Eye Infection

[DevilDog]

So around Thanksgiving Roscoe's left eye started tearing a lot. By Christmas it was always wet, and the skin underneith the tear stain was red and irritated. The tear duct area was a bit pink and he itched it fairly often.

 

Early/mid January I brought him to the vet. A couple different tests revealed it may be a blocked tear duct. So we got some eye drops, 3x day for about 4 weeks. His eye improved using the drops but never healed completely.

 

So now it's back. Always tearing, stained, irritated, itchy. Sure I can bring him to the vet again, but I don't want to spend the money if I don't have to. I was doing a little research to see if there was an ointment I could get my hands on that I felt comfortable giving him, or a home remedy... and then I thought, could it be allergies? Around Thanksgiving I switched Roscoe's food from TOTW to Diamond Naturals. Can he be having an eye-reaction from his food?

 

Besides being a bit itchy, Roscoe shows no other signs of discomfort. His eye has no discharge or anything that makes me feel he should see a vet immediately.

 

So... if it's an alergy, what in the food would cause this and what the heck do i switch him to? Or do we call it pink eye and try to get some ointment (*insert precaution using un-prescribed ointment in an eye here*)

 

Halp please!

~Lisa

 

and Roscoe, who has no idea why the red-eye keeps coming back!

[Guest mcsheltie]

I'd go back to the vet and tell them what you just said. May need to be treated for a longer period or change meds. You shouldn't have to pay too much for a recheck.

 

Usually if it is an allergy both eyes would be involved and probably other symptoms would be showing up too (like itchy skin or feet). Also itchy eyes are more commonly seen with environmental allergies. The only way you could find out what was causing a food allergy would be to do an elimination diet. A novel protein only for approx two months. Then if you are good, add in one other ingredient. It would be easier to go back to the vet.

[Guest BleuDog]

This is Just a Possiblility.....but symptoms seem a lot like Pannus....

 

You can read about it here, on the internet, and maybe it is time to see a Doggie Opthomologist, if it is Pannus you want to start daily treatment right away to preserve his eye sight.... Just ointment or drops daily....

[Guest MyBoys]

I just had my Seany to the vet yesterday for his semi-annual blood work, I had noticed he also has been rubbing his face and eyes, his left eye seemed worse then the right. I mentioned this to my vet and she said she is just starting to get more cases of environmental allergies in the past week. I got him eye ointment which really seemed to help right away and can give him Benadryl when needed.

[PatricksMom]

Patrick needs benadryl when he starts rubbing his eyes--but its always both of them. The one eye problem makes me think it's not allergies.

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

Anything to do with the eyes is not something I personally would wait on. I also don't think it's a good idea to home treat for eye conditions without first consulting a vet.

 

Pannus is a common eye (actually auto-immune) disorder that affects many greyhounds. It's easily and relatively cheaply treated.

 

What you are describing could range from an easy fix to something serious but there is no way to know without testing/vet visit.

 

Hope he feels better soon.

[DevilDog]

Well i sucked it up and brought him to the vet. She did some tests and took a good close look at his eyes. She said the eyes themselves, along with the lids are in beautiful shape. She seems to think it's likely chronic dry-eye. So off to the drug store I went for some moisturizing eye drops. It's too early to tell, but I haven't seen him itch his eye once today. Hoping we've got it where simple drops can control it.

 

Thanks all.