Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis or red eye, is fairly common among humans. At one point you may have experienced it yourself or seen someone who has. It's an unsightly eye condition that unfortunately does not have any known cure yet, but one that fortunately goes away on its own after a few days or so.
Given its prevalence among people, can dogs get pink eye, too? The answer is yes. In fact, pink eye is fairly common among dogs, and the symptoms are almost identical as with pink eye in humans.
Before proceeding, however, it's best to first discuss what this eye condition is all about and what its various causes are.
Pink eye is characterized by the inflammation of the conjunctival membrane or simply the conjunctiva, which is the moist tissue that lines the eyelids and covers the front part of the eyeball. This membrane reaches up to the cornea. The most obvious symptom of pink eye is the reddening of the eyes accompanied by a sort of discharge.
So how can dogs get pink eye? You'd be surprised that dogs can get pink eye even days after their birth. This condition is called neonatal conjunctivitis. This is an infection behind the eyelids after or even before they separate; the eyes of puppies normally do not open until after a week or two from birth
Otherwise, pink eye in dogs can be caused by a host of factors. As mentioned earlier, some cases of pink eye are caused by physical irritants. These include wind, dust, and smoke, among others. Allergens include pollen, certain types of food, or even medications. All of these things can trigger pink eye in dogs.
Certain types of bacteria are also known to cause can dogs get pink eye, notably neonatal conjunctivitis among newborn pups. The most common among these bacteria are Streptococcus and Staphylococcus bacteria. Bacterial pink eye is characterized by crusting of the eyelids due to the pus and mucus content of the discharge.
Aside from bacteria, pink eye can be caused by virus, too. Cases of viral pink eye in dogs are usually caused by a specific virus called the canine distemper virus. If you have a couple of dogs at home and one of them gets a viral infection, make sure to separate it from others to prevent the virus from spreading further.
Another trigger for can dogs get pink eye is having dry eyes. The lack of normal tear film in the eyes causes them to dry up and therefore more prone to irritation. Closely related to this is having inadequate tear volume in the eyes. This condition, also known as keraroconjunctivitis sicca, causes the eyes to turn red and secrete a discharge.
Check which of your dog's eyes exhibit redness with discharge. If both, then this might be caused by allergy, canine distemper, or inadequate tear volume. If only one eye exhibits pink eye symptoms, check to see if there is any sort of foreign object or hair on the said eye.
Dogs that suffer from this eye condition also have eyelids that appear swollen. In some cases, this may come with episodes of itching.
As with cases of pink eye in humans, can dogs get pink eye is usually not painful, if at all. As such, your dog should not be exhibiting any physical manifestation of pain. But it becomes a different case altogether once your dog begins to shut its eyes or display episodes of spasmodic blinking. Either of this behavior is indicative of keratitis, uveitis, or glaucoma, which may result in blindness if left untreated.
Nonetheless, it is actually wiser to sport a proactive attitude when it comes to dealing with cases of pink eye. Here's why: for the most part, pink eye goes away on its own, but when left unchecked, it can result in irreversible corneal damage that may even lead to blindness. The redness and swelling of the eyelids may also be indicative of increased pressure in the eyes, and may lead to a condition called glaucoma.
When a dog is brought in for a possible case of pink eye, vets usually do a number of tests in order for them to do a definitive prognosis. The most usual procedure is through the conduct of a comprehensive eye exam, which typically includes fluorescein stain, which is a process done to check if the dog suffers from glaucoma.
Vets also do a culture of the eye discharge to examine its content. A skin test may also be done to see if the condition was triggered by any sort of allergy. After the battery of routine exams and depending on the prognosis, a vet may prescribe ointments, antibiotics, or eye drops to take care of the situation.
Can dogs get pink eye be prevented? Among humans, the best way to avoid getting this illness of the eye is by observing proper cleaning habits, such as washing your hands regularly, refraining from touching your eyes with your hands, never sharing personal items such as towels or pillows with other people, and avoiding close contact with anyone who suffers from the condition.
The same is true with dogs. Doing away with pink eye means observing proper hygiene practices. Make sure to keep your dogs clean at all times by taking care of their grooming needs and ensuring that their environment is regularly sanitized. If you have multiple dogs at home, isolate those who have been infected from the rest of the pack.
Indeed, when it comes to can dogs get pink eye, prevention is certainly better than cure. Be aware of the possible triggers for this condition, and take proactive measures to curb it right from the get-go. At the same time, be familiar with the symptoms of the condition, as well as the steps you need to undertake should your dog gets infected by it, so that you know what to do when it strikes your pet.
Given its prevalence among people, can dogs get pink eye, too? The answer is yes. In fact, pink eye is fairly common among dogs, and the symptoms are almost identical as with pink eye in humans.
Before proceeding, however, it's best to first discuss what this eye condition is all about and what its various causes are.
Pink eye is characterized by the inflammation of the conjunctival membrane or simply the conjunctiva, which is the moist tissue that lines the eyelids and covers the front part of the eyeball. This membrane reaches up to the cornea. The most obvious symptom of pink eye is the reddening of the eyes accompanied by a sort of discharge.
