Stop Eye Infections & Chronic Tearing: Effective Solutions Revealed!
Eye diseases in our dogs and cats are very common, and a friend just asked me what to do for his dog’s NON STOP tearing eye… .
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Eye Infections in Dogs and Cats
Your pet’s eyes are one of the more critical and sensitive parts of their anatomy. There are a number of different eye disorders, and many of those are amenable to at-home remedies.
Common eye disorders include conjunctivitis(red eye or pinkeye), epiphora (excessive tearing), uveitis, KCS (dry eye), glaucoma, cataracts, corneal ulceration, and PRA (progressive retinal atrophy).
Conjunctivitis is defined as inflammation of the red, conjunctival tissue around your pet’s eye. It is the most common cause of red eye in dogs and cats.
There are many at-home remedies that can be used for conjunctivitis.
Epiphora, or excessive tearing, is usually a result of the tear ducts being obstructed, and the tears cannot be drained normally. They are then visible streaming down the corner of your pet’s eyes.
Cats commonly have upper respiratory viral infections that can predispose them to recurring eye tearing.
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), or dry eye, is caused by a lack of tear production. The signs are a dry-looking, mucoid eye, with accompanied inflammation.
SIGNS
Your pet’s eyes are red with a yellow or green discharge. The eyes continue to water. Your pets quints or rubs his or her eyes. The tissue around the eye appears swollen. With cataracts, the middle of the eye (the lens) appears cloudy (see Cataracts).
CAUSES
The causes of red eye are numerous. The most common are bacterial conjunctivitis, bacterial infection of the tissue around the eye, and allergic conjunctivitis. Other more serious causes include glaucoma (swelling in the eye) or an ulcer on the cornea (erosion on the surface of the eye).
SOLUTIONS
TO THE VETERINARIAN
Here are three signs to trigger an immediate call to your veterinarian: if your pet’s eye infection is painful, with your pet rubbing an eye; if the main part of the eye, the cornea, appears to be indented or layered; and if the entire eye suddenly becomes cloudy.
EYE TEARS
The lubricated eye tears used for people with minor eye infections can be very soothing for your pet. First wipe any discharge away from the eyes using a damp cloth and then apply two to three drops in the affected eye three times daily.
TO THE KITCHEN
Tea is more than just a drink. It has tannins in it that are anti-inflammatory and have antimicrobial properties. Brew up a strong cup of black/green tea and place three to four drops in the affected eye three times daily. It should be made daily to prevent contamination.
HONEY
Honey is another great anti bacterial that can be added to the tea, or on its own. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of honey in 1 cup of the tea. 2-4 drops 4 times/day.
HERBAL:
EYEBRIGHT (EUPHRASIA)
This herb has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. To make a solution, mix five drops of eyebright in 125 ml (one-half cup) of saline solution. Using an eyedropper, place two drops in the affected eye twice daily for five to seven days.
MORE HEALING EYE DROPS
Instead of using Euphrasia, you can substitute one of these herbs: RASPBERRY, NETTLE OR OREGON GRAPE. Mix five drops of one of these herbs in 125 ml (one-half cup) of saline solution. Using an eyedropper, place two drops in the affected eye twice daily for five to seven days.
EXCESSIVE TEARING
WIPE AWAY
Use a damp cloth to wipe off crusted discharge around the nose and eyes. If the corner of the eye is red and inflamed, also use a topical anti-inflammatory, such as aloe or aloe/calendula cream; a cloth soaked in black tea is another option.
AMINO ACID LYSINE
L-lysine has proven antiviral activity and is a mainstay in treating and curing cats with recurrent herpesvirus respiratory infections. It comes as a veterinary paste (Enisyl). The dose is 100mg per ten pounds twice daily for at least twelve weeks. This is also found in Ultimate Canine and Ultimate Feline Health Formula.
PROBIOTICS
Probiotics (the healthy natural bacteria) seem to modify the bacteria in the gut, but also the skin. In the cases of tear staining, they appear to decrease the bacteria that produce the pigment that shows up as a stain (i.e., less melanin). The most effective supplement is lactobacillus acidophilus; give one-fourth capsule per ten pounds of body weight twice daily.
MASSAGE of Area
In some dogs you can hot compress the corner of the eye, and then massage the duct. In some dogs it can loosen up and drain.
NATURAL ANTI INFLAMMATORY
95% Curcumin may also help by lowering inflammation of the duct, allowing it to open and then drain the tears properly. Doses of 250mg/50lbs daily of our our HIGH ABSORPTION 95% Curcumin supplement.
P.S. I have found that Tula’s eye infection always responds well to either Black or Green Tea. What I am hoping is that the 95% curcumin can help deal with the underlying cause, STOPPING it from being a re-occurring problem!
P.P.S. About our new supplement… .
Dr. Jones’ Ultimate High Absorption 95% Curcumin (BCM-95 ~ Curcugreen) with BioPerine has marked anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. The supplement is in capsule form (powder in capsules). Each capsule contains 250mg Curcumin, with 30 capsules per jar.
Our supplement is very highly absorbable – BCM-95 (CURCUGREEN) is 700% more bioavailable than regular curcumin, and with piperine (BioPerine) added, absorption is enhanced even further (piperine has been shown to enhance absorption of curcumin by up to 2000%
Anything you can do to a 5 year old female Maltese…vet says she has glaucoma I’m using drops for the pressure…everything is so expensive…in a small town with no specialist…nearest one 14 hours away…Will she be ok just using eye drops…
Here’s an article that can help:
Tear Staining in Dogs and Cats
Tear staining is the reddish brown discoloration that is found on the hair under the eyes. It occurs most commonly in small breed dogs, but it is also seen in cats. It is most visible in animals with white fur.
Tear staining is caused by excessive tear production (epiphora). The hair under the eyes is constantly wet and this can lead to it staining.
One interesting fact is if there is no excessive tearing, there will be no tear staining. It’s also not unusual to have littermates—one who stains and one who doesn’t. Genetics does play a role in tear staining.
First and foremost, it is very important to see your vet or ophthalmologist first to rule out any medical causes for excessive tearing.
Some medical causes include: ingrown eyelashes, infection of the eye, unusually large tear glands, unusually small or blocked tear ducts, glaucoma, entropion (inverted eyelid), large prominent eyes, ear infection, dental issues, some kind of systemic issue and certain medications.
There are other elements that can cause excessive tearing: stress, hormonal changes, higher humidity, smog, high winds, allergens, irritants, second hand smoke, plastic food/water bowls, high mineral content of water, allergies, type of food fed, hair in the eyes and teething.
Tear stains are usually the result of porphyrins. Porphyrins are iron containing molecules that are produced when the body breaks down red blood cells. Some of these porphyrins are excreted through tears, saliva and the pads of the feet.
When tears containing porphyrins sit on the hair for any period of time, staining will occur. And yes, the iron related stains will darken if exposed to sunlight.
Besides porphyrins, red yeast (Pityrosporum) can also contribute to tear staining. Yeast loves moist areas, so wet hair under the eyes would certainly be favourable for it to flourish. Yeast infection under the eyes will have a noticeable odour.
It is quite possible for a dog/cat to have both porphyrins and yeast at the same time.
To add to the confusion, bacteria seem to be involved somehow. The mechanism of bacteria is not well understood. What is clear is that some dogs who are given certain antibiotics will result in the tear staining clearing up.
So what to do?
Once the vet has ruled out any medical issues, there are a number of things you can try to reduce the staining:
Keep the facial hair clean and dry.This may require tending to the wet area 2-3 times a day. Avoid using commercial liquid products. You want to keep the area dry, not wet.
Use a flea comb to remove any eye debris and blot with a tissue.
Tear Staining RECIPE
A favourite recipe is to take a pinch of half cornstarch/half boric acid powder and work it into the wet hair with your fingers, then leave it. The cornstarch helps dry the area while the boric acid will gradually lighten the staining. If you do this diligently every day, usually within a month, you can see a noticeable change.
Diet change:There may be an underlying food allergy that is contributing to this. Consider a 6 week hypoallergenic food trial.
Good Bacteria. Many pet parents are finding adding in probiotics to be beneficial as there appears to be a link between excess tear production, inflammation, and the bodies ability to fight the resulting bacteria/yeast. We have had many people say that Ultimate Canine and Ultimate Feline have helped.
The food and water bowls. Use glass or stainless steel food dishes. Plastic dishes can harbour bacteria. Many breeders use “water bottles” to help keep the faces dry.
Keep the hair short: For pets, trim the hair at the corner of the eyes. It helps prevent the tears from “wicking” down the moustache.
EYE FLUSHING.For some, flushing the eyes daily with an eyewash containing boric acid eg. Collyrium can help
DECREASE Air ALLERGENS: Consider and air purifier and this has helped some pets.
FLUSHING the DUCTS:If the tear ducts are plugged, your vet might be able to flush them out. Be aware however, that this is often a temporary measure, as the ducts often plug up again with time.
About Antibiotics…
Last but not least is going the antibiotic route. This is something that should not be taken lightly.
If all of the above has failed, then perhaps trying a course of antibiotics might be worth looking into.
You and your vet will have to work together on to figure out the correct dosage and for how long.
Tylan (tylosin) seems to be the drug of choice these days.
Antibiotics for tear staining doesn’t work on all dogs, so if the staining isn’t clearing up after a reasonable length of time, don’t continue using it.