Pet Eye Infections: Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

Eye infections are some of the most common reasons why pets are brought to the vet. These infections can range from harmless to severe. A harmless case of eye infection often heals on its own without need for medical intervention. More serious cases, on the other hand, can cause permanent damage which includes blindness and the loss of the infected eye.
Dogs are the most popular victims of eye infections. Pet eye infections are often caused by viruses, bacteria and/or fungi. Lyme disease, a disease caused by three species of bacteria, can also cause eye infections in dogs.
Just like dogs, cats are also victims of eye infections even though most cats live indoors. Eye infections in cats are usually caused by the feline herpes virus. Eye infections in cats are sometimes caused by the bacteria Chlamydia or the fungi Cryptococcus fungus.
The symptoms of eye infections include red and irritated eyes. You can also notice your pets pawing at their eyes or rubbing them against the carpet or any surface to ease their discomfort. The symptoms of an eye infection in a cat are harder to detect since cats are very good at hiding their discomfort. You will notice your pets slowly blinking his eyes or closing them longer than they usually do.
Another symptom of an eye infection is smelly discharges from the infected eye. Most dogs have green or yellow discharges from the infected eye. Crusting is also another symptom of an eye infection.
To reduce the risk of eye infections, keep your pets indoors as much as possible. Since dogs like to dig, they are exposed to foreign objects that can get inside his eyes and cause an eye infection. Also, keeping your pets inside the house is no easy task. So if your pets cannot stay inside the house all the time, wipe his face gently with a damp cloth to remove allergens, pollens, dust and other debris that may irritate his eyes.
If your pets have hair near their eyes, ask the groomer to trim it or cut it yourself. This will prevent the hair from matting and also to reduce moisture build-up that can infect your pets' eyes. Also, if your pets tear up a lot, remove the salt that collects in the most areas of their eyes because this will also lead to an eye infection.
Dogs like to stick their heads out the window of a moving car. And in doing so, their eyes are more prone to pet eye infections. Make sure your pets do not stick their head out the window the next time you travel. More importantly, do not use Visine or other similar eye drops that are designed for human use because they are inappropriate for animal use.
Some eye infections are harmless in animals. However, if your pets' eye infection lasts longer and doesn't resolve quickly on its own, it's time for your pets to go to a veterinary facility to determine the cause of the infection and the treatment for it.