You can try to determine the reason why your dog’s eyes are watery at home. Emergencies that require immediate medical attention include injury or any other eye condition that could result in severe pain, loss of vision, or loss of the entire eyeball.

Discharge from the eye area

Any discharge from the eyes is the leading symptom of diseases of the eyelids, conjunctiva and lacrimal apparatus, but can also occur with diseases of the internal media of the eye.

The dog's eyes begin to water or fester due to excessive secretion of tear fluid and the release of inflammatory products (mucopurulent discharge from the eyes). In chronic cases, it comes to the formation of a “path” with brown-red coloring of light hair, hair gluing, crust formation, development of dermatitis and hair loss.

Why do some dog breeds have excessively watery eyes?

Some dogs' eyes become watery harmless reasons. In brachycephalics, long-haired dogs and dogs with too large palpebral fissure (with excessively stretchable folded skin in the head area), discharge from the eyes is considered normal and does not require special treatment except for daily preventative cleaning. These are breeds such as:

• bloodhound
• Saint Bernard
• Shar Pei
• cocker
• bullmastiff
• bulldogs
• chow chow
• basset
• majority ornamental breeds dogs, etc.

How to examine a dog's eyes?

Ocular lesions are often the result of systemic disease away from the visual organs. Data on breed, age, living conditions, former and existing diseases, as well as medications previously or still used may have important when making a diagnosis. As a rule, at the appointment the doctor asks the owner all the details.

When your dog's eyes are watery, the first thing you can do at home is to examine the animal in a calm atmosphere. Small dogs are placed or seated on a stable table, large dogs are placed on the floor. The palpebral fissure should be held open using any free hand, if possible without violence or pressure on eyeball. In this way, you can determine the nature of the discharge from the eyes (mucous or purulent), notice a foreign body, redness, swelling, etc.

Coercive measures: muzzle for aggressive dogs may interfere, a loop made of wide braid that holds the mouth closed is much more convenient.

The main causes of lacrimation in dogs

Eye discharge in dogs can occur as a result of ocular or systemic diseases.

Eye diseases

Most eye diseases can be diagnosed in specialized clinics, which have equipment for examining the organ of vision.

Glaucoma

Represents emergency situation, the misinterpretation of which is the most common cause rapid onset of blindness. Treatment is prescribed veterinarian- ophthalmologist, fully convinced of the diagnosis. Symptoms:

• The leading symptom is a wide pupil and a red eye due to increased intraocular pressure, tears slightly;
• photophobia;
• eye rubbing;
• redness of mucous membranes;
• loss of appetite;
• apathy;
• later the eyeball enlarges.

Ocular manifestations of systemic diseases

If there are no visible changes in the organ of vision, then only a veterinarian can determine the exact reason why the dog’s eyes are watery and prescribe how to treat the disease. Most likely, this will require additional research, for example, blood test, eye wash, etc. Possible reasons:

Age-related eye diseases

Most dog owners respond promptly to visible eye changes associated with the aging process.

The incidence of keratoconjunctivitis sicca increases significantly with age in some breeds (primarily small dogs such as terriers and long-haired dachshunds). Typical sign– dullness of the cornea as a result of a lack of tear fluid with mucopurulent discharge in the eyelash area and chronic conjunctivitis.

What should be in a dog's eye first aid kit?

Eyes are one of the most problematic areas even in healthy dogs. Eye discharge can be dangerous in some cases. How to recognize the cause and what to do?

The process of lacrimation in dogs

Tears serve two functions:

· They clean and lubricate the surface of the eyeball. When the dog blinks, the moisture is distributed evenly and the eyes do not dry out.

· Tear fluid contains immune bodies that protect the eye from the penetration of bacteria.

Tear fluid is produced by special glands located in the eyelids. Excess tears are eliminated by evaporation or accumulation in the inner corner of the eye, where the nasolacrimal duct is located.

If a puppy or adult dog’s eyes are clean, clear, and shiny, then try not to touch them again, do not wash them, etc.

