Eye Goober

[XTRAWLD]

OK, this is starting to drive me a little crazy, so I'm just looking for some ideas. Ryder has been having excessive eye goober, very prominent in the mornings after a night of sleep. I generally pick it out of the corner of his eyes with a q-tip, but up until about a year ago, he never had this issue. I will mention that he is on pred drops for Pannus since last summer. I am not sure if it is the drops that is causing all the goober, or if it is the Pannus, or what is going on. He maintains the eye goober if he gets one drop, two drops, once a day, twice a day, no drops. I just can't figure it out. On occassion the eye goober is laced with very light green tinge. Not infection pus green but tainted ever so slightly every few days or so, otherwise clear....or that funny grey brown typical eye goober color. His eyes for the most part do look good, aside from the cloudy bits on the edges. Never usually red unless I've forgotten to give him his drops.

 

Do you think there is anything food related I could give him to help with his eyes and this excess goober? I'm thankful that he doesn't shake it all over the house or all over me. I am very familiar with "the right amount" of goober, as my other greyhound had it all his life, but this just seems like it's a little too much and a bit strange. Thoughts?

[KF_in_Georgia]

I know the pollen's not bad (yet) in Brampton, but that still may be what you're dealing with. Today's count here in the Atlanta area is 4667, and we've all got excessive eye gunk. (I have a hard time getting my right eye "unstuck" most mornings.) Here in Atlanta, the pollen usually peaks the week before the Masters golf tournament, so we're right on schedule. Tree pollen could especially be the reason for greenish eye gunk.

 

There are antihistamine eye drops designed to help with allergies (my vet recommended Naphcon A; some stores carry a cheaper, store-brand version), but it's possible to use the drops too often and become dependent on them. I do outdoor meet and greets with my dogs on weekends, so I used to use the drops on Tigger on Friday and Saturday--Sunday, too, if we had an event that day--and that helped control things for Tigger. I'd just wipe his whole face with a damp paper towel every morning, and he enjoyed that. (He'd lean into it.) Tigger also routinely got a benadryl every morning.

With Ryder's pannus, you'd want to check with the vet before you tried any eye drops, but you might just try wiping his face in the morning and before bed (and when he comes in from outside) and see if that helps any. And maybe put a lightweight, washable throw on his bed, so you can wash it (or swap it) often enough to keep it relatively pollen-free for him.

[XTRAWLD]

I didn't even think about pollen or allergies because it coincided with when we started using drops, but perhaps regular wipe downs might help. He does love the eye rubs! I live allergy free, so I really didn't know you get eye goobers, just thought they were dry or itchy. Also had no eye-dea.....rollseyes on that pun, and that was a pun on a pun HA! that tree pollen could product green eye goober. Thanks for the feedback.

[GeorgeofNE]

I dunno, but I have two cats with perpetual eye goobers, and it's more of a physical thing. Their eyes are deeply set and very narrow at the ends, and, well, goobers collect there.

 

I just consider it part of my daily grooming duties.

 

However, in your boy's case, it COULD be pollen I suppose. I know I just started up with the Flonase spray!

[palmettobug]

I have a cat with the same issue as Susan's--his lids roll inwards, so more junk collects.

 

Everything here is green and yellow, too!

[XTRAWLD]

I have a cat with the same issue as Susan's--his lids roll inwards, so more junk collects.

 

Everything here is green and yellow, too!

 

Green AND yellow. Doesn't that mean infection though?

[palmettobug]

I meant from the pollen! Boogies are still boogie colored.

[tbhounds]

Green AND yellow. Doesn't that mean infection though?

Yes it does. Can also indicate dry eye. I would have your vet take a look-they may want to test for dry eye (schirmer tear test).

[greyhoundguitar]

Our Luster has always had a lot of eye goobers since he came to us, the vet said it was allergy related and has been on allergy relief Walmart brand and works great, now just the normal once in a while eye goober.

 

[MP_the4pack]

I was also going to suggest dry eye.