Red Eyes in Dogs

About Your Dog's Eyes

Our dogs' eyes are very similar to ours. They are active organs that are constantly adjusting themselves, working to transmit what your pup sees to their brain. Their eyes differ from ours in that they have a third eyelid, called the nictitating membrane, that is located in the corner of their eye.

As you have surely experienced with your own eyes, there is a slew of things that may cause them to become irritated and noticeably red, from external irritants to excessive dryness and disease. Some breeds of dogs are more susceptible to developing red, irritated eyes as well as associated health issues.

Flat-faced breeds like Pugs, Bulldogs, and Shih Tzus as well as breeds with long hair around their eyes like Sheepdogs, Maltese, and Poodles can all be at greater risk of developing red eyes than other dogs. Likewise, older dogs will develop issues with their eyes causing them to become red more often, especially if they have pre-existing conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.

Noticeable redness in your dog's eyes generally indicates irritation and inflammation, which can be the result of many different eye health issues. The following are some of the most common health conditions that may be the reason your dog has red eyes.

Conjunctivitis

This itchy inflammation of the eye is also called "pink eye" and is relatively common in people. It affects the tissues covering your dog's eyes and generally only affects one eye at a given time.

This infection can be caused by environmental irritants, viruses, or bacteria. Since you likely don't know the case of your pet's pink eye, be sure to bring them to your vet who can advise you on the best treatment options for your pup.

Dry Eye Syndrome

Also called keratoconjunctivitis sicca or KCS, dry eyes in dogs are caused by a deficiency in the moist film of tears that generally covers a healthy eye. When this film is thinner, it can cause your pup's eye to dry out resulting in inflammation.

One of the most common causes of this condition is an immune-mediated disease in dogs that causes their tear gland to stop functioning properly. Other underlying conditions like diabetes can also have an impact on your dog developing dry eyes.

Allergies

Just like you may get watery eyes and a stuffed-up nose when allergy season rolls around, your dog can get red, weepy eyes and become uncomfortable from any number of allergies.

These may be seasonal to pollen or the like, or they may be to your pup's food. If you notice that your pooch has red eyes and is itchy or sneezing more often without seasonal patterns, bring them to your vet for allergy testing.

Eye Injury or Trauma

This cause of red, irritated eyes can range from quite mild to very serious. Your dog may have a hair or piece of grass stuck in their eye that is irritating surface tissues and causing them to become red and inflamed.

Your pup may also have a scratch, cut, or another more serious abrasion that is difficult to detect. If you think that your dog has had a serious physical injury to their eye that is causing one or both of their eyes to become red, bring them to your vet as soon as you can.

Treating Red Eyes in Dogs

You should never start treatment of your dog's red and irritated eyes without first consulting a vet. Some conditions may even be best diagnosed and treated by a veterinary ophthalmologist specialist.

Since red eyes are a symptom of a long list of eye-related health issues, a veterinary examination will be required to determine the root cause of your pup's discomfort. Any attempts to treat your dog's condition without knowing what it is that you're treating likely won't help and may even worsen their condition.

That being said, some common treatments for health issues in your dog's eyes generally include medicinal, antibacterial, or anti-inflammatory eye drops or ointments. Your vet will be sure to walk you through the best way to administer these treatments for your dog's red eyes to make sure they are as comfortable and effective as possible.

In more extreme cases, surgical intervention may be required, especially for issues like a cherry eye.