Dog owners often notice that their pet's eyes are watery. Here you need to immediately define what is meant by the word “tearing”. Usually this refers to clear, liquid, colorless discharge. If the discharge from the eyes is white, yellow, greenish and thicker, then this is pus. In this case, you need to urgently contact a veterinary clinic. Such discharge may be a symptom of conjunctivitis, helminthic infestation, plague.

Why are my dog's eyes running?

· Foreign body: The most common cause is blades of grass, wool, dust, and pollen getting into the eye.

· Poor nutrition: a dog’s diet may contain too many sweets, flour, and fatty foods. Also, lacrimation may be a symptom of an allergy to some component of the food. It is necessary to analyze the dog’s diet and, by elimination, determine the possible source of the allergic reaction. If you give your dog dry food, you may need to change it to something else. As for sweets, dogs don’t need them at all, and chocolate is even dangerous to health.

· Sometimes the reason may be spraying aerosols near a dog, air fresheners, deodorants, etc. In nature - smoke from a fire.

· Eat diseases, symptoms of which include lacrimation: entropion of the eyelids, blockage of the lacrimal duct, inflammation of the lacrimal sac, conjunctivitis in dogs. All these diseases require immediate medical intervention. With distemper in dogs, on the third day of development of the disease, abundant purulent green discharge also appears from the eyes.

· The reason may be abnormally growing eyelashes, which irritate the eyes, which is often found in certain breeds: schnauzers, spitz dogs, lap dogs, poodles, Yorkshire Terriers, Toy Terriers and Shih Tzus. It is believed that a little tearing is normal for them. But if tears flow heavily, leaving wet streaks along the cheek area, this is no longer normal, you should consult a doctor: perhaps it is a disease - epiphora. To avoid eye problems in long-haired breeds, cut your dog's hair so that the hair does not damage the eyes.

· Epiphora- continuous lacrimation. Watery discharge In this case, the eyelids overflow from the eyes, flowing down the sides of the muzzle, forming smudges, and in light-colored dogs - colored tear tracks. Constantly moisturizing the skin where tears flow causes inflammation and often infection, which leads to difficulty seeing and changes in behavior. Reasons causing development epiphoras may be as follows: entropion of the eyelid, various shapes conjunctivitis, foreign bodies, corneal ulcers and uveitis. In these cases increased lacrimation is a protective function on inflammatory reaction sore eye.

For home care behind the dog’s eyes you can use “Diamond Eyes”, “Bars” drops, and “Phytoelite” lotion. If the tearing does not improve after one to three days, you should take your dog to the veterinarian to determine the cause and prescribe treatment.

Zaydal Tatyana

Many dog ​​breeders are faced with unpleasant problem- The dog’s eyes are watering. What to do in this case, when should you contact a veterinarian and what are the reasons for this phenomenon? Let's try to figure it out.

Puppy Eye Care

The health of your dog's eyes needs to be monitored early childhood. The puppy's eyes should be shiny and free of discharge. If this is the case, then you don’t need to do anything; try not to touch your eyesight with your hands. In old literature you can find a recommendation to rinse with a weak solution boric acid. Modern veterinarians believe that performing such manipulations with healthy dog doesn't make sense.

There is no need to rush to treatment if small white droplets appear in the corners of the eyes after a night's sleep. Carefully remove them with a clean cotton swab. For each eye, use a separate piece of cotton, moving towards the nose. If the white secretion appears in small quantities and only after long sleep- don't worry.

When examining the eyes, you should not touch them with dirty hands; this rule also applies to caring for adult dogs.

Breed characteristics

Why do dogs have problems with tearing especially often? This is due to breed characteristics, the structure of the skull and eyes. Undeveloped, narrow, crooked tear ducts appear in brachycephalics due to their flat muzzle, in Toy and Spitz due to their small round head, in extremely small breeds due to their size.

The large, expressive eyes of the Pekingese, Chin, and Chihuahua are susceptible to injury; dust and debris often get into them. In dogs with loose, drooping eyelids, dirt accumulates, which leads to frequent inflammation.

