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Dog Eye Infection Treatment With Anitbiotics

also see Dog Red Eyes 

also see Dog Eye

All pet owners should know the signs of a dog eye infection, even if their pets seem healthy and have never had problems with their dog's eye health previously because infections can be highly contagious between animals. Symptoms lasting for more than two days should be addressed by a veterinarian so the proper medication and antibiotics can be prescribed as soon as possible.

Causes of A Dog Eye Infection

Inflammation and irritation of the eye can be caused by many factors, including debris or foreign objects getting lodged in the eye or a contagious disease like conjunctivitis passed on from other animals. Your veterinarian may recommend an antibiotic medication such as eye drops, ointment or prescription to combat the eye infection and get your pet back to normal.

Symptoms of A Canine Eye Infection

Your dog may have one or more of these symptoms in both eyes or a single eye:

Diagnosing An Eye Infection In Your Dog

If you notice early signs of eye irritation like watery discharge and redness try rinsing your dog's eye with saline or a dog eye wash several times a day. This may clear up any irritations and debris that are in your dog's eye and prevent a trip to the vet. If the symptoms do not clear up or get worse after two days, however, it's time to make an appointment at your vet's office. Take note of the color of any eye discharge in your dog and tell your vet what you've seen. Thick discharge that is yellow, grey or green is a sign of infection.

How To Apply An Eye Infection Treatment

  1. If your dog is calm in your lap you can apply the antibiotic eye drops while sitting with him. If you need to restrain him, lay him on a table and place your arm across his body and hold his muzzle down. It may help to lay the dog on his side. Having a helper to restrain the dog while you apply the eye drops is easier for you and your pet.
  2. If you are using your left arm to hold the dog, use your right hand to apply the medication. Close your dog's eye and slide the medication along the lash line while the eye is closed. Massage the area so the medication covers the entire eye.
  3. Some medication must be applied into your dog's open eye so owners must check the instructions before applying any types of eye drops. For this type of medication, use your finger to lower the eyelid and drop the required amount of drops into the pouch of the eye. If you have a helper to restrain the dog, hold the dog's head under the chin and open the eyelid with one hand while using the other to apply the drops, making sure not to poke the dog's eye.
  4. Comfort and praise your dog after applying drops to one or both eyes and give him a treat.

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