My dog has eye gunk and is scratching his ear. When to see a vet?

Hello, thank you for your question about Max. Based on the symptoms you are describing it sounds like Max may just have some mild irritation in his ears. You can have his ears cleaned and continue monitoring him for any discharge/scratching/redness/head shaking. If any of these signs develop I would recommend having him evaluated by your veterinarian so that they can look for signs of an ear infection. Hope this helps, good luck!

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. There is nothing you can do at home. He needs to be evaluated as soon as possible as this is likely serious and his eye health may be in jeopardy. I highly recommend that you have Tank evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further therapy would be based on the findings. Good luck and best wishes!

This could be a sign of an ear infection in Max. Ear infections typically result from yeast or bacteria in dogs and can be itchy and painful. I'd recommend having Max examined by a veterinarian so his ears can be checked out. The veterinarian can take an ear swab to determine what type of infection is present and what medication can be used to treat it. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Dogs can get eye infections, allergies that lead to infections, scratches on the cornea and dry eye. These will all lead to increased eye discharge. Maverick’s discharge looks slightly green from the photos and this is generally indicative of an infection. If the green discharge lasts longer than 24hours, he seems uncomfortable, he is rubbing at the eye or he is squinting, he needs to see the veterinarian. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

That swelling is likely to be caused by an hematoma in between the cartilage of the ear (pinna) and the skin. An immediate check up is required as the swelling could potentially get worse and deteriorate. Primary cause of the otitis inside external ear canal must be identified and treated. Very commonly the gunk is caused by either an ear infection cause by bacteria or yeast proliferation. Ear drops and a buster collar will be required. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

This will depend on the cause of the discharge. If Max has yellow or green discharge he likely has an eye infection or eye condition that needs to be treated by a veterinarian with medications suitable for infection or antiinflammatories, etc. If the "gunk" is just reddish tear stains, there really is no remedy that works 100 %. You cna try some 3% hydrogen peroxide on the stained hair if your dog is white. Otherwise just use a moist paper towel and regularly wipe it off as much and as gently as you can. When in doubt, have Max's eyes examined by your vet.

Signs of an ear infection are often a discharge in the ear, redness to the ear, sensitivity to the ear, scratching, head shaking or an odor. There are three types of ear infections and treatment is different for each one. They need to be treated by a veterinarian who can provide appropriate medication. Ear infections can be painful so I recommend to have Tazzy seen within the next day for so by the veterinarian. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.