If a dog’s eyes have been running since puppyhood, then it’s worth asking whether this is an anatomical feature. Such a dog will need special care - several times a day you need to remove tears with a gauze swab dipped in a special lotion.

Eliminate the problem of excessive tearing associated with anatomical features, it is only possible through surgery - to widen and clean and correct the shape of the eyelids.

Reasons why a dog's eyes are watery

Why do my dog's eyes water? This problem may be due to:

Getting into the eyes of dust, small debris, various aerosols;

Reaction to improper feeding, for example, to a large number of sweets;

Turn of the century;

Blockage of the tear duct;

Inflammation of the lacrimal sac.

Pay attention to the last 3 points. Doctor intervention is required.

Self-treatment of eyes in dogs

Let's look at problems that a dog owner can deal with on his own. When hit foreign object into the eye you need to rinse copiously with lukewarm boiled water. The same can be done if hairspray, spray or other safe chemicals get into the organ of vision.

If your dog has watery eyes, profuse lacrimation, or the fur under the eyes becomes wet, you can try to deal with the problem on our own. To do this, gently wipe your eyes with separate cotton swabs moving towards your nose. For this purpose it can be used as special means, and solutions of furatsilin, boric acid, chlorhexidine, potassium permanganate, chamomile decoction.

If your dog's eyes are running and home remedies do not help within 3-5 days, you need to seek help from a veterinarian.

When to contact a specialist

Washing your dog doesn't help? In some cases, a visit to a specialist cannot be avoided. Only professional help from a veterinarian will avoid serious problems and complications.

Contact your veterinarian if:

The dog's eyes are red and watery for several days, despite washing;

The discharge from the eyes is thick;

The discharge is not clear, but green, brown or yellow;

The dog experiences discomfort and tries to rub its eyes with its paws;

The dog squints, blinks constantly, closes his eyes frequently;

The eyes are dull, matte, without shine;

You notice that your pet's vision has deteriorated.

These symptoms indicate that lacrimation is not caused by exposure to an irritant (dust, smoke, wind, etc.), but by the onset of the disease. Similar pathological phenomena can be caused by conjunctivitis, districhiasis, plague. Only a veterinarian, after examining the animal, will be able to find out the exact cause of lacrimation and prescribe effective treatment.

Carefully follow your veterinarian's recommendations, dosage and treatment time. If you do not pay attention to the first symptoms of the disease in time and start its course, then the treatment will be more complex and lengthy, and your pet’s vision may be damaged forever.

Eye injuries

For active dogs eye damage is not uncommon. A penetrating wound can occur as a result of a fight with another dog or cat, the dog can stumble upon a protruding branch or cut itself on the grass. Such damage may not be noticeable at first - a small dent remains on the eyeball. Then the eye begins to become inflamed, cloudy, and swollen. The dog cannot open it, there is lacrimation and suppuration. This situation is very dangerous!

You cannot help the dog on your own; you need immediate consultation with a veterinarian - an ophthalmologist or a specialist. general practice. What should you do before visiting the vet? The most important thing is to not let your dog scratch its eye. In order to reduce pain, instill a solution of novocaine (2%). If it is not possible to contact a veterinarian immediately, then apply antibiotic drops to the eye. The listed measures are not treatment! If you have an eye injury, you should contact your veterinarian. as soon as possible(within 24 hours) and follow all his instructions, otherwise the animal will lose its sight.

Flow, but not tears

Are your dog's eyes watering? There are many diseases that cause discharge from the organs of vision. The discharge may not always be clear, resembling tears. If your dog's eyes are watery and the discharge is thick, white, green, brown, blinding his eyelids after a night's sleep, contact your veterinarian immediately! This indicates serious infectious disease of different nature. In this case, it is better to contact a specialist who can establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.

