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My dog has red eyes. Can I diagnose and treat dog conjunctivitis at home?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Female | spayed | 13 years and 4 months old | 5.4 lbs

I am almost positive my dog has conjunctivitis, are there ways to confirm this myself, or do I absolutely need to take her in? And if it is, are there ways to treat it myself?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jeffrey Milner

Veterinarian

Published on May 25th, 2017

By definition, conjunctivitis is simply an inflammation of the conjunctival membranes in the eye. Usually this appears as redness and swelling of these associated tissues. Often, conjunctivitis is paired with scleritis and corneal ulceration. While anyone can simply look at the eye and plainly see that it is red and inflamed, the most important thing is to make sure that the corneal is not ulcerated. A staining solution has to be placed on the surface of the eye, and then a cobalt blue light is utilized to determine if there are any scratches. The reason we do this prior to treating is because the choice of medication differs considerably if there is versus isn't an ulcer present. The eye medication can not include a steroid if there is an ulcer or it will make things worse or delay the healing process considerably. Hope this helps.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on February 27th, 2018
Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. The irritation you are seeing could be due to an allergy or trauma. I would recommend using an antihistamine eye drop such as Zaditor (ketotifen fumarate) and see if this makes a difference. If this does not, I would recommend having the veterinarian check for corneal ulcers and other signs of trauma in the eye. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Lotus Altholtz
Veterinarian, Board-Certified Lab Animal Medicine Specialist
Published on December 26th, 2019
Bella’s eye/conjunctiva does look extremely inflamed. I recommend taking her to your vet’s ASAP for a fluorescein stain of her eye to rule out a corneal ulcer/scratch. If the stain is negative, then a opthalmic steroid antibiotic ointment can be prescribed (likely 3x/day for a week). It is hard to tell from the picture but the circled bump is likely inflamed conjunctival tissue/gland at the medial canthus of the eye that may subside when the inflammation/infection is treated. If the stain is positive for a scratch or an ulcer, then an opthalmic antibiotic without a steroid and possibly atropine drops for pain will likely be prescribed. Good luck!
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ana M, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on August 24th, 2018
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lily. Corneal ulcers are treated differently than allergic eye disease and eye infections. The results of the eye test dictates which medications can be used. The white part of the eye turning red just indicates irritation to the eye. This can be the due to almost any condition that affects eye (an ulcer, infection, dry eye, a foreign body, glaucoma or uveitis). A scratch can occur on the white part, but is more serious if it affects the cornea. I hope this information helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Why are my dog's eyes red and gooey? Is it conjunctivitis?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! By definition that is conjunctivitis but there are many different causes of conjunctivitis. I recommend taking Roan to a vet so they can examine his eyes to look for a scratch or ulcer. This isn’t always seen with a naked eye. If so, the medications to treat change. If not, they can determine the best treatment to help soothe his itchy eyes. Good luck and kisses to Roan!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's eye is still red after conjunctivitis treatment. What now?

Bleu has such pretty eyes!! I would recommend a recheck with your vet now that some of the swelling and redness has resolved. There may be something additional going on that needs to be addressed, or perhaps she needs to receive a different type of eye drops. Be sure and ask your veterinarian to take a close look at Bleu’s eyelids-sometimes, especially in young growing dogs, the lower (and occasionally upper) eyelid can roll onwards and irritate the surface of the eye-This is called entropion and can require surgery to correct. I hope you are able to get Bleu’s eye redness resolved soon!

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My dog's eye is red & squinting. Should I give him old Prednisone?

I do not recommend giving any medications unless directed by your vet. He could have a corneal ulcer, infection, scratch, or foreign body in his eye. Your vet can do some testing to diagnose and then prescribe the best medication to treat. He may need an antibiotic to treat.

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My dog's eyes have white webs and bleeding. Can I treat at home?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The red 'web' in the eye are blood vessels that are growing into the injured cornea (which is the red dot in the left eye) . I cannot really see the blood vessels in the right eye but the cornea looks bluish and cloudy. The most likely reason for these changes are corneal ulcers or wounds to the cornea. This diagnosis needs to be confirmed by your local vets, and then the treatment can be started. Your dog should have a course of antibiotics eye drops and possibly pain killers. All of these medications are prescription-only. I don't think there are any home remedies that can be used for Roshni, you need to take him to your local vets as soon as they are open again.

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I agree, it does look as though Brady's conjunctiva appears to be a bit red and inflamed. This could be due to topical irritation, trauma or infection. I recommend taking Brady to the vet so that his can be thoroughly examined before starting any necessary medication. To err on the side of caution, put an e-collar (cone) on Brady until his vet appointment to prevent him from scratching or rubbing his eye, as this could cause further injury/irritation. I hope that all goes well!

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My puppy's eye is blue and red. How to tell if her ulcer is healing?

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