Dog Eye Infection That Will Not Heal

by Gail
(Vermilion, OH)

Example of a Dog Eye Infection

Example of a Dog Eye Infection

Reader Question: Lingering Dog Eye Infection


I have a Bichon that is 14 years old and that has had an eye infection for a long time. I have treated it with drops and antibiotics but it will not go away.

He has white puss in the corner of his eye every morning but today I have noticed it looks very red on the inside of his eye?

The vet told me to just put drops in it.

Do you agree or is there anything else we can do?

Comments for Dog Eye Infection That Will Not Heal

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Aug 18, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Vet Suggestion on Dog Eye Infection Treatment
by: Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM

Hi Gail,

It’s hard for me to make a specific recommendation because I haven’t had the chance to examine your dog, but I can make a few comments. When an infection gets better with treatment but never fully goes away or comes back soon after treatment is stopped, I always suspect that an underlying condition has not yet been diagnosed and dealt with. In your dog’s case, possibilities include abnormal tear production, foreign material rubbing on the surface of the eye, corneal ulcers or wounds, eye pressure abnormalities, and more.

If your dog were my patient, I would want to run a few simple tests (e.g., a Schirmer tear test, eye pressure check, and corneal staining) to rule out some of the most likely underlying conditions. If the results came back as normal, we’d have to decide whether the dog’s condition is adequately controlled with symptomatic treatment or if referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist for continued work-up would be in his best interests.

Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Eye Infection.

Show / Hide