After reading this article, you will be able to determine why your dog's eyes are watering, what needs to be done, and whether you need to see a doctor. It is important to understand that problems with the organs of vision cannot be neglected; prolonged inaction or self-medication without consulting a specialist can lead to serious problems and even to complete loss vision.

Tears are important for maintaining a dog's vision: they clean the cornea and prevent dust from entering, pathogenic microorganisms and foreign objects. Normally, they periodically appear on the eyes and wash away everything unnecessary from their surface. But if your pet’s eyes water more often than usual, you should understand the causes of pathological lacrimation and the need for treatment.

Excessive tearing is called epiphora. It may be due to physiological characteristics, as well as diseases or exposure to other external factors. In this case, the dog may have watery eyes in one or both eyes.

Breed characteristics

U individual breeds Pets' eyes water more often than others, which is due to anatomical features. This applies to dogs with:

• underdeveloped tear ducts - in breeds with flat faces, small sizes or round shape skulls (brachycephals, Pekingese, pugs, Spitz);
• a large, wide-open palpebral fissure, leaving the eyes poorly protected from dust and other irritants ( Japanese Chins, chihuahua, french bulldogs);
• a large number folds that most often develop entropion (Shar Peis, Basset Hounds);
• long thick hair on the face (schnauzers, shih tzus);
• incorrectly growing eyelashes (lap dogs, spitz dogs, poodles, terriers, etc.).

If a pet with these signs has watery eyes since puppyhood, you should talk to other owners of a similar breed. This is probably due to anatomical features that cannot be corrected conservative treatment, therefore such animals need constant care– they need to regularly wipe their eyes from tears with a special lotion.

For such animals, a solution to the problem is only possible with surgical intervention– cleaning and widening the tear ducts or correcting the shape of the eyelids.

Diseases associated with increased lacrimation

As a rule, a dog’s eyes become watery due to the following diseases:

• Conjunctivitis is a manifestation of an allergic reaction, viral infection, the result of injury or deformation of the lacrimal canal. The dog's eyes water and become red, and later yellow-green pus appears. At the same time, the dog blinks frequently, closes his eyes completely or squints.
• Inflammation of the Gardner's gland (third eyelid) - the gland protects the cornea from external irritants, but as the inflammatory process develops, it swells and turns red, and yellow mucus appears.
• Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids) - occurs due to injuries, internal diseases, demodicosis, allergic reactions. It is accompanied by redness, swelling, lacrimation, and itching.
• Mechanical injury– a pet may be scratched by a sharp object or injured in a fight, resulting in damage to the eyelid or eyeball, which provokes the development of inflammation. At first, the damage may not be noticeable, but over time the injured area becomes inflamed, swells, and suppuration appears.
• Allergic reaction– may be the result of exposure to external or internal factors, as a result of which the eyes become red and watery. The first include dust, household chemicals, perfumes, plant pollen, and the second - substances that act on the body from the inside (food, medicines etc.).
• Infections (viral, fungal, bacterial) - in some cases are also accompanied by the appearance of a large amount of tear secretions in the absence of other symptoms, if they occur in hidden form. Accurate diagnosis In such a situation, only a veterinarian can diagnose this after examining the animal.
• Entropion of the eyelid - can be congenital, paralytic or cicatricial (as a result of scar formation after surgery or injury). Symptoms include incomplete closure of the eyelids, discharge from the eyes, and conjunctivitis.

Other reasons

In some situations, increased tear production is caused by external conditions, so there is no need to contact a veterinarian. This applies to the following situations:

• Entry of a foreign body (parts of plants, insects, hairs, etc.), which often happens after walking or traveling in a car, if the pet likes to stick its head out the window while driving. And in long-haired breeds, the eyes are often irritated due to their own hair getting into them.
• Dry air in the house is another reason for increased lacrimation.
• The presence of a large amount of carbohydrates in the dog’s menu. It's about not only about sweets, but also cereals, potatoes, bakery products and other products that may cause excessive tearing.

What to do if your dog's eyes are watery

Depending on the condition of the dog and the cause of the large amount of tear discharge, you can first try to solve the problem yourself, and if the condition worsens or appears additional symptoms You should consult a doctor immediately.

