goopy eyes

Question
My new puppy(9week onld shihtzu) seems to have an eye infection of some kind. We picked him up from the store yesterday and he seemed perfectly well but today his eyes are full of a puss like disharge. Now i have some ophthalmic that was perscribed for my daughter just wondering if it would be safe to give to the pup. I was told by a friend that she did apply some to a dog of hers and it worked fine and that either way it would not harm him but i dont want to worsen things.  is there a home remedy for this sort of problem ? Is the ointment safe to use?

Answer
Hi Wayne!NO!A humans description could be be very harmful for dogs and could make them even sicker.Never use medications without contacting your vet.Now here s what you can do.

This could be pinkeye,conjuctivitis is an inflammation of the membrane covering the inside of the eyelids and the front of the eye.Caused by such things as allergies,infections or even distemper,it can make your pet's eyes crusty,itchy and red,with an ugly abundance of pus or tears.

To speed healing and make your pet more comforable,you'll want to clean the discharge from his eyelids,Wet a sft,clean cloth or cotton ball with lukewarm water.sqezze it out and gently wipe away the goop from around your pet's eyes.Repeat twice a day or as often as needed.

Instead of using water,you may want to try an over-the-counter eye scrub.Eye scrabs are pH-balanced and may cause less stinging than water.You can buy eye scrubs at pet stores,but scrbs formulated for humans are just as effective.Just follow the directions as if your pet were human.

While eye  scrubs can help keep the lids clean,you'll also want to wash the surface of the eye.A good way to do this is with artificial tears,which can helps wash away particles that may be causing the problem.

Covering your pet's eyes with a damp,warm compress can be very soothing.Wet a soft,clean cloth in lukewarm,wring it out,and gentl hold it across his eyes for five minutes.This can make your pet's eyes fell much better,and it goes a long way toward keeping her eyes clean.If your dog balks at having both eyes covered,apply the compress to one eye for about five minutes.Then rinse the cloth and place it on the other eye.Of course,you can skip this step if only one eye is affected.

Regular grooming can help prevent eye irritations before they get started.Hair in your pet's eyes ca cause irritation that can lead to conjunctivitis if it's matted up around the corners.Brushing the hair back away from the eyes or gettign a groomer to cut excess hair can help prevent conjunctivitis.

When traveling in the car,don't let your pet cruise with her head out the window.Debris can get in the eye,and the eye becomes more prone to infection.

          WHEN TO SEE THE VET
Whiel conjunctivitis isn't difficult to treat,any eye infection can result permanent damage,so you'll want to see your vet at the first sign of problems.In some cases your pet may need antibiotics to clear up an infection.In addition,some dogs that appear to have conjunctivitis actually have a condition known as dry eye,or keratoconjunctivitis sicca (cats are rarely affected).It occurs when there aren't enough tears to keep the eyes properly lubricated.Your vet can test your dog's tears to see if he has dry eye.If he does,treating the problem with artificial tears may be all that's needed,although some pets will need antibiotics or steroids as well.

Before trying any of this information,be sure to contact his vet to make sure it OK.You print this or email it to your puppies vets office.If there are any more questions or things you need help with,please feel free to ask me because I am more than happy to help you and your puppy.I hope this is really helpfull and that this helps your lil'pup!Nicole.D.