick google search and some people think it helps regrow hair and some people say it causes weak skin and hair loss so that was unhelpfully conflicting.

 

any experience from all of you with this on greyhounds? or suggestions of other products to use that won't cause hair loss if it is the hydrocortisone? the eye specialist said it probably started as allergies and then it was a habit, but i think it is allergies since it obviously itches as she doesn't scratch when she has the hydrocortisone. it might be time for her first visit to my regular vet to see what he thinks as i don't think the eye specialist will be much help from now on since it's been determined not to be an eye issue and is more of a skin issue.

[Guest BiancasMom]

i've posted all over the place in the past two weeks with my multitude of little issues with my new girl (she's really so perfect and easy, she just has so many little quirks i haven't encountered before with my male). anyway, she used to scratch her eye, the eye specialist didn't think it was an eye related problem after examination and gave some aloe vera cream and artificial tears to soothe the area (strangely enough, 3 of her littermates also do this - not sure if that's relevant). the aloe vera gel was not working, she would scratch all the time so i tried hydrocortisone and it worked great in keeping her from scratching. she never scratches now but now the hair around the area has disappeared. she's got quite a bunch of bald spots around her eye now. no scratching and no redness anymore but no hair! i'm continuing to use the hydrocortisone to keep the itching down and she's on fish oil but is there something else i can do to make the hair grow back around her eye? it looks awful

 

i've only had her for 3 weeks, but she has been scratching her eye for 2 months (since her foster home) and the hair was fine (but obviously the skin was red and scabby from scratching), she's only become bald after i started using the hydrocortisone these past two weeks so i'm thinking about stopping it but i also don't want to stop because once i stopped for a day and she scratched again. and i'm not sure it's the hydrocortisone but it does seem to be as far as timing goes....i did a quick google search and some people think it helps regrow hair and some people say it causes weak skin and hair loss so that was unhelpfully conflicting.

 

any experience from all of you with this on greyhounds? or suggestions of other products to use that won't cause hair loss if it is the hydrocortisone? the eye specialist said it probably started as allergies and then it was a habit, but i think it is allergies since it obviously itches as she doesn't scratch when she has the hydrocortisone. it might be time for her first visit to my regular vet to see what he thinks as i don't think the eye specialist will be much help from now on since it's been determined not to be an eye issue and is more of a skin issue.

 

I would have your regualr vet check her for demodex. It is a mite that normally lives in the skin but can become a problem during periods of stress. Usually lesions appear around the eyes and or face. It can be itchy but I have seen dogs who don't scratch too. She could also have a secondary infection from scratching which makes it more bothersome. I suppose they should also check her eye pressure to make sure it is normal. She could be rubbing from pain in the eye itself even if eye appeared normal before. The baldness could also be scarring and maybe the hair will never grow back. Hopefully there will be a simple answer!