What you can do yourself

If a dog's eyes are watery, the owner should first examine the pet in a calm environment. To do this you need:

1. Wash your hands.
2. Sit or lay the dog down on a stable surface and provide good lighting.
3. Holding the palpebral fissure with your hand open state examine your eyes.

This way you can see a foreign body, swelling or redness, and evaluate the type of discharge (pus or mucus). Depending on the changes you see, it will be clear how to proceed:

• If dust, chemical sprays (hairspray, air freshener), or foreign bodies it is necessary to wipe the cornea with a cotton swab moistened with clean boiled water.
• For inflammatory processes: wash 5-8 times a day with saline solution, strained decoction of calendula or chamomile. Movements should be made from the outer edge of the eye to the inner.
• At large quantities wool: carefully trim the hair in the eye area, after washing them to remove hair.

Important! You should not use tea leaves and cotton wool for rinsing, the villi of which will further irritate the cornea. Instead of the latter, you can take cotton pads or a gauze swab.

• For dry air: if it is not possible to increase the humidity, it is recommended to use special drugs such as “Dacrolux”, “Artificial tear”, “Hypromellose”. They, by analogy with tear fluid, have a moisturizing effect.
• At improper diet or a sudden change in the menu: reconsider your pet’s eating habits and, first of all, eliminate inappropriate foods from the diet (sweets, fried foods, fatty foods).

When to contact a veterinarian

If, despite all the procedures for several days, the dog’s eyes continue to water, this may be due to more serious factors or complications. In this case, treatment can be prescribed by a competent veterinarian after tests and examination of the pet.

It is imperative to show your pet to a specialist if the following symptoms appear:

• red eye whites and inflammation of the conjunctiva;
• noticeable irritation in the eye area and itching;
• purulent discharge within a few days;
• dullness or cloudiness of the cornea;
• severe tumor;
• eyesore;
• noticeable deterioration of vision;
• obvious discomfort for the dog when he constantly blinks, squints and rubs his eyes with his paws.

Otherwise, even a harmless speck in the eye can lead to unpleasant consequences, up to corneal clouding and even loss of vision.

The reason for contacting a doctor should also be changes in general health animal: fever, sneezing, lethargy, lack of appetite.

Eye problems are sometimes a symptom internal diseases, not related to the organs of vision. In this case, when determining the diagnosis, it is important to provide full information about the breed and age of the animal, living conditions, past illnesses ever used medicines. The veterinarian must check with the dog’s owner for all the details in order to diagnose correct diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment. Therapy will depend entirely on the cause of increased lacrimation.

Drugs for treatment

To treat conditions that cause watery eyes in dogs, veterinarians usually prescribe eye drops and ointments. The most popular drugs include the following:

• "Diamond Eyes" - includes chlorhexidine with taurine and succinic acid. The solution is suitable for use with severe lacrimation, relieves swelling and inflammation. It is also recommended by veterinarians as prophylactic at daily care behind the pet's eyes.
• "Bars" - contain chloramphenicol and furatsilin and have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial effect. Drops are suitable as a treatment inflammatory processes, and to prevent their occurrence.
• "Tsiprovet" - provide an antibacterial effect and help in the treatment of conjunctivitis and ulcerative lesions eye. Active components destroy the DNA of pathogenic microorganisms.
• Tetracycline ointment - contains antibiotics and is used when heavy discharge mucus and pus. It is applied to the lower eyelid, previously cleaned of crusts and secretions.
• Tobrex - act against various infections that affect not only the eyes themselves, but also the tissues around them.

To reduce the risk possible problems with your eyes, it is important to regularly keep them clean: healthy dog the eyes should be clean, clear, not red and without unnecessary discharge. In all other cases, you need to carefully monitor your pet in order to notice and eliminate any health problems in time.

You can also ask questions to our site's in-house veterinarian, who will answer them as quickly as possible in the comment box below.