We Love All Dogs

A closer look at some of the top breeds of dogs and simple tips and tricks to use for easier obedience training
Menu
  • We Love All Dogs.com
  • Dog Tips
    • Stop Puppy Biting During Playtime
    • Border Collie Training: Burning off Energy
    • How to Leash Train a Dog Easily
    • Why Labs are the Easiest Dogs to Train
    • Pit Bull Training: Socialization to Combat Dog Aggression
  • Reviews

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit

Join Us Now For Free
Home
Dog Health
Dry Eye Syndrome in Dogs
Dog Health

Dry Eye Syndrome in Dogs

Tim Shank November 17, 2017

One of the more common areas where a dog may experience problems is with their eyes. This type of an issue may manifest itself in many different ways but one of the common problems that occurs in many dogs is Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, which is commonly referred to as “dry eye syndrome.” This is an issue that could be somewhat uncomfortable for the dog but fortunately, there are treatment options available that can help your dog to be as comfortable as possible.

Dry eye syndrome affects the tears in the dog’s eyes, which form a covering for the surface and help to protect them from foreign matter. When the dog is experiencing this problem, they do not produce enough tears and as a result, the eyes become dry and the cornea becomes inflamed. It also affects the clear membrane over the eye, known as the conjunctiva.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca is a relatively common problem in dogs, although it is more likely to occur in certain breeds. Some of those breeds that commonly experience dry eye syndrome include Bulldogs, West Highland white Terriers, cocker spaniel’s, shih-tzus and Lhasa apsos. Some veterinarians also feel that females are more likely to have a problem with dry eye syndrome than males.

The symptoms of dry eye syndrome in a dog are not always easy to recognize. That is why it is a good idea to keep a close eye on your dog and to report anything unusual that they may be experiencing when you visit the veterinarian. Some of the common symptoms of dry eye syndrome include excessive blinking, conjunctivitis, a mucus discharge, changes in the appearance of the eye and swollen blood vessels in the conjunctiva.

A number of different causes of dry eye syndrome exist. Some of them may be breed-specific, such as congenital issues that are more likely to occur in Yorkshire Terriers and pugs. They may also be suffering from an autoimmune condition that affects the glands that produce tears. Other conditions that can lead to dry eye syndrome include drug toxicity, bacterial and viral infections and chronic inflammation of the eyelids and conjunctiva.

Your veterinarian will need to make the determination if your dog is suffering from dry eye syndrome. This may include a thorough examination and information about their medical history or the history of their family line. Tests may also be run to determine if they are producing enough tears or if there are other issues with the eye that could be leading to dry eye syndrome.

If the dry eye syndrome is a primary issue, you may have to give your dog artificial tear medications or other medicines to help lubricate the eyes. They may also receive an antibiotic in case an infection exists. If the dry eye syndrome is a secondary problem, your dog may need to receive additional treatment for the underlying issue.

Share
Tweet
Email
Prev Article
Next Article

Related Articles

Liver Disease in Dogs
It doesn’t matter what organ it is inside of the …

Liver Disease in Dogs

Otitis in Dogs – Dealing with Ear Infections
Problems with a dog’s health may affect them in many …

Otitis in Dogs – Dealing with Ear Infections

About The Author

Tim Shank

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Search

Archives

  • November 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • February 2016

Meta

  • Log in

We Love All Dogs

A closer look at some of the top breeds of dogs and simple tips and tricks to use for easier obedience training
Copyright © 2025 We Love All Dogs
Theme by MyThemeShop.com

Ad Blocker Detected

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.

Refresh
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT