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Swollen red eyes

258 Views 2 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  Soundtrack
Hello everyone. Our basset hound Benny recently started getting increasingly droopy red conjunctivitis. Initially our vet prescribed us some antibiotic and steroid eye drops but it didn't really seem to make things better. At first it appeared to get worse when he was outside so we thought it might be allergies. Benadryl does appear to help a little bit. We have also tried eye wash and lubricating eye drops which he hates. It does appear to affect one eye more than another. Our vet mentioned surgical intervention. We just want to do what's best for him. Any advice or experience from others is appreciated.

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looks like allergies, dry eye where the nictitating membrane does not retract where it should be, rather than cherry eye (prolapse of the gland/nictitating membrane) in the corner of the eye try artificial tear and eye washes while wait of a veterinary ophthalmologist appointment,

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Any breed of dog or cat may develop allergic conjunctivitis. All breeds predisposed to atopic dermatitis, a hypersensitivity or over-reaction to a variety of commonplace and otherwise harmless substances like pollen, are also predisposed to allergic conjunctivitis. Allergic conjunctivitis is most common in young adults but can occur at any age.
In this allergic condition, the following are frequent contributors:
  • Allergies
  • Atopy (genetic tendency towards allergies)
  • Dust
  • Food allergy
  • House dust, molds
Treatment
Allergic conjunctivitis is most commonly treated with eyedrops or ointments containing corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone or hydrocortisone. Your veterinarian may check first for a scratch on the cornea (called a corneal ulcer) by instilling a yellow dye called fluorescein. If the eye has a scratch, medication without steroids is used, as steroids can delay healing of the scratch. Oral corticosteroids and/or antihistamines may also be helpful, especially in those pets with associated skin disease. Over-the-counter topical antihistamines may be beneficial, particularly in itchy dogs, but ask your veterinarian which one is best for your pet’s situation. However, topical mast cell stabilizers and antihistamines have variable clinical results.
A sterile saline eye wash can be used once or twice a day to clean the eyes and remove the accumulated discharge. Saline may also reduce surface irritation by flushing dirt, dust, debris, and pollens away from the eye."
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