Dog eye care - how to take care of your dog's eyes
Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Dog eye care is nothing complicated. All you have to do is check their condition every day and remove any dirt that collects in the corners of the eyes. Why is this important, how often should you wash the eyes and which products should you use? Find out the details!
Checking our pet's eyes should become a permanent part of the daily routine. Especially since it is not difficult and does not require spending a lot of time on it. Into the dog's eyes get impurities - dust, dirt, microfibers. A healthy eye will manage to remove them on its own. Dirt accumulates in the inner corners of the eyes in the form of small dried lumps ("sleepyheads"). They should be removed gently with a cotton swab soaked in water or a special eye wash. It is not recommended to scrape dry with a nail, because along with the dried dirt we can tear out the pet hair growing around the eye, and the hair that will grow back in place of the extracted one may have a slightly different shade. If the lump of dirt is not removed, it can cause eye sores in the area of the dog's eyes. If a lump of dirt sticks firmly to the coat, you can moisten it and try to remove it after a while.
In long-haired dogs, grooming the eyes and eye area is especially important. Too long hair often enters the eyes causing corneal irritation and increased tearing. For these breeds, it's a good idea to trim the dog's fringe regularly. Also dog breeds with fairly large eyes in relation to the size of the skull should be subject to systematic eye care. These breeds include, for example, shih tzu and yorkshire terrier. Dogs may also have clogged tear ducts (hair around the eyes may be tinted a different color).
There is a wide variety of eye care products available on the market for dogs. If something has fallen into your dog's eye and you notice that he is scratching or rubbing it with his paw, or if his long hair is obstructing his vision and irritating his eye, it is advisable to rinse his eye with a suitable eye wash or eye drops. In case of discoloration on the coat, it is worth getting a product that removes stains and spots on the coat. You can also get scissors with which you can shorten the dog's coat over the eyes if it grows too long. It's a good idea to buy eye care products from good groomers' shops, so you can be sure that the product is tested and safe for your pet!
This procedure is not complicated or difficult to perform. There are two ways to wash your dog's eyes:
or
The first way is more convenient in the sense that we are sure that we don't squeeze into the dog's eye too much preparation at once. The liquid should be at room temperature and you shouldn't use cotton wool or touch the eyeball with any material. After applying the eye cleaner, gently massage the eyelid closed.
Good pet supply stores will sell a variety of preparations and eye care products for your dog's eyes. You can choose from eye lotions, drops, gels, lotions or tonics for cleaning the eyes, wet wipes for travelling and products to remove stains from the under-eye area.
