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My German Shepherd's red, swollen eyes look grey. Is she losing sight?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | spayed | 2 years and 4 months old | 80 lbs

My dog has a red, swollen, itchy eye with discharge. She seems sensitive to light and is not her usual high energy self. I used saline eye wash for a day and it got worse. Now I'm using vetericyn eye gel and it seems to help. When I opened her eyes to put the gel in her normally brown eyes were pale and grey, as If she was blind. This hasn't been going on for more than 2 days, is she going blind or could it be a symptom or side effect of the medicine? She is 2 years, a German shepherd

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Eryn Taormina, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 4th, 2018

Hi there. I'm so sorry to hear about Cailbur's eye issue! Let me see if I can help. Sometimes, when dog's have an eye infection, it can be secondary to trauma to the surface of the eye called the cornea. In this case, we can get a scratch on the cornea, and over time, if not treated appropriately, it may turn into a large corneal ulcer. The ulcer can make the eye look cloudy. Sometimes it can be after it heals, or sometimes it can happen if the ulcer is very deep. In this case, Calibur would need to go to a veterinarian so they can check for an ulcer, and then get some antibiotic ointment or drops to apply. Another condition german shepherds can develop in the eyes is called, pannus. This is an autoimmune disease, and although we are unsure of the direct cause, it is controlled by daily eye medications. There are several other eye issues that I can think of, but these are the two most common that I see in a dog of Calibur's age and breed. Again, I would make an appointment for her to see her veterinarian as soon as you can so they can check her eyes and get her on an appropriate treatment plan for her condition. Here are some links on the subjects I touched on in my answer...
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=6292624
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951434

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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