Question 2

[Guest poofmagk]

Seem to have a lot of medical questions at the moment...

 

For about 3 weeks now Oliver's right eye has been watering and he has been rubbing it on everything trying to scratch it. He came to us with red, droopy, bloodhound looking eyes, but they have never seemed to bother him. The vet checked it out and said it was most likely due to allergies, and that his eyes were fine. We are washing everything to try to keep allergens down. Any other tips, should we try benadryl? Its just the one eye, everything else seems to be fine.

[KF_in_Georgia]

When his eye is bothering him, I'd try squirting some eyewash into the eye to rinse any pollen or dust from it. You can get products formulated just for dogs, but basically you just want a sterile saline wash--no meds in it at all--and you probably can find less expensive products for people than for dogs. (To be sure you're not getting anything with meds, check the instructions. If it's just "use as necessary," it's probably fine. If it's "no more than x times an hour" or something like that, there are meds you want to avoid unless your vet says to go that route.)

 

For a problem just with one eye and no sign of more extensive allergy problems, I'd try an eyewash before I went for the benadryl.

[tbhounds]

You can try antihistamines-I don't find Benadryl to be too effective for allergies (it's better for allergic reactions like bee stings). I find chlortrimiton helpful. I give my 80# boy two 4mg tablets 2-3 times daily. I see no noticeable side effects. Just remember not to buy anything with a decongestant in it--ie chlortrimiton D. Of course-always clear any new meds with your veterinarian.

[OwnedBySummer]

Summer had the red eyewhite on one eye when I got her (much less on the other), I thought it was just the way she was. Perhaps she'd burst blood vessels while racing or something, I thought. But when I switched vets a year or something later and reported to this vet that it seemed to be itchier than it should be, the new vet gave me a prescription ointment. No more itchiness and no more red! Because the itchiness has picked up (i.e. there has been a change in his condition), I would have it checked. I'm paranoid about eyes and vision.

[Guest poofmagk]

Thanks for the suggestions! We just went into the vet a couple days ago which is when he suggested allergies but did not recommend any sort of tx. We will buy some non- medicated saline solution and try that out.

[kudzu]

Did the vet stain the eye to check it?

[Guest Greytluv]

Piglet had really red eyes. I put antibiotic eye drops in and they cleared right up.

[cometdust1]

My jax was brought to the vet in Jan. for a slight cough and red eyes with some white discharge. He also was diasgnosed with probable allergies. I also would rinse his eyes 2x a day and they seemed to get better and the cough went away on it's own so I thought nothing of it. by March the eyes started up again and he was treated with steroid antibiotic drops.No eye exam was ever performed other than a cursory check.It did not get better so the vet did a tear production test which he failed.He was given drops to help with tear production.Within 2 weeks I really started to notice him becoming more and more lethargic and back to the vet we went. He tested him for ehrlichiosis and it was positive.The eye problem and cough were symptoms of it.You said his eyes were really red when you got him so just be careful if he does not improve with treatment. Hope it turns out to be nothing serious but I just wanted to make you aware and to seek further advice if it does not resolve.