Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the eye conjunctiva and will cause red, irritated eyes with frequent discharges. One possible treatment for conjunctivitis is eye drops. The eye drops should relieve the irritation and the swelling.
Conjunctivitis Symptoms
The symptoms of conjunctivitis include red, irritated eyes. The eyes can be swollen and may not close or open completely due to the swelling. There will also be a transparent discharge from the eyes and the discharge may have a foul odor.
The dog may scratch and paw the eyes and may also produce tears in excess.
Conjunctivitis Causes
Conjunctivitis in dogs may be caused by allergies or respiratory infections. If the dog has a foreign object or a bug stuck in his eyes, this may also cause conjunctivitis.
The cause of conjunctivitis should be detected prior to administering treatment.
Eye Drops
Eye drops will be prescribed for dogs with conjunctivitis, regardless of the cause of the red eyes. The eye drops may contain herbal compounds or steroids, which will be able to relieve the swelling and the irritation.
Common herbal extracts that may be included in the eye drops are chamomile, St. John’s wort, calendula or sanicula. You may purchase the eye drops or prepare them yourself. To prepare the eye drops you should get some tinctures of the above mentioned herbs and add them to distilled water. Add only 5 to 10 tincture drops to 100 ml of distilled water.
The eye drops should be administered at least 2 to 3 times per day. Use a plastic eye dropper or a syringe. Make sure that the drops are always warmed up before you administer these.
How to Administer the Eye Drops
Prior to administering the eye drops, you should clean the eyes with lukewarm water or a saline solution that will remove the discharges and dirt.
If you can’t manage to administer the drops on your own, you should ask someone to help you and hold the dog in place. Use your thumb and index finger to gently open your dog’s eye and drop 4 to 5 drops.
Give your dog a treat after administering the eye drops.
Alternative Treatments
In addition to eye drops, the dog should also receive treatment for the underlying condition that causes conjunctivitis. If the dog has a foreign object in his eye, this should be removed by a vet.
For allergies the dog can receive antihistamines, steroids or allergy shots if the allergen is discovered. If the dog has respiratory infection, this will typically be treated with antibiotics, if the infection is bacterial or viral and fungicides if the infection is fungal.
Your dog may also get warm eye compresses; the compresses can be
soaked in lukewarm chamomile tea or another herbal tea. You may also
administer a few vitamins to reduce the swelling and the irritation.
Vitamin A, C and E are recommended for dogs with conjunctivitis.