eye problems

Whispered

Harley has another eye infection. Luckily, this time I have the eye drops for him. It developed yesterday and was no worse today, but no better. It seems to be just a bit of fluid coming out, he's not at it and is perfectly happy to sit there and let me clean it.

I will see how he is in the morning and if it's any worse I'll bring him to the vet for a physical exam.

In the meantime, I was wondering if anyone has experience of a problem like this. It is a recurring infection in the same eye. He has been checked for scratches on the cornea etc. Nothing shows up. It appears that there is what looks like a line of dark red or brown under his iris. You wouldn't notice it, only for the fact we know him.

I am trying to think if there is anything that could cause it. Can some dogs be sensitive to getting water in their eye. Maybe the last infection was due to him swimming and this one could be from playing in the snow we got over the weekend? Or maybe from sleeping on the floor in his crate? (he is on a blanket and the crate is covered though so I would be suprised.

Any thoughts appreciated.

PLEASE NOTE: before certain posters have a go at me for asking a health related question. The dog has been treated by the vet for this condition before and I am currently following his advice after speaking to him on the phone.

mymo

Hi Helena,
How is his vision? I know it can be hard to check, but if you could cover good eye and move a treat or toy to see if his eye follows it(you may need help).
Is it possible he got something in it? Is it sticky?
I know conjuctivitus can be a problem sometimes that will re-occur if the dog gets a little run down.
Sorry can't offer any advice, sounds like you're doing well with vet advice and drops.
Hope he's feeling better soon.

Whispered

I just had a look. He seems to be looking out of it no problem at all. We had him looking from one to the other, moving the eye, following the treat. He certainly seems to be using it.

conjuctivitus could be what it is, especially considering it can come back a few times. I would be suprised if he was run down, he looks in perfect health (although I would say that wouldn't I ). And is on the same brand food since puppyhood with no issues.

He doesn't even seem to notice there is an issue (except for when the drops appear! :rolleyes:) he's in really bright happy form and is playing away downstairs in the sitting room.

I assume it's not normal for a dog to get 2 eye infections in about 4 months is it?

mymo

I don't know how often would be a lot, if first one was due to irritation or injury maybe it didn't heal fully?
Maybe just the cold air got to it a bit? He could be bit under the weather and just not showing it, both of mine got a tummy bug few weeks ago(as did several neighbours dogs) and seemed fine apart from stuff coming from both ends for couple of hours(hairy dogs so wasn't pleasant), didn't stop them leaping around, barking for walks and wrestling, although they did sleep a little more in the evening.
Think your plan is best, if no better tomorrow try the vet again.
Some dogs can be prone to runny eyes, shorter nosed breeds mainly, but would be odd to be one eye.
I presume vet checked his teeth, i know it sounds odd but tooth/mouth probs can affect eyes.

paultf

Not sure if this is related but I'll say it anyway - as I'm not that experienced with dogs.

I have a 7 year old cocker and for years he had "dry eyes". He continually had runny eyes and would get eye infections now & again.

Bought him to the vet and he told me to keep the eyes clean. He also told me to get a bottle of "tear drops" from a chemist (used by humans to treat dry eyes). Basically the vet said I would always have to treat his eyes every day.

So for years I was cleaning his eyes and getting these bottles of "tear drops".

But recently I switched his food to Burns chicken and brown rice. The runny eyes and eye infections stopped. No more bottles of tear drops.

As far as I know, John Burns decided to base his food on simple ingredients like chicken and brown rice because some of the commercial foods cause skin problems, eye infections, etc.

Not sure if this is related to your problem but I hope its helpful in some way. Hope he gets better soon.

Blueprint

Jasper used to have very sticky eyes before when I had him on a different food. Also if I feed him a lot of dog biscuits, his eyes get rather runny, so I think there's something in the grain that leads to gunky eyes. I've noticed this in one of my cats as well.

However, with the cold wind we had yesterday, I'd say it could easily be a bit if an infection setting in too! Maybe he's just susceptible to them and gets them whenever the weather is very bad?

lorebringer

I don't know what age your dog is but when I got one of mine at 6 months (rescue) he had countless eye infections for months. He was is reasonably health when I got him (just a bit skinny, unvaxed and not neutered) but we were back and forth to the vets getting antibiotics and drops. We tried the food change - no help - and changing our washing powder we wash the beds with and shampoo that we wash them with but still no joy. He has pretty blocked tear ducts so his eyes can be streamy for this reason without infection, esp. in cold or windy weather. He just grew out of them, still gets the odd one but generally 100% better than he was.

I also have a golden oldie who has recently been getting eye infections, along with anal gland infections - lovely - and the vet has put it down to him being so old and having a very dodgy immune system. He is on his way out with congestive heart failure and is also a rescue (who was treated very badly for most of his life). His eyes get very gooy and sticky and he doesn't really like us at them (but he doesn't mind one of my other dogs that has a weird thing with licking eyes - not a big help with eye infections - licking at them!).

What breed is you chap? My vet was saying to me in passing that he is always getting certain breeds in with eye infections because they have "bulgy" eyes (Pugs etc.). Could be the unfortunate luck of the breed.

Also, what drops are you given. I have found Frucithalmic is not very good with recurrent eye infections, Genticin is much better. You will need to get it in the pharmacy with a prescription from the vet but it really is very good. Ask you vet about other antibiotics or drops you could use, it could be that the infection has become immune to whatever you have been using (if you have been using it regularly), is not being killed off completely (thus coming back all the time) and you need a new cocktail to get rid of it fully.

Whispered

He seems much better. It's fully gone I think.

Poor delicate boy might be getting it from sleeping in his crate close to the floor, maybe he just HAS to be allowed sleep on the couch :rolleyes:

He's 17months old and a staffador :P so I don't think the bulgy eyes are a problem in his breeding. Maybe he is just prone to them. Can an infection be caused by something going into the eye but not actually damaging it? He was playing for hours with a boxer a few days ago so he could have got dirt or something in it I suppose.

The drops I'm using are maxitrol - I got them from the vet the last time I was in with him with an infection.

lorebringer

Things getting into their eyes is a big cause of infection - not things getting stuck but just prodding them - grass, dirt and such. This is how my chap picks them up all the time. Dogs have a third eyelid to "sweep" debris out of their eye but unfortunately they don't do the same for all bacteria and other bugs. Like people, some dogs simply have delicate eyes or ears or stomachs or whatever!