Conjunctivitis in Dogs: Treatment and Cure

If you are a dog owner, this problem in dogs is no stranger to you at all. Conjunctivitis in dogs is the most common condition that a number of dogs could have in their lifetime. This is the state wherein the conjunctiva of the dog’s eye becomes irritated and infected causing some burning sensation, pain, itchiness and inflammation of the eye. For purposes of discussion, the conjunctiva is the delicate membrane surrounding the eyelids and covering most parts of the dog’s eyeball. Most often than not, the dog is not able to open its eyelids because of the pus and other discharges.

The main causes of conjunctivitis in dogs are brought about by fungi or bacteria or just mainly from allergies inflicted by some allergens or environmental factors like foreign body intrusion or trauma. Most vets are immediately able to determine the cause of the condition by the color of the discharges from the eye of the dog. When the discharge is green or yellow, the infection is caused by fungi or bacteria while watery and clear discharges would mean that there is a type of allergy the dog may be experiencing.

The constant rubbing of the eyes, endless irritability and unhygienic discharges are the most common symptoms for Conjunctivitis. When left untreated, the condition becomes worse over time and may pose a more harmful effect to your beloved pet dog. In treating conjunctivitis in dogs, it is very important to decipher the underlying cause before going through some treatment option based on the dog’s specific condition.

When caused by bacterial and fungal infection, most Conjunctivitis in dogs is simply addressed by a topical and broad-spectrum antibiotic in the form of prescribed eye drops. However, when the eye is inflamed, there are vets who prescribe topical steroid eye drops to help reduce the inflammation and itchiness.

Sometimes, when the bacterial infection persists, samples will be cultured to help detect the particular antibiotic or even a combination of numerous antibiotics to get rid of the infection. When there is a virus singled-out that may cause the condition, an anti-viral eye drop is then prescribed to eliminate the swelling and redness.

There are, in some cases dogs that have chronic conjunctivitis especially during extreme weather conditions. This is effectively addressed through oral medications and other advanced medications to help treat the condition successfully.