Common Disease Name:

Eye inflammation

Medical Term for Disease:

Conjunctivitis

Species Affected by Disease:

Dogs and cats

Age Animal Usually Affected:

All ages

Commonly Affected Breeds:

Dogs predisposed to allergic skin disease may tend to have more problems with allergic conjunctivitis

Sex Usually Affected:

Both

Disease Symptoms:

Red, weepy eyes. Eye discharge that is clear, yellow or green, squinting, eyelids twitching, swelling; may accompany a respiratory infection.

Method(s) of Diagnosis:

Primary conjunctivitis should be distinguished from conjunctivitis secondary to other ocular diseases such a lack of tears, glaucoma, etc.

Disease Causes:

Inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the eye socket. It can be caused by bacterial infection, viral infection, lack of tears or loss of tear outflow, allergies, environmental irritants, eyelid problems like lashes growing toward the eye, a foreign body, or glaucoma or uveitis.

Treatment:

Uncomplicated primary conjunctivitis can often be treated on an outpatient basis. Dogs with conjunctivitis secondary to other diseases (e.g., uveitis and ulcerative keratitis) may need hospitalization while the underlying problem is diagnosed and treated.

Prognosis:

Antibiotic treatment in the eye will cure most bacterial conjunctivitis. If an underlying disease is found (e.g., keratoconjunctivitis sicca), the bacterial conjunctivitis will not be cured until the underlying problem is cured. Some immune-mediated diseases and allergies are diseases that tend to be controlled and not cured, and chronic treatment at the lowest level possible may be necessary.

Complications:

Corneal ulcers, blindness

Prevention:

Many of the causes of conjunctivitis are contagious, so your dog should not be allowed to play with other dogs that appear to have obvious discharge from the eyes. Allergic conjunctivitis is not transmissible.

Medicines Used for Treatment of Disease:

Eye antibiotics, eye anti-viral medications, eye steroids; Elizabethan collars.

Helpful Products:

Eye washes to remove foreign materials from eyes, Elizabethan collars to prevent self trauma. Visine type products are not generally recommended for your dog's red eyes.