Three types of pink eye
There are three types of pink eye: serous conjunctivitis, purulent conjunctivitis, and follicular conjunctivitis. Serous conjunctivitis is the type of pink eye where the discharge is clear and almost watery. It is generally caused by physical irritants and allergens. Purulent conjunctivitis is a form of serous conjunctivitis that gets infected by bacteria. The discharge that comes with this type of pink eye contains mucus and pus. And lastly, follicular conjunctivitis typically comes as a result of the irritation of the dog's eyelids. A rough and cobblestone surface usually forms around the eyes as a result of the mucuous discharge.So how can dogs get pink eye? You'd be surprised that dogs can get pink eye even days after their birth. This condition is called neonatal conjunctivitis. This is an infection behind the eyelids after or even before they separate; the eyes of puppies normally do not open until after a week or two from birth
Otherwise, pink eye in dogs can be caused by a host of factors. As mentioned earlier, some cases of pink eye are caused by physical irritants. These include wind, dust, and smoke, among others. Allergens include pollen, certain types of food, or even medications. All of these things can trigger pink eye in dogs.
Certain types of bacteria are also known to cause can dogs get pink eye, notably neonatal conjunctivitis among newborn pups. The most common among these bacteria are Streptococcus and Staphylococcus bacteria. Bacterial pink eye is characterized by crusting of the eyelids due to the pus and mucus content of the discharge.
Aside from bacteria, pink eye can be caused by virus, too. Cases of viral pink eye in dogs are usually caused by a specific virus called the canine distemper virus. If you have a couple of dogs at home and one of them gets a viral infection, make sure to separate it from others to prevent the virus from spreading further.
Another trigger for can dogs get pink eye is having dry eyes. The lack of normal tear film in the eyes causes them to dry up and therefore more prone to irritation. Closely related to this is having inadequate tear volume in the eyes. This condition, also known as keraroconjunctivitis sicca, causes the eyes to turn red and secrete a discharge.
Detection of pink eye in dogs
Pink eye in dogs is fairly easy to detect, particularly since it shares almost similar symptoms as with the typical case of pink eye in humans. The most common among these symptoms is having red eyes that are usually accompanied by a form of discharge. This discharge can either be puslike, clear, or mucuslike. Having puslike discharge is seen as a symptom of purulent conjunctivitis, while having clear discharge indicates serous conjunctivitis. If the discharge is mucuslike, accompanied by severe follice formation due to the accumulation of lymphoid tissues, then this is most certainly a case of follicular conjunctivitis.Check which of your dog's eyes exhibit redness with discharge. If both, then this might be caused by allergy, canine distemper, or inadequate tear volume. If only one eye exhibits pink eye symptoms, check to see if there is any sort of foreign object or hair on the said eye.
Dogs that suffer from this eye condition also have eyelids that appear swollen. In some cases, this may come with episodes of itching.
As with cases of pink eye in humans, can dogs get pink eye is usually not painful, if at all. As such, your dog should not be exhibiting any physical manifestation of pain. But it becomes a different case altogether once your dog begins to shut its eyes or display episodes of spasmodic blinking. Either of this behavior is indicative of keratitis, uveitis, or glaucoma, which may result in blindness if left untreated.
Can Dogs Get Pink Eye : Do Comprehensive eye exam
If your dog suffers from any or a combination of the symptoms outlined above, it might be best to pay a visit to a vet. Some people choose to forego having a medical examination done on their dogs, particularly if they see that the situation is not severe enough to warrant a checkup.Nonetheless, it is actually wiser to sport a proactive attitude when it comes to dealing with cases of pink eye. Here's why: for the most part, pink eye goes away on its own, but when left unchecked, it can result in irreversible corneal damage that may even lead to blindness. The redness and swelling of the eyelids may also be indicative of increased pressure in the eyes, and may lead to a condition called glaucoma.
When a dog is brought in for a possible case of pink eye, vets usually do a number of tests in order for them to do a definitive prognosis. The most usual procedure is through the conduct of a comprehensive eye exam, which typically includes fluorescein stain, which is a process done to check if the dog suffers from glaucoma.
Vets also do a culture of the eye discharge to examine its content. A skin test may also be done to see if the condition was triggered by any sort of allergy. After the battery of routine exams and depending on the prognosis, a vet may prescribe ointments, antibiotics, or eye drops to take care of the situation.
Can dogs get pink eye be prevented? Among humans, the best way to avoid getting this illness of the eye is by observing proper cleaning habits, such as washing your hands regularly, refraining from touching your eyes with your hands, never sharing personal items such as towels or pillows with other people, and avoiding close contact with anyone who suffers from the condition.
The same is true with dogs. Doing away with pink eye means observing proper hygiene practices. Make sure to keep your dogs clean at all times by taking care of their grooming needs and ensuring that their environment is regularly sanitized. If you have multiple dogs at home, isolate those who have been infected from the rest of the pack.
Indeed, when it comes to can dogs get pink eye, prevention is certainly better than cure. Be aware of the possible triggers for this condition, and take proactive measures to curb it right from the get-go. At the same time, be familiar with the symptoms of the condition, as well as the steps you need to undertake should your dog gets infected by it, so that you know what to do when it strikes your pet.
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