My dog has clear eye discharge. When should I worry about it?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Scout. It is a good idea to have her eyes checked. However, if the discharge is clear, it is likely not an emergency. If her eyes are red, she is squinting or the discharge becomes colored, then she will need to be seen sooner. She could have a breed predisposition to tearing, a congenital problem where her eyelashes grow the wrong ways irritating her corneas or a blocked duct or allergies as you mentioned. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to an eye injury or conditions such as a corneal laceration, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, dry eye (also known as KCS), among many other conditions. I highly recommend that you have Maxie evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. Good luck and best wishes!

Some dogs can normally have a moderate amount of clear discharge from both eyes that can discolor the hair under the eyes a reddish-brown color. Keep Poppins' hair trimmed under her eyes and use a warm water washcloth to clean the discharge daily. However, if Poppins' eye discharge becomes yellow or green, causes squinting or redness to the eye, she will need to be examined by her vet.

A small amount of clear or whitish discharge is normal and fine. If you see green or yellow discharge, or if the eye itself is red or squinting, your pup needs to be examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Pippa! I definitely see the discharge in the inner corner of her eye, and a little bit of redness. You should definitely have her examined by a vet as soon as possible, because eye issues can turn into emergencies very quickly. The discharge can be due to conjunctivitis, a foreign body, or even a scratch in the cornea (this condition is dangerous as it can quickly progress and even cause a dog to lose their eye). In the meantime, you can get Pippa an E-collar (or "cone") to prevent her from scratching the eye and causing further damage and apply artificial tears to the eye two to three times per day. I hope this helps and that Pippa starts feeling better soon!

The tearing and discharge may indicate an infection or injury. You would need to have Tobby physically examined by your veterinarian or a veterinary ophthalmologist to diagnose the underlying cause. The appropriate treatment can then be administered. In the meantime, place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent pawing or rubbing until he sees the doctor. A warm, moist washcloth can be used to gently clean around the eye itself. Schedule an appointment sooner rather than later to prevent unnecessary pain or potential permanent damage to the eye.

Poor Daisy. If the discharge is just clear and not yellow or green, then this is likely a sign of allergic rhinitis. Something in the environment is causing her to have an allergic inflammatory response in her nasal passages. However, as long as the discharge remains clear she may get over this on her own over the next few weeks. Monitor her daily for any changes and have her seen by your veterinarian if things get worse (sneezing, infection type discharge, decreased appetite, etc). But hopefully she won't need to be seen and she improves on her own.