Help! My Dog Has An Eye Infection

Eye infections are tough on your dog's poor eyeballs 👀

dog eye infection

Eye infections are the worst. So if your dog is struggling with one, you’ll want to help him feel better ASAP.

We spoke with Dr. Cristina Bustamante, an associate veterinarian with Caring Hands Animal Hospital in Florida and founder of Dr. B. Vet, to learn all about dog eye infections and what you can do if your dog has one.

Common eye infections for dogs

There are a few different eye infections that are common among dogs:

  • Conjunctivitis (aka pink eye): when the mucous membrane — called the conjunctiva — is affected and becomes inflamed
  • Uveitis: when the iris (the part of the eye that gives it color), the ciliary body (the part of the eye’s wall that makes fluid in the eye) or the choroid (the eye’s middle layer) become inflamed
  • Corneal inflammation
  • Eyelid and tear gland issues

How do dogs get eye infections?

Dogs can get eye infections if foreign objects get stuck in their eyes.

“Dogs usually get eye infections from having something such as feces, sand, plant [or] debris in their eyes,” Dr. Bustamante told The Dodo.

And when these irritants make your dog scratch at his eyes, that just allows bacteria to get in there, which can also cause infection.

In addition to bacteria and foreign objects getting stuck in the eye, other causes of dog eye infections include:

Dog eye infection symptoms

There are a bunch of symptoms that can indicate your dog has an eye infection, like:

  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Watering
  • Discharge
  • Squinting
  • Pawing at eyes
  • Blinking
  • Light sensitivity
  • Keeping eyes closed

“Sometimes when their infection is severe, their cornea (outermost layer of the eye) becomes infected and they can even lose their vision,” Dr. Bustamante said.

The thing to keep in mind is that a lot of these symptoms can indicate other conditions that aren’t actually infections, like dry eye. To figure out if your dog’s dealing with an eye infection or something else, you should have your vet take a look.

Dog eye infection treatment

Treatment for your dog’s eye infection will vary depending on what’s causing his infection, but a vet can help you figure out the best approach.

Dog eye infection drops

There are eye drops specifically designed to clear up certain eye infections, like bacterial infections.

Just make sure you’re NEVER giving your pup eye drops meant for humans, because these can be bad for dogs. Instead, your vet should be able to recommend or prescribe a good option for your dog.

Antibiotics for dog eye infections

Antibiotics can also be used to clear up bacterial infections in your dog’s eyes. These can come as oral medications or ointments.

Try Terramycin antibiotic ointment from Chewy for $23.63

Or these prescription oral antibiotics from Chewy for $18.02

Always chat with your vet before grabbing medicine for your dog to make sure you’re giving him the safest, most effective option for him.

Other treatments for dog eye infections

Drops and antibiotics won’t always be the best forms of treatment, since your dog’s eye infections can be caused by more than just bacteria.

For example, if your dog’s allergies are triggering an eye infection, your vet might suggest an antihistamine.

And if there’s a foreign object in your pet’s eye, don’t try to take it out yourself — go to the vet to have it removed.

So now you know what causes dog eye infections, the signs to look out for and how to help your pup if he’s struggling with an infection.

We independently pick all the products we recommend because we love them and think you will too. If you buy a product from a link on our site, we may earn a commission.