How To Keep Your Dog’s Eyes Healthy and Clean
Cleaning your dog’s eyes properly depends more or less on the type of breed. A dog with protruding eyes and wrinkles on their face like the Pug, Pekingese or Boston Terrier needs to have their eyes cleaned on a regular schedule. Alternatively, other types of breeds do not require as much consideration.
Different eye types also need different kinds of care:
Dogs with flat faces and protruding eyes need the most care as they are less protected than breeds with eyes that are set deeper and protected by a long muzzle. Protruding eyes also have a tendency to easily dry out and are also injured more easily.
Dogs with white fur may develop tear stains around the eyes.
Dogs with entropies, a condition in which the lid turns inward and eyelashes irritate the cornea, need special attention and in extreme cases surgery is necessary to fix the problem.
Dogs with too much tearing need the eye area to be kept dry and clean.
Dogs with dry eyes require moisturizing eye drops applied daily.
It is usually a good idea to check your dog’s eyes every day and not just once a month. The majority of dogs occasionally accumulates debris in the corners of their eyes, and will benefit from wiping the face using a soft moist cloth and cleaning the corners of the eyes using a moist cotton ball daily.
Be careful when wiping the cotton ball over your dog’s eye or you could scratch the cornea. Many dogs with protruding eyes also require a daily application of eye moisturizing drops to keep their eyes comfortable and moist. While some brands of human eye drops will work it is better to check with your vet first about which brand to use. Regularly cleaning, checking and moisturizing your dog’s eyes daily also helps them get used to the routine.
During the monthly grooming session, rinse out your dog’s eyes with canine eyewash or eye drops. Apply one drop in each eye and carefully wiping away any excess from the corners with a dry cotton ball or soft cloth.
If your light coated dog has tear stains or brownish streaks under their eyes be very careful when wiping their eyes clean. Apply a tear stain remover to the stained fur but not to the eyes according to the directions for the product. If your dog appears to be tearing excessively and is constantly wet under their eyes, or if you detect any unusual redness or swollen areas in or around their eyes, you need to check with your vet.
Dogs can develop many different minor eye problems that are easily treated if caught early. Be sure to check that their eyes are clear as any cloudiness could mean your dog is developing cataracts. Lastly, a yearly vet examination is essential to keeping eyes healthy, and your veterinarian can help diagnose any eye diseases while in the early stages when treatment is the easiest. There are many different types of dogs, some shed and some don’t learn which dog sheds and which ones don’t.