While some breeds of dogs like the English bulldog or the boxer are prone to having droopy, red eyes, or a condition known as “cherry eye,” on occasion other breeds can too exhibit similar symptoms. Though many of us usually just chalk the redness up to our dogs not getting enough sleep and appearing tired like a human would, what some dog owners aren’t aware of, is that canines too can suffer from conjunctivitis, otherwise known as pink eye.
So how can you tell if your dog has pink eye? Well the first thing to know is that conjunctivitis can occur in dogs of all ages and breeds, either on its own or in conjunction with another eye issue. Like pink eye normally found in humans, the canine version can spread the same way, by rubbing the infected eye with the same paw or human hand as the non-affected eye.
If your dog appears to have redness, puffy eyelids, and watery eyes it is often easy to dismiss, or to associate with a lack of sleep. However, if these symptoms are paired with a stringy discharge causing the eyelids to stick together then it is likely something to look further into, particularly if your dog is pawing at his eye(s) and/or squinting. If this is the case, then it is in your dog’s best interest to go to the vet, after all it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your best friend!
Though your vet may not be concerned at first, ignoring these symptoms altogether may be putting your dog at risk of potential blindness in the future. Canine pink eye can appear in three forms; seasonal, bacterial, and viral conjunctivitis. With varying degrees of symptoms, severity, long term effects and levels of contagiousness, it is important to ensure that your dog is safe from any further complications as well as to keep other dogs, cats, or humans he may come into contact with from harm.
