My dog has a sudden eye infection after an ear infection. What to do?

Please do not use this or any other antibiotic that is not specifically meant for the treatment of eye infections. There may be chemicals in this that will damage the eye. Eye infections are always emergencies and need to be seen by a veterinarian right away as there is always the danger of loss of eye sight. Your veterinarian will thoroughly examine the eye with an ophthalmoscope, check for injuries to the cornea and corneal ulcers, signs of glaucoma (may measure intra-ocular pressure) and check for swelling and infection. Depending on the type of infection or condition he will determine the type of treatment. Please take Melodie to a veterinarian or Pet ER today.

Poor DDuang! Ear infections are very uncomfortable. I would not recommend using ophthalmic ointment in the ear, as these medications are not designed for this and could damage his eardrum or the nerves in his middle ear. It's fine to use a regular ear cleaner labeled for dogs to help clean the discharge out of the ear - this won't treat the underlying infection, but may make Dduang a bit more comfortable until he can get treatment. An ear infection is not an emergency, per se, but it's certainly uncomfortable and unpleasant for both of you! Personally, I would probably go ahead and take your pup to the emergency clinic tonight or tomorrow rather than waiting until next week for treatment. You could also call some other vets locally to see if they have any appointments available tomorrow, since this would probably be cheaper than an emergency visit. The vet will take a sample of the discharge for analysis under the microscope and prescribe appropriate medication to treat the infection depending on what is found.

Oh that does look really bad. Unfortunately this cannot be treated at home and leaving this untreated can lead to vision loss. This is an emergency, and Ziggy has to see a vet now. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

This could definitely be a problem, since ear medications are not formulated for use in the eye and can be very irritating. If you have some plain saline eye wash on hand, flush his eye out immediately - then, I would recommend having him seen by a vet as soon as possible. The biggest risk is that he may develop a corneal ulcer, which can be severe in some cases and could cause permanent damage or vision loss. Your vet can evaluate the eye to make sure that all of the medication has been rinsed out, and will probably send you home with prescription eye meds to help heal the cornea if there is an injury.

You are unlikely to get an eye infection and there are some diseases and parasite that dogs can pass to be people, but this not something you need to worry about. If her ears are not better after a week of medication she will need a recheck though.

If ear infections are left untreated, they can lead to hearing loss. Unfortunately this cannot be treated at home without prescription medication, but a vet should see you for this problem. Give your vet a call.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bella. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. I agree that her ear is likely infected. The veterinarian will examine her including inspecting the ear canals with a special instrument known as an otoscope. A sample will be taken from each ear canal to evaluate under the microscope. This will confirm an infection and determine the type. For example, she could have a yeast or bacterial infection or a combination of both. In other cases, ear mites are possible. Based on these results, appropriate treatment can be started. An ear cleaner is usually commonly used to cleanse and dry the canal. Then a medication is applied to treat the infection. Ear infections are painful and require prompt treatment. If left untreated, chronic changes can result that will predispose her to future problems. I hope